Brookfield is known as a tree city, and as a zoo city-but did you know it is also a trophy city? With two trophy stores available-that’s approximately one store for every 9,500 residents-there is still enough business to go around and for the two store owners to maintain an amicable relationship.
“We help each other if there’s a need,” says Lora Collins, who has owned Crown Trophy at 8930 Ogden Ave. for the last two years. “There’s too much to do for us not to work together.”
In fact, Collins is so busy that she often works seven days a week. And when I spoke with William “Smitty” Smith, who has owned T-Shirts & Trophies at 8907 Burlington Ave. for the past 16 years, he had worked until 3 o’clock that morning and was planning on another lengthy workday.
“It’s a lot of hard work,” Smith says. “The customers all make it worthwhile, though.”
For Smith, the decision to go into the trophy business evolved after he found himself out of work, and felt the need to keep moving.
“As long as we can get up, we’ll be here,” he says of himself and his wife Janice, who helps out at the store.
Collins also made her move when she was between jobs.
“I was at a point and time where I wanted something of my own,” she says. “This gave me the chance to stay involved in sports and the community-and stay involved in the corporate world.”
Collins says many of her off-hour customers come from the corporate world.
“I’ll be there on a Sunday doing paperwork, and the phone will ring,” she says. “And I’ll ask them, ‘What did you forget?'”
Many of those calls are for an award for a Monday morning meeting, which Collins often accommodates. She says she also works hard to accommodate the coaches that walk in the door.
“Many of them are volunteers. I try to let them know that I understand that they are probably not doing this for a paid position,” she says. “And I tell them that by the time we’re done, they’re going to want to volunteer again, because it will be so fun.”
Those efforts are part of what earned her franchise the “Best New Store in America” from Crown Trophy’s corporate office in her first year, and a Spirit award for her loyalty to the company.
And both store owners have also accommodated some unusual requests. For Collins, one of the most unique trophies her store put together was made of actual Wiffle balls.
“It was a huge trophy, and very unusual,” she says.
Smith says he has seen all sorts of requests come through his doors, and has made trophies out of toy trains, beer cans, and more.
“We get everything,” he says. “Whatever they bring us, we can make a trophy out of it.”
But Collins says that working the longer hours and accommodating the unique requests are part of going the extra mile that’s required in the trophy business.
“It’s a high-pressure business,” she says. “It’s about doing what you have to do to get things done.”
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