Dayton, OH

Visit Coffee Beans and Collectible Things [go here ]

Meet Charles Leonhardt, the owner

Find The alluring aroma of Seven Hills coffee being freshly brewed and an eye-catching smorgasbord of stuff that makes up a third of Leonhardt’s more than 10,000-item collection. Currently on the shelf and for sale are MAD magazines, artwork, NFL jerseys, celebrity autographs, and vintage toys such as GI Joes and Transformers .

The Backstory A natural curator, Leonhardt was drawn to preserving his property from the moment his parents bought him the Kiss ‘ Destroyer album at the age of 7. Most little boys would likely smudge, scratch, break, or lose such a gift. However, he found a way to take care of it along with most things he received. “Whatever I got, I always kept it nice,” he says.

Thus began his obsession to keep all things nice. Twenty-nine years later, the then LexisNexis employee suddenly found his home packed to the brim with thousands of things in perfect condition.

This created a dilemma for Leonhardt. You see, he hates clutter. So much that he’d rather see his precious collectibles go to homes where they would be appreciated rather than have them sit and accumulate dust in his attic, basement, and closets as they do now.

“I want to see kids enjoy collecting as much as I did back then, and give adults an excuse to take a stroll down memory lane,” says the 36-year-old. That’s why this year he decided to quit his job and turn his passion into a small business by opening a coffee-slash-collectibles-shop in Belmont’s business district.

Where do java, paninis, and smoothies fit in the grand scheme of things? His philosophy is that people will come in looking for a drink or food and

leave with a fun, perhaps nostalgic collectible, which range in price from $0.15 to $2,000. Despite his business plan to sell almost everything, Leonhardt admits he’s going to dread giving up certain pieces. “They’ll have a tough time prying them from my hands,” he says with a chuckle as he eyes a Fred Astaire autograph. However, there are some items that are simply off limits, like his Dudley Moore autograph, Kiss figurines, and that Destroyer album.

Know of another great place to find collectibles that’s new or off the beaten path? Tell us at editors@thefineartoffamily.com