The Elliott Exchange opens trading-card shop in downtown Fergus Falls

Downtown Fergus Falls got a new specialty retail draw Monday when The Elliott Exchange opened inside Arcadium: Zakk’s Arcade Emporium at 112 East Washington Avenue, adding a dedicated trading-card shop to one of the city’s most visible blocks.

Owners Alex and Kimberly Elliott opened the store because they wanted to bring a card shop back to Fergus Falls. The business sits in the front portion of the arcade venue, where the couple was working behind the desk on opening day and greeting the first wave of shoppers and players.

The location gives the shop an immediate advantage. Arcadium: Zakk’s Arcade Emporium opened downtown on November 21, 2025, and already brings together billiards, darts, pinball, vintage arcade games and snacks, with plans for trivia, live music and other community programming. By placing trading cards in the same building, the Elliotts are betting that families, collectors and teens will treat Washington Avenue as a place to linger, not just pass through.

Alex Elliott said the arcade-and-card-store pairing is meant to create nostalgia and a community space where kids can trade cards, play arcade games and have snacks. That mix could help downtown foot traffic, especially for a niche hobby business that often sends buyers online when a local option is missing. For Fergus Falls, the practical effect is simple: another storefront is open, another reason to stop downtown exists, and another indoor destination now anchors the street.

The move also fits into a broader local business landscape. The Fergus Falls Area Chamber of Commerce says it has more than 330 members and is the largest professional business organization in Otter Tail County, a sign of the size of the business network that can support cross-promotion and repeat visits. Explore Minnesota describes Otter Tail County as a region with charming main streets and local specialty shops, and The Elliott Exchange adds a new stop to that pattern in the county seat.

Downtown Fergus Falls already has another long-running retail anchor in Victor Lundeen Company, which says it has served Otter Tail County since 1914. With The Elliott Exchange now open on Washington Avenue, the city’s core has one more locally owned business built around in-person browsing, trading and gathering.