5D's Collectibles and Gifts makes a comeback in Wyoming

Sep. 15—WYOMING — When 5D's Collectibles and Gifts closed its doors in 2017 after over two decades in business, owner Sally Demellier did not expect to reopen the shop just seven years later.

"When we first closed, I was at retirement age, and I also had my granddaughters to take care of, so running the business was a little bit hard," she said.

However, Demellier's granddaughters, Anna, 12, and Lexie, 10, have since started school. So, when the space the shop used to occupy became available again, Demellier and her husband, Jerry, decided to revitalize 5D's in the hopes of serving a whole new generation of hobbyists.

The shop, located at 170 Wyoming Ave. in Wyoming, sells trading cards for popular games like Magic: the Gathering, YuGiOh, Lorcana, and Pokémon, in addition to other gaming and coin-collecting supplies. On most Wednesday and Friday nights, 5D's hosts tournaments for those games.

Demellier said players who used to frequent the shop as kids have returned, this time with their own kids in tow.

"I'm loving it because I get to talk with them and see how their lives have gone. I always considered them my kids. They were always my 5D's kids," she smiled.

It initially took the shop a while to find its niche. When it opened its doors in 1996, comics lined the wood-paneled walls. Demellier wasn't a huge comic fan, though, so eventually, she brought in crafts and then Beanie Babies, just before the craze hit a fever pitch.

"One evening, a couple of schoolboys came down and they said, 'Can we play cards in your shop?'" Demellier said.

Trading card games soon took over the inventory, becoming the primary seller at 5D's. Pokémon was a particular favorite of Demellier's son, Joseph, who grew up at the shop. Still an avid player, he returned to 5D's to play Pokémon at its grand reopening back in July.

A love of trading card games certainly runs in the family, as Demeiller said her granddaughters play them now too. Both girls are fans of Lorcana, a Disney trading card card.

Seeing kids in the shop learn how to play them for the first time is just as exciting to Demeiller as seeing her old players return. She said card games not only encourage kids to socialize, but they're a great way for them to practice math, reading and problem-solving skills.

"They're learning and having fun at the same time."