Not only is Bitcoin on the Verge of Its First Man-Made Bull Run, but the 2019 NHL season is also now just about ready to begin. And if you live near or travel around the nation’s capital, one of the premiere hockey arenas may be just a short distance from your front door.
That is thanks to Steven Douglas, a partner in Royalty 773 who is building the next generation of the online retail platform.
“The Caps and Caps fever that’s been around in D.C. has brought people into the sport and some momentum,” Douglas told The Post. “We thought it would be great if we could actually give Caps fans a way to stock up.”
The suggestion for a Caps store brought back memories for Douglas.
The youngster was just six years old when his family, from St. Louis, moved to Washington, D.C. They’d been following the same team for years and decided a new Caps store in their favorite (Kirkland and Ellis) would be a good opportunity to cash in.
The store in Spring Hill, NE did very well, but the company grew too much. With under 20 employees, Royalty 773 found it could no longer scale. It was sold in 2003, though Douglas and his two partners survived.
After a decade away, Royalty 773 was back in action. This time, they were the ones building a new store with a brick-and-mortar element.
It’s being billed as a blockchain store, but like Tesla or Switch, it will be powered by an online storefront. The sellers will be paid via monthly transactions on the shop’s blockchain.
After a few months of work, Royalty 773 is signing its first retailer, one of the longtime vendors at the Capitals training facility. It’s a home-based system for the rapper Warped, who is releasing a new album in June. That should take care of most of the group’s apparel needs for the season.
“Right now, we’re really focused on getting it set up and getting the sales infrastructure in place,” Douglas said. “We’re hoping to open shop at the end of this month or early April and will have a lineup of Caps and other merchandise on the site.”
There will also be options for tickets, hotel packages and even may even offer something for the Caps’ famous “fans on stilts.” (It’s a thing.)
The company is already known for its sports roots. Royalty 773 has been selling merchandise related to the Redskins since 1997. Some athletes, such as NFL Hall of Famer Albert Haynesworth, don’t sell their gear through the company; when they’re not playing on the field, they’re paying bills through Royalty 773. That leaves only the Redskins—and for that team, a baseball cap might be just the ticket.
So without further ado, let’s assume the Caps officially come out on top this year and everyone wants to buy stuff from them. If successful, Royalty 773 would be set up to handle wholesale and retail on both ends of the spectrum. It also operates a gallery and a photo booth with props. These are not rules that apply just to Black Friday.