Press Democrat Article – Gordoughs Garage
Gordoughs Garage owners Pablo Sanchez, left, Jimmy Scales, and Joe Duke at their store in Coddingtown in Santa Rosa on Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Christopher Chung / The Press Democrat)
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
April 22, 2025, 3:11PM
3 minute read
Jimmy Scales, Joe Duke and Pablo Sanchez did not expect to be best friends when they first met, but the three now consider each other family. The men have gone from business associates to friends to owners of a collectibles store at the same mall where they once worked.
The three opened Gordoughs Garage in September, selling signed sports memorabilia, Funko Pop bobbleheads, Hot Wheels and other keepsakes.
Gordoughs got its start in Scales’ garage. Each of the men had collected memorabilia as a hobby but began selling some items online and at popup markets to make money after they were laid off from their jobs at Coddingtown Center Mall in March 2023.
Scales was previously the mall’s general manager after the Codding family bought the property back from Simon Malls in 2017. Sanchez had been a mall operations manager and Duke was a mall assistant general manager, said Scales.
After selling online for a months, Scales said they started looking for a physical place to sell their memorabilia and Coddingtown mall offered them a spot near JC Penney.
“It’s different being on the other side where I was doing the leases and talking to the tenants to actually being one,” Scales said.
Along with the wide selection of Funko Pops and memorabilia, the shop also sells merchandise such as crystals, 3D printed art and pens made by local artists and vendors.
Scales said although they do buy, sell and trade occasionally, they arenot doing so right now as they work to become more profitable first.
Scales said he and his partners “poured blood, sweat, tears and credit cards” into getting the shop open.
“We just took a risk. Coddingtown was gracious enough to give us a location,” Scales said. “We knew we wanted to be here because it’s family owned and there’s so much history,”
The co-owners pride themselves on providing excellent customer service and say the heart of their business is the local community.
“I think for the three of us it’s all about family,” Scales said. “It’s all about building that atmosphere. I truly believe unless you’re a big corporation with very very deep pockets, without the community, we’re not going to make it.”
Since opening, Scales said business has been picking up slowly, and their loyal customers return weekly, if not to buy, then to chat with the men about a new prized piece of their own collections. Scales said most of their regulars are like family to them.
Behind the glass counter of cards, NASCAR merchandise and speciality Hot Wheel cars, Gordoughs honors some of its first customers with what resemble MVP plaques, with photos and descriptions of the customer and what they bought.
One of those MVPs is Rick Merian, a local dry wall contractor. Scales said about once a week, Merian will come in to talk with “the boys” and show off pieces of his sports collection.
Merian said he has been collecting since he was a child and had over 2,000 sports cards, along with autographed bats, baseballs and hats. But he lost most of his collection in the Tubbs Fire and is slowly rebuilding it.
Merian said he would like to see Gordoughs Garage succeed since there are not many collectible shops like it anymore.
“I really like the guys,” Merian said. “They’re actually very fair. They’ll try to help you out as much as they can.”
Scales said he has seen stores in the mall survive for 20+ years and hopes to be among them. With their own families in mind, Scales said they are building the foundation of their business to possibly have their children take over one day.
He said although they may franchise in the future, they’re focused on making this shop successful. Scales also had a message for the community: “Don’t forget about the local little guy.”
