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Brothers host pop-up vintage jersey shops
A trio of brothers turned their lifelong passion for soccer into a thriving mobile business as fans gather across Florida to celebrate the FIFA World Cup. FOX 13's Blake DeVine reports.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A trio of brothers turned their lifelong passion for soccer into a thriving mobile business as fans gather across Florida to celebrate the FIFA World Cup.
Fans swarm St. Petersburg pop-up
What we know:
Crowds packed Ferg's Sports Bar & Grill to watch the United States men's national team compete against Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the match, a unique jersey showcase drawn from international soccer history captivated both casual onlookers and die-hard fans.
Local supporter Matt Sprinkle praised the vibrant tournament atmosphere, calling the setup magic and emphasizing the importance of supporting independent creators. The business, Golden Era Kits, was founded by Thomas, Bautista and Mateo Tapper, three Orlando residents originally born in Argentina.
Brothers authenticate rare retro jerseys
What they're saying:
Co-owner Thomas Tapper explained that their main focus centers on sourcing rare retro apparel from various resellers before carefully repairing the garments. The concept originally began as a simple passion project that the brothers first tested at a local farmer's market.
Massive soccer collection expands rapidly
By the numbers:
The growing business now boasts an impressive inventory of more than 7,000 unique items spanning multiple eras of global athletic history. Soccer fan Jakob Parks noted that seeing iconic gear from legendary players like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo immediately grabbed his attention.
Family travels across the United States
Big picture view:
The brothers have turned the World Cup into an opportunity to bring their pop-up shop to fans across Florida, including St. Petersburg. Mateo Tapper says the tournament is introducing more people to soccer.
"There's a lot of neutrals. They didn't know anything about soccer," he said. "They're learning so much. They are getting into it."
The international tournament also prompted the family to travel via RV to group stage matches hosted in Dallas and Kansas City. Mateo Tapper described the cross-country journey as a beautiful experience, noting that the sport successfully unites diverse groups of global fans.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from interviews with the Golden Era Kits co-owners, interviews with soccer fans, as well as previous reporting by FOX 13.