Jeff Ingram

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Sports World and Trophies Plus have been purchased by a new owner, and will soon be joined under one roof.

Jeff Ingram, of Rockingham, bought the neighboring businesses and looks forward to moving Sports World into the Trophies Plus building, under the new name Jeff’s Trophies and T’s.

Ingram said Sports World has been a favorite hang-out spot of his for years and when the owners, the Morse family, started talking about closing the doors he wanted to find a way to keep the business going.

“Sports World has been in business about 28 years,” said Ingram. “A group of us like to go in there and talk Raider football. I’ve known the family for years, and I hated to see that place go out of business.”

Ingram said the owner of neighboring Trophies Plus was ready to sell and tend to her businesses in Charlotte.

“It made sense to buy them both, because both sold trophies and plaques,” he said. “No sense competing with another business right next door, and she was ready to sell.”

The businesses will combine under the Trophies Plus roof, located at 535 East Broad Ave., and carry a combination of Sports World and Trophies Plus goods — equipment, uniforms, trophies, plaques and other sports-related items.

“We’ll be providing sports items for schools and rec teams, so we’ll have just about everything available that customers might be looking for,” he said.

“Selling the business has been bittersweet, but I think it will continue to grow under the new management,” said David Morse.

— Staff Writer Kelli Easterling can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 18, or by email at keasterling@heartlandpublications.com.