Iconic Oshawa video game shop spawns in a second location

An iconic landmark for Oshawa collectors and gamers has spawned in a new location, a new store in Peterborough.

Fly By Nite, downtown Oshawa’s home for games, films, and toys, has expanded into its first second location in its nearly ten-year history. The first location was established in 2017 by Justin Ashley, a long-time collector and fan himself.

Ashley launched his career and business after years on the floor of game-swaps and small conventions before launching Fly-By-Nite Movies Toys and Games, now a fixture of Oshawa’s gaming community.

This began when he frequented conventions and game swaps, buying up whole lots from yard sales and flea markets to build his collection. Ashley likened these early expeditions to, “the thrill of the hunt.”

He later said he was part of the “the first-generation” of Oshawa’s game dealers by selling his excess games, creating a side hustle to support his hobby.

Eventually, he launched Fly-By-Nite as a traditional pawn shop, but soon realized that was not his path. The store soon turned to his own interests, movies toys and games.

The store has operated on King Street for several years. Ashley’s focus has moved more toward toys and figures. Instead of solely taking in buy-and-sell merch, he has since begun to order in hotly anticipated anime, NECA and McFarlane figures, sorely desired by local collectors.

Additionally, he’s built one of the largest collections of Funko Pop figurines in Southern Ontario. While he won’t share just how he tracks the Funko market to protect his trade secrets, he’s managed to get his hands on many of the rarer figurines, some of which are worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

He continues to supply Oshawa’s nerdy needs, but once more Ashley has set his sights higher. After much thought, he’s about to launch a second store in Peterborough.

“On Monday, Sept 9th, 2024, Fly by Nite officially opens its second location in Peterborough. This has been the culmination of months of prep and five weeks of working every single day. It’s almost time to let you take a peek inside the new shop, you just have one more week to wait,” Ashley wrote, “Get hyped.”

The second shop opens on Sept. 9. The Oshawa location is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day.