Move Across Town Means Much More Room For Longtime Enfield Store

ENFIELD, CT — In a window of the longtime location of Matt's Sportscards, Comics and Collectibles on Elm Street, a printed sign notifying customers of the shop's new address in Hazardville reads, "4x the space means 4x the Geek!"

After more than three decades in a small plaza across Elm Street from Asnuntuck Community College, the business now known as Matt's Cards and Comics has relocated to 348 Hazard Avenue, in a building formerly occupied by the dance studio of the late David Potter.

Matt DeRoma III, son of business founder Matt DeRoma Jr., purchased the building in late November and began transforming the interior into a new showplace for his inventory of comics, sport and non-sp0rt cards, toys, memorabilia and "about 50,000 graphic novels."

After running a memorabilia store in New York, DeRoma's father moved to northern Connecticut and began selling cards at a weekly flea market in the old Enfield Mall. He opened Matt's at 169 Elm St. in 1987, and his son took over the business in 1995.

After nearly a quarter century jammed into the 1,400 square foot location, DeRoma began looking elsewhere to expand his retail space.

"I ran out of space years ago, and I've been looking for something else," he said. "The plaza I was in came up for sale, but it just didn't make any sense to buy it. Someone did buy it, they came around and told all of the tenants that everything would pretty much remain the same, and then my rent nearly doubled."

Between the storefront and a warehouse area in the rear, the former dance studio property on Route 190 contains nearly 10,000 square feet. The additional space will allow DeRoma to bring back some events that had been abandoned due to lack of room: personal appearances and autograph signings.

"When we had free comic book day [at the old location], we had to use the big field behind the building to handle 500 or 600 people," DeRoma said.

He said he is eying a target opening date of Feb. 21. Store hours will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

More information may be found on the shop's Facebook page.