In 1984, Steve Marcotte walked into Collins Variety Store to purchase a six-pack of beer and chat with the store’s owner, the late George Alimi. By the time Steve left, Alimi had talked him into purchasing the store, sealing the deal with a handshake. In those early days, the store was run by Steve and his dad, Harry. Today, a third generation is at the helm in Steve’s son, Nick, running a business that has employed as many as 30 full-time and part-time employees. Collins has been a friend and supporter of the Farmington 500 Club for over 35 years as its main supplier of uniforms and equipment, as well as a sponsor. How good a friend is Collins?  In the early 1990s, the 500 Club was battling financial instability and already had an outstanding balance with Collins. But still they needed to order equipment and uniforms for an upcoming season. Former 500 Club President Joel Chagnon recalled Harry Marcotte telling him, “‘Don’t  worry about it kid, order what you need and pay a little bit at a time.’ He held a balance for us and never charged interest as we paid it off. Harry and I hit it off and I’ve continued to do business with him and his family for 25 years. We honored Harry at an opening day once and had him throw out the first pitch (which was a strike).”