Business Spotlight

Sanford Games and Collectables has filled gaming needs since 2018.

Photo: Ericka Sanborn

Sanford Games and Collectables: Fueling Collectors Around Maine

By DJ Guillemette, Grade 8 – St. Thomas School

Ever since he was young, Mike Ernest has loved playing video games. Even as an adult, and now a father, that hasn’t changed. His fond memories drove him to open his own business dedicated to just that: video games. 

Managed and owned by Ernest since 2018, Sanford Games and Collectables is Sanford’s only spot for nearly all things related to gaming: video games, card games, and other items any collector might seek, offering everything from vintage memorabilia to modern day treasures. The business at 882 Main St., Suite 4, is hard to miss with its life-size artwork featuring the Incredible Hulk and Super Mario.

Sanford Games and Collectables offers a variety of goods and services. Not only do they tend to the repairs of gaming systems, but they also have many items available for purchase, including games for different consoles, Funko Pops, which are collectables featuring characters from various franchises, statuettes and plushies, and trading cards. 

Ernest prides himself in operating the only store of its kind in the area for over five years. He is especially proud of his business’ survival through covid. While a lot of establishments suffered and folded during the pandemic, Sanford Games and Collectables provided a valuable source of entertainment for the community. Ernest is grateful that his business is still thriving today. 

Ernest has big plans going forward. He has already expanded his space a couple of doors down from its original location, in the hopes of appealing to a new group of potential customers. This new space currently offers tournaments for card games such as Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh and Magic the Gathering. He plans to further turn the space into a rental area for birthday parties. Looking long range, Ernest dreams of opening a second location, possibly in New Hampshire, in an area that currently lacks gaming goods and services.