Local News Community rallies behind Natick sports memorabilia store after burglary Gilbert’s Sports Nostalgia suffered a five-figure loss in stolen memorabilia and damages to the store. A recent burglary at Gilbert Sport’s Nostalgia has elicited a flurry of well wishes from the store’s customers. Gilbert’s Sports Nostalgia
Gilbert’s Sports Nostalgia was robbed last Sunday, with damages and stolen memorabilia racking up to a five-figure loss for the store.
One unlikely side effect of the “traumatic” experience, owner Gary Gilbert said, was a sense of community that extended even beyond the store’s home in Natick.
“People got in touch with me that I know from India, Thailand, a family that is in the Philippines that used to come to the store,” Gilbert said. “And then people volunteering, including kids, to give me [baseball cards] for free to help me restart the inventory, which kind of made me emotional.”
Gilbert learned about the burglary Sunday morning. A family friend who’d set up the store’s Facebook page sent a Facebook message to Gilbert letting him know the police were trying to get in touch with him about a robbery.
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At first Gilbert and his 19-year-old daughter Rebecca, who drove over to the store together, weren’t sure whether or not the message from police was a scam. But when they arrived, the six squad cars out front and the store’s “shattered” door made it all very real.
Gilbert said the burglars were able to make off with a few of the store’s “landmark” items, including a Barry Sanders autographed helmet and a soccer ball autographed by Pelé, one of the most expensive items stolen.
Deputy Chief Brian Lauzon of the Natick Police Department said canvassing of video local to the store has shown them “nothing,” though the police are currently processing evidence which they hope will lead them to a person of interest.
“There was a lot of stuff that they did miss because they were in a rush,” Gilbert said, “But we still got hit pretty good.”
After sharing the news on Facebook early Monday morning, support began to pour in.
“I’ve had, no joke, over 100 people volunteer to come by and help me clean up,” Gilbert said. “I thought a few people might, you know, say something. It’s been hundreds.”
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Rebecca, Gary’s daughter, who he credits as a “celebrity” in the store after a 2005 heart transplant made it common practice for customers to come in and send their well wishes, chucked her dad’s shock up to humility.
“Sometimes he’d say stuff like, ‘I kind of wish that I did a little more,’ and I’m like ‘Dude you own this small business that has touched so many people’s lives,’” Rebecca said. “I think he was kind of forced to realize the gravity of the support with how many people reached out so nicely.”
Gilbert also noted that his daughter’s heart transplant put a lot into perspective for the family early on, which meant the burglary only held so much weight.
“If Becca is doing okay and she’s healthy, whatever happens to the store is small potatoes,” Gilbert said.
Gilbert’s Sports Nostalgia originally opened in Needham in 1989 and was meant to be a temporary job while Gary took a short break from teaching. However, with the addition of “Gilbert’s Gorillas,” a club for kids interested in collecting sports memorabilia, Gary was able to fuse his love of teaching with his love of sports.
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The Natick store opened in 2007 after the Needham location was refurbished into high-end retail.
Samantha Katz of Needham started going to Gilbert’s when she was 12 years old, and was a member of Gilbert’s Gorillas. Now 18, Katz remains a close friend of Rebecca and the entire Gilbert family.
Katz recalled feeling especially welcome as a young girl who liked sports, and appreciated her interests being nurtured at Gilbert’s rather than disparaged.
“It’s a close-to-home store,” Katz said. “[Gary] remembers. He remembers your face. He knows what you’re into. He tries to help you out. That’s what I think kept me so close to the store.”
Bill Greenberg of Newton was amongst one of the many customers who offered Gilbert’s well wishes on Facebook after hearing of the burglary. He first visited the store 16 years ago.
“Gary is a wonderful person. Righteous,” Greenberg said. “He loves to talk about sports, share stories, and teach others about sports. He’s a wonderful role model.”
Despite damages and the mess left behind by the burglars, the store prioritized a speedy cleanup. The broken door is boarded up and any empty shelves are now full thanks to a bit of expert re-arrangement by Gilbert.
Gilbert’s Sports Nostalgia will remain open by appointment as they have been since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the burglary was certainly not the brightest day in Gilbert’s long history, it revealed the impression Gilbert has left on so many lives, making it easier for the store owner of 34 years to see all the good he’d done.
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“I got in touch with somebody that I haven’t spoken to in 38 years and he remembered things that I taught him 38 years ago. I’m gonna get to meet his kids which is pretty amazing to me,” Gilbert said.
“I always try to teach my daughter or any of the kids I’ve ever taught or coached, you have to look for the silver linings of life.”
Community rallies behind Gilbert’s Sports Nostalgia after burglary
