2008 Woodie Awards
Rock 'n Sports Gives the 'Burg a Place to Listen, Shop and Play
Dominic Godfrey/Muleskinner
Issue date: 9/28/06 Section: Features
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Ellis is the only employee for his outfit. He expanded his business two years ago when he added property from 111 N. Holden. His store is now decorated with posters and compact discs and DVD's line the wall. The front door is propped open and there is adequate space near the entrance.
Rock n' Sports has everything its name suggests. In addition to CD's and DVD's, Ellis carries vinyl records, VHS movies and video games.
His music and movie selections include all genres Ellis said. He has video games and video consoles dating back to Atari. Also included are Nintendo, Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, Game Cube, X-BOX, Play Station and PS2. He has memorabilia such as stickers and buttons, and sports cards and posters are also available.
Ellis says he conducts business in three main ways- buying, selling and trading. He spends time monitoring the Internet because he buys and sells online.
At the store, Ellis barters with customers by offering them either cash or in-store credit. They can accept the instant cash or use the total value towards items in the store. Ellis admits the in-store option gives his customers a better deal.
"I work hard to get them what they want," Ellis said.
In the past, Ellis sold tickets for national touring acts that played at local venues, such as The Setlist, now The 400 Club. Rock n' Sports is not a Ticketmaster outlet, but Ellis does promote shows such as the Wakarusa music festival in Lawrence, Kan.
Leon and Billie Shepard shopped around the store and sampled a Star Wars game for Super Nintendo. Customers can experiment with games at the front counter, as this couple did.
Although Billie said this is her first time to visit Rock n' Sports, her husband Leon enjoys coming here. He said this is his first choice to stop because it usually has what he needs. He said he enjoys the products, and the store has "lots of old-school stuff."
Ellis said Hastings as his number one competitor. CD Tradepost is probably second, with Blockbuster in third place.
Ellis thinks that the intimacy he experiences with customers is what separates him from the competition.
"I feel a personal touch with customers" Ellis said. "Owning the store allows me to operate it the way I want."
"I started from nothing and made it into what it is today," Ellis modestly recalls. Patience played a large role in his success.
While other downtown businesses have folded, Ellis said they may have spent too much money at the beginning of their operations. They get in over their heads, and unlike Ellis, did not work their way in slowly.
Ellis said a majority of customers are roughly 5-25, with most of them being college students.
However, patrons range in all ages. Business can get a little slow during the summer when many students leave, but Ellis quips, "It helps to have UCM back."
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