Family plans retail, day-care center in former SRS building
Staff reporter
For Pam and Vincent Magellanes, opening a sporting goods store in Marion makes sense.
"This is a sporting community," Vincent Magellanes said, plus being located between two lakes doesn't hurt.
In the six months he and his wife have lived here, they have noticed the number of people who walk, ride bicycles, run, play golf, and of course participate in organized sports like soccer, baseball, basketball, and football.
The large building at the corner of East Main and North Cedar streets, that once housed SRS, is large enough to accommodate more than one business.
Every inch of the building is part of the couple's plan.
The east side will be used for sporting goods (hunting and fishing supplies, sporting equipment, and some clothing and shoes).
The west side will be a day-care, operated by Shawn Nguyen and Tiadora Escalanta, the couple's son and daughter-in-law.
With a shortage of day-care providers in the community, another quality offering will be welcomed. The Nguyen-Escalantas have four children and Escalanta is in the process of obtaining her certifications to operate the facility.
Even the rear of the building may be converted into an arcade for youth.
The couple will live in an upstairs apartment, so the businesses may be open seven days a week.
Vincent's sister Sylvia will be a partner in the enterprise.
Before any football jerseys are sold or video games played, renovation has to be completed, particularly on the east side.
With any luck, work will be completed and the doors will be open for business sometime in August or maybe early September.
An online business spurred the couple to open a store front on Main Street.
They have been selling sports cards and sports memorabilia since February.
"We want to offer items at competitive prices," Pam Magellanes said. Aware that some sporting goods items are difficult to find in Marion County, she is quick to add, "We don't want to put anybody else out of business but provide goods that aren't available."
Both are retired from the U.S. Army and decided to make Marion their home. Previously they had lived in Peabody and Texas.
The name of the business will be Family Sports. Since it is a family owned and operated business, the name certainly makes sense.
