Sidetracked Hobbies shop opens in downtown Uhrichsville
Kendall Dennis, 8, of Uhrichsville paints a ceramic piece she will add to her fairy garden during a class at Sidetracked Hobbies in Uhrichsville.
Sidetracked Hobbies opened in downtown Uhrichsville last fall and offers a variety of activities including games, crafts and even a book club. The business, located at 223 N. Water St., is a place for families to have fun together.
It offers regularly scheduled game nights for Dungeons & Dragons on Monday, Dungeons & Dragons for age 18 and over on Thursday, and Magic: The Gathering on Friday nights.
Though game nights remain the same, the business puts out a new schedule of activities each month. Saturdays are open table days, when guests can come in and play a variety of board games for free. Snacks and coffee are available for purchase.
The store is a family effort.
“I had always wanted to open something, and I was thinking originally, like a coffee shop, and then COVID happened,” said Beth Goodwin, who operates the store along with her husband Justin and son Oliver. The couple also has a son, Carter, 16, who helps with Dungeons & Dragons on Monday nights.
Beth Goodwin helps with crafts and book club on the first and third Wednesday of the month.
The news of a store came out of the blue to her oldest son.
“We were walking by another shop, and she said, ‘Hey, have you ever thought of opening up a store?’” Oliver Goodwin said.
Beth Goodwin thought of a hobby shop because of Oliver Goodwin’s interest in trains. She asked if they opened it, would Oliver Goodwin run it?
“We couldn’t quit our jobs to do this, so we had a built-in employee,” Beth Goodwin said. “I just had to grow them for 19 years.”
“It was the longest internship ever,” Oliver Goodwin said.
The lack of activities in the area led to the hobby store idea.
“There was not a lot for kids to do,” Beth Goodwin said.
The family is looking forward to participating in the Uhrichsville Farmers Market this year. They plan to have remote-controlled model tank battles on the market nights.
“It’s basically like laser tag,” Oliver Goodwin said.
“We wanted to make sure that for the farmers market, that it was inclusive for families and for kids,” Beth Goodwin said.
They also are looking for ways to participate with other businesses in other events throughout the year.
They have a variety of items available at the store including magnetic cards, Calico Critters dolls and figurines, refurbished vintage toys, train sets, model ships, Japanese robot model kits, and various hobby supplies.
Their biggest seller is Magic: The Gathering cards. The card game is played with collectible cards. Some of the highly sought cards have been found in packages they’ve sold. The card game is touted to be the most popular card game in the world.
“It’s like chess with cards. I guess that is the best way to describe it,” Justin Goodwin said.
The family hopes to grow and expand the store and will listen to suggestions.
“We hope to have something to cater to everyone who walks in the door,” Beth Goodwin said. “We wanted a place that you don’t have to leave the area, a place not centered around alcohol and a place for kids to hang out.”
Beth Goodwin expressed her gratitude to the community.
“It takes a village to raise a kid. I think it takes a village to run a business too because we’ve gotten so much help from Jessika (Zontini) from the Pin Drop Shop and help from Whitney (Manson) from Camp the Backyard,” Beth Goodwin said.
The store is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The store is closed Tuesdays. Visit them on Facebook at Sidetracked Hobbies LLC.