14-04-2025
Trophy Shop's new owners are no stranger to trophies
POTTSVILLE — A pair of Schuylkill County brothers went from winning trophies to selling them with the recent purchase of ET Trophy Shop.
Francesco and Antonio Mercuri bought the North Centre Street business from Elaine Stine and Theresa Freiler, who recently retired.
The Mercuri brothers have been running the business since February 1.
'We both agreed there was no way we could let our neighborhood trophy shop close,' said Francesco, a financial adviser with AdviceMint Financial Partners in Orwigsburg.
Francesco wasted no time in contacting Antonio, who lives in New Orleans, after he saw a Facebook post about the former owners retiring in January.
In relatively short order, they reached an agreement to buy the business, including most of its stock. Out of courtesy to the former owners, they decided to keep the name the same.
'We wanted to keep their legacy going,' said Antonio, 39, an executive with a virtual reality gaming company. 'There are no other trophy shops in Schuylkill County.'
Sons of Domenic and Sandra Mercuri, the brothers grew up on Mahantongo Street and graduated from Pottsville High School.
Antonio, Class of 2003, played soccer, wrestled and pole vaulted in high school.
He earned a degree in architecture at the University of Pittsburgh and studied graphic design at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. He ran a design studio in New Orleans for about a decade.
Francesco, Class of 2008, was a member of Pottsville's football team that played for the PIAA Class AAA state championship in 2006. Pottsville lost to General McLane High School, 28-23.
A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, he is a former president of the Pottsville Area Development Corporation. He received the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce Young Professional Award in 2024 — the plaque was made at ET Trophy Shop.
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New owners of ET Trophy Shop, (left to right) Anotnio and Francesco Mercuri, talk about getting a handle on the business on Centre St. in Pottsville, Friday, April 11, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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Trophies sit on a shelf at ET Trophy Shop in Pottsville, Friday, April 11, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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Medals sit on a shelf at ET Trophy Shop in Pottsville, Friday, April 11, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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A football trophy sits within ET Trophy Shop in Pottsville, Friday, April 11, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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New owners of ET Trophy Shop, (left to right) Anotnio and Francesco Mercuri, talk about getting a handle on the business on Centre St. in Pottsville, Friday, April 11, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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The Mercuris will continue to supply athletic teams, businesses, fire companies, sports clubs and veterans organizations with trophies. In the past, ET Trophy Shop has even made trophies for award-winning makers of boilo.
The shop has expanded its line of products to include yard signs.
Stine and Freiler opened ET Trophy Shop in 1985, and operated it for 39 years. Its name is a derivative of their first names.
The new owners say they are surprised at the amount of foot traffic at the store.
ET Trophy Shop is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday at 204 N. Centre St., Pottsville. For information, call 570-622-0708.
