Second Retail Shop in a Month Opens on Steuben Street in Downtown Albany
The City of Albany and the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District (BID) held the official grand opening of Crazy 4 Green Diecast Replicas, a specialty retail destination selling auto and machinery models, on Wednesday, November 15, 2017. Mayor Kathy M. Sheehan, Crazy 4 Green Diecast Replicas owner Paul Lockwood, and Downtown Albany BID Executive Director Georgette Steffens delivered remarks followed by a ceremonial ribbon cutting.
Following closely on the heels of Urbane Brows and Beauty’s ribbon cutting two weeks ago, Crazy 4 Green Diecast Replicas’ opening signals the birth of a new shopping destination in downtown Albany: the aptly named Steuben Alley. The two businesses join Daniel Mozzes Design, which opened earlier this year, inside the newly renovated retail spaces of the Pearl Street Pub building located at 59-61 N. Pearl Street. All three businesses have storefronts on the cobbled, pedestrian-only section of Steuben Street.
“My administration works each day to ensure we are strengthening our existing small businesses and attracting new establishments,” said Mayor Kathy Sheehan. “I am thankful Crazy 4 Green Diecast Replicas has joined our vibrant Downtown Albany neighborhood, and wish Paul Lockwood the best of luck.”
Paul Lockwood, the owner of Crazy 4 Green Diecast Replicas, is already a successful auto and farm machinery replica business owner. Up until this point, Lockwood has sold almost exclusively through his online eBay store, which has afforded him the ability to connect with collectors throughout the world. A native of Saratoga County, Lockwood previously owned his own seasonal landscaping company. However, as any landscaper knows, it’s often literally back-breaking work, and Lockwood ended up suffering a career-ending injury.
“It was a mixture of untapped passion and dumb luck,” said Lockwood when describing how he made the switch to retail. “Working with actual machinery inspired my love for replicas, especially after getting the opportunity to visit and work out of the John Deere factory in North Carolina,” he continued. “I was completely blown away by the intricacy of vintage toys in general, and since I couldn’t be physically active while I was recovering from my injury, developing a strong online-selling presence and then opening up a brick and mortar storefront to attract new collectors seemed like the perfect fit for me.”
Although the majority of Lockwood’s sales are online and 90% come from adult collectors, he is experiencing a growth in younger buyers and has a strong interest from shoppers seeking customized replicas of vehicles they have owned or driven themselves. The inside of Lockwood’s store is like a candy store for model enthusiasts, as customers can pick through hundreds of variations of fenders, mud flaps, radiator grills, and more to create their own unique, made-to-order diecast replica. In addition to customization, Lockwood also has a bountiful inventory consisting of model farm equipment, tractor trailers, cars, boats, camping vehicles, and more, with brands such as ERTL Farm Country Toys, Johnny Lightening, and of course, John Deere; the brand that inspired Lockwood to start the business in the first place and the reason Lockwood would describe himself as “Crazy 4 Green.”
“It’s niche businesses like Crazy 4 Green Diecast Replicas that add to the eclectic charm of our City,” said BID Executive Director Georgette Steffens. “With Small Business Saturday coming up on November 25, Paul chose the perfect time to introduce Downtown’s residents and visitors to the world of diecast replicas while further strengthening the neighborhood’s diverse retail landscape. I have a feeling his items will make for some popular gift items this holiday season.”
Crazy 4 Green Diecast Replicas is open 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Tuesday through Thursday, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM on Fridays, and 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM on Saturdays. To check out Crazy 4 Green’s online eBay store, visit http://stores.ebay.com/Crazy-4-Green-Farm-Toys
