Town Center welcomes Champion Trophy

BY Ariana Shah

Stores that sell awards and trophies are dependent upon events occurring in order to sustain a healthy business. COVID-19 restrictions have shut down most live events and other gatherings and new Canyon Lake business owners John and Christina Leigh have had a rough year. That rough year has resulted in a huge blessing in disguise. They’ve brought their business from Orange County to across the street from where they live.

Prompted in part by the effects of the pandemic, John and Christina Leigh have rebranded Champion Trophy of Orange County to simply Champion Trophy and have moved it to the Canyon Lake Town Center. Photo provided by Christina Leigh

The Canyon Lake couple have moved their business, Champion Trophy, to the Canyon Lake Town Center after 15 years in Garden Grove.

‘’Although our story does have an amount of survival attached to it due to COVID-19, we are grateful for the way things are turning out,” Christina said. “We love our community, and are so happy living here. We can’t wait to grow the business and see what we can do with it here!’’

After purchasing the business in 2005, Christina and John expanded it into a business with over half a million dollars in sales last year to national and global accounts, including large corporate companies. They employed five individuals. Then COVID-19 happened.

When stay-at-home orders began to be enacted in March, events that were vital in keeping them in business quickly cancelled. Sales slowed and a PPP Loan temporarily helped them stay afloat and keep their employees paid. But, once the loan was exhausted, Christina and John needed to adjust how they’d conduct business.

Champion Trophy, located at 31570 Railroad Canyon Rd, Suite 105, now offers its services to its owners’ home town of Canyon Lake. This showroom displays samples of the many trophies and awards the business offers. Photo provided by Christina Leigh

When they contemplated how they’d always wanted, as a family, to participate more actively in Canyon Lake community events, the idea of moving the business to be closer to home took flight. Tending to their business in Orange County made it difficult to be at local events and gatherings with their children.

‘’We had long wanted to make the move close to home, avoid the 91 and Fastrak and have my husband closer to home so he could be at community events with the children more often,’’ Christina said.

While the business is looking for new Canyon Lake customers, Champion Trophy needs to maintain its clientele it had built up in Garden Grove all of these years. Christina said their loyal customers have assured them they are OK with receiving their orders shipped.

’’Throughout the years, we have never needed to advertise for sales,” she said. “We have produced customers through word of mouth, online presence and mostly from referrals. Our excellent service, timeliness and accuracy has earned us the loyalty of our amazing customers that we left in Orange County, even though we are now over an hour away.’’

Their Town Center store is located at 31570 Railroad Canyon Rd, Ste 105 and its showrooms are open Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Some of the many items they carry include plaques, perpetual awards, trophies, acrylic awards, crystal awards, engraved plates, badges and castings.