AIR SUPPLY/ Childhood dreams inspire new business

To find inspiration for a new business, Don England took a trip back to his childhood.

England loved to watch planes at the airport near his upstate New York home when he was a kid. Over the years, that passion grew into a hobby: collecting aircraft models and memorabilia.

Now most of that collection, along with new hand-crafted and diecast aircraft replicas and a wide range of airline memorabilia, is for sale at England's shop, Aviation Heritage Collectibles.

The store opened in March at 2513 W. Colorado Ave. It hasn't taken off yet, but England expects business to reach a peak during the tourist and gift-giving seasons.

Passers-by are stopping in their tracks when they see England's window displays: scale models of a two-concourse airport terminal set on a tarmac with a long strip of runway edged with grass. Model planes surround the terminal and taxi along the runway.

"A lady came in recently looking for a Concorde because she'd flown on it once," England said Wednesday. "I think we'll get a lot of that."

The store stocks models in the $5-to-$30 range for impulse buyers and carries high-end scale models with display bases for enthusiasts.

Top models, such as a Boeing 747-400 with a custom Lufthansa paint job, sell for $325 or more. Airline buffs could spend thousands putting together their own versions of the airport in England's windows.

England also expects his Army and Air Force aircraft replicas will strike a chord with military personnel and retirees in the Springs. He's already sold models of aircraft used in Afghanistan, such as Cobra choppers, C-130 cargo planes and Apache helicopters ranging in price from $5 kits to a $205 scale-model AH-64D Apache Longbow.

Aviation collectors aren't as numerous as model railroad buffs, but the hobby is growing.

"There are probably 25 outfits on the Internet where you can get replicas," including eBay, England said. Although he plans to go online eventually, he will focus now on developing the local market.

Before opening the store, England spent 20 years designing toy and hobby products for such companies as Mattel Inc., Hasbro Inc. and Kenner Products. For the past 14 years England, who uses a wheelchair, ran a home-based consulting business called Travelac Inc. For clients including Marriott International, Holiday Inn hotels and Trans World Airlines, he designed facilities accessible to people with disabilities, such as barrier-free rooms.

At age 55, England was ready to change course again with a retail store.

"I didn't want to go back to corporate life," he said. "Besides, there's not a lot of demand for 55-year-old men, let alone those in wheelchairs. This kind of melds my toy and travel background with an interest."

England invested nearly $14,000 in inventory and spent $6,000 on the Old Colorado City shop's lease, signs and fixtures.

"This was a very large portion of my nest egg," England said. "It's not going to make me a wealthy man, but if it pays the bills, that's fine."

- Jeanne Davant may be reached at 636-0368 or jeanned@gazette.com

TIPS FOR STARTUPS

Starting a business at age 55 was scary, said Don England, owner of Aviation Heritage Collectibles. If you're thinking of taking the plunge:

Draw on your background. England's store grew directly from his work experience, and he even had a taste of retail in his father's five-and-dime store.

Do something you love. "I had to have an emotional attachment to whatever I was going to do," he said.

Realize you're not going to like everything about it. England likes meeting people and selling models, but he's not fond of the bookkeeping and paperwork - though he does it anyway.

Make sure you're physically capable of handling the work. England uses a tool that enables him to turn on the fans in his store and hang T-shirts and prints on the walls. Others might have to consider how much weight they'll be able to lift.

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