RED Cliffs resident Jay Sachi is living out his childhood dream, aiming to trade the stench of garlic for the sweet smell of success.
There’s only one problem, he’ll have to sell some of his favourite toys.
Nestled on Indi Avenue, you could blink and miss Premms Collectables, but inside the glass sliding door is a treasure-trove of nostalgia.
Mr Sachi migrated to Australia from Malaysia about eight years ago, in search of a new life with his wife Lynn and their three children Druv, Daasha and Thanish.
After living at Robinvale, then Mildura, Mr Sachi and his family have settled in Red Cliffs for the past six years and he says they love being a part of the community.
“I tell Aussies, you don’t know how lucky you are,” he said. “Beautiful people, nice weather, you have it all.”
Now an Australian citizen, Mr Sachi says there’s no place he’d rather be.
Upon arrival he worked for Australian Garlic Producers at Iraak, and continues to support local agriculture by managing a labour hire business.
As his family grew and the space in his spare room reduced, Mr Sachi knew the time was right to share his collection.
“A lot of people ask why I decided to open my shop in Red Cliffs rather than Mildura but it’s the perfect spot for my customers,” he said.
“Yes, I would get more walk-ins if my store was in Mildura but my customers need time. They want to park their cars and explore. My store is their escape. Collectors enjoy the hunt.”
Like many collectors, Mr Sachi said his journey started with stamps, coins and banknotes, a hobby that he shared with his father.
This interest grew into an obsession with the arrival of Pokemon cards in the early 2000s, followed by Simpson’s figurines, his Anime favourites Naruto and One Piece, and Superman comics, particularly those from the Spawn crossover series.
Premms specialises in a wide range of trading cards, including modern and heritage sports, such as pre-World War Two cricket collectors items found in old cigarette packets and an unopened tin of Babe Ruth baseball cards.
However, the most valuable items in Mr Sachi’s collection are his Pokemon cards, with fans travelling from all over Australia just to find his shop.
“The price of trading cards fluctuates based on demand,” he said.
“Every pack opened increases the value of those that remain.
“One of my packs costs $1500 to buy unopened but the most valuable card is worth far less.”
It is for this reason that many customers purchase packs of Pokemon cards, only to leave them packaged.
“For collectors this is their candy shop, I get a buzz out of the euphoria they experience,” he said.
“I tell my customers, if they choose to open a pack of cards, to do so in-store. Then if they find a valuable card, we can make a deal.”
Premms showcases a vast collection but Mr Sachi’s holy grail is his first edition Spawn, signed by original artist Todd McFarlane and graded at a near mint condition 9.4/10.
“Comics are sent to the Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) collectables grading service in the United States” he said.
“Grades are generated by Artificial Intelligence tools.
“There is an Australian service, Halo in Queensland, but PSA has the best reputation.
“It is like buying a Nike sports shoe. They are the best.”
The most expensive comic Mr Sachi has sold in-store was his Spiderman Gold Edition, also signed by McFarlane and graded at 9.4, for $900 to a local farmer.
However, he is confident that some of his rarest Pokemon cards would sell online for as much as $60,000 “in minutes”.
Non-collectors may scoff at this claim but Mr Sachi reminds us of high-profile sales in the United States, such as the purchase of a 1998 PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator card by YouTuber Logan Paul for $5.275 million in 2022.
“I offer a service where I teach parents how to start an investment program for their children and their collections,” he said.
“I also rent out showcases for customers to sell their collections in my store.
“I keep a record of sales in a notebook. Customers only pay for the box.”
Mr Sachi said that he would like to expand his business by becoming an ambassador for gaming brands, offering promotions and hosting in-store tournaments for the local community.
In the meantime, he continues to scour eBay and other online auction websites for rare finds.
At the front of his store, Mr Sachi has plenty of cheaper items for local kids, who come in after-school and on the weekends to buy POP! figurines, superhero apparel and Hot Wheels toys.
However, it is at the back of his store where he hides his most unique and expensive items.
Mr Sachi said that customers can book a private session to view and discuss these collectables.
This includes a variety of vintage movie posters, such as an original of Sergio Leone’s 1966 spaghetti western, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, with Spanish titles and credits, purchased from Heritage Auctions in the US.
A storyteller by nature, Mr Sachi enthusiastically described his purchase of a Bret the Hitman Hart figurine, explaining that the WWE wrestler is unpopular with some fans but that the toy is highly sought after due to being exceptionally rare.
Asked how much this collectible would sell for, he responded with a grin.
“Why would I sell it?” he said.
