Winnipeg Free Press Community Review Article
This misfit is on a mission – Our Communities
On the bustling stretch of Portage Avenue between Century Street and Assiniboine Park sits a treasure trove of nostalgia – The Misfit Mission Collectibles, which is full to the brim with rare and interesting collectible items from the pop culture of years gone by.
The store is decorated as though its doorway is a portal to the 1990s — fitted floor-to-ceiling with everything from vintage board games to Hot Wheels. There’s even a CRT television playing old WWF programs on repeat, stationed on the wall near a display of classic wrestling action figures.
Store owner Ryan Taylor, better known by his Canadian Wrestling’s Elite stage name, Mike (Misfit) Mission, started the business partly by accident, he said, when he began collecting items to reconnect with his childhood. He started with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, then expanded his collection until he realized he had too much stuff, which inspired a garage sale.
Photo by Emma Honeybun
Mike Misfit, a local wrestling champion, owns The Misfit Mission Collectibles, located at 1841 Portage Ave. A self-described nerd at heart, Misfit has been collecting since he was a kid.
Buying and selling collectibles turned into a professional gig, landing him a spot at Mulvey Flea Market, located at 421 Mulvey Ave., and open every weekend.
The process of setting up in his own, independent space was a couple of years in the making, Taylor said, but, Misfit Mission ultimately opened its doors at 1841 Portage Ave. in September.
“It was quite the shift,” the 39-year-old said. “A bit of a learning experience, learning as I go, but I’m enjoying it quite a bit,” he said.
Taylor grew up in St. James. Despite coming from a low-income family, he said he always had shelves full of action figures growing up. He considers the business a way of living through his passion. He works alone, but he’s often helped by his wife, Laurie.
The main draws for customers are the Star Wars and WWE/WWF merchandise, he said, but there’s a bit of everything, including a vintage Garfield telephone he recently sold.
“A lot of people say that it’s a museum of their childhood,” Taylor said.
“A few people here, they were very happy when they came in,” he continued. “And happy to have somewhere they can find old items in the neighbourhood.”
There’s nothing quite like it in St. James, a fact Taylor is proud of.
“I am pretty proud of it. It’s pretty cool to have a storefront on Portage, on such a main street,” he said. “It’s cool to have a spot in history, in a sense.”
In the wrestling ring, Taylor is “right on the cusp of being the longest champion in the CWE,” after holding the circuit’s championship belt for over 1,000 days.
Photo by Emma Honeybun
The Misfit Mission Collectibles (1841 Portage Ave.) sells everything from Star Wars to Garfield.
While the focus of Misfit Mission is currently on vintage items, Taylor plans to expand to include newer items and build his collection.
Through it all, he intends to keep the space as fun and accessible as possible.
“Everybody’s welcome. Nothing like that matters to me. It’s always a goal for me to create a safe space where people feel comfortable … and where they can relive some memories, buy some memories, and make some more,” he said.
Misfit Mission can be found on Instagram at @themisfitmission and on Facebook under the store’s name.
More information is available online at misfitmission.ca
The store is open Wednesday to Friday from noon to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The online store is always open.
Emma Honeybun
Emma Honeybun is a reporter/photographer for the Free Press Community Review. She graduated RRC Polytech’s creative communications program, with a specialization in journalism, in 2023. Email her at emma.honeybun@freepress.mb.ca