Jason Van Bergen loves to buy and sell things but he never dreamed he'd be doing a deal on TV with OLN wheeler dealer Jeff Schwartz aka The Liquidator.
Bergen, a tall, unassuming Port Coquitlam dad, is more at home selling lacrosse, hockey, baseball and ski gear from his Corner Sports shop than he is doing deals in front of TV cameras.
But last June he went before the TV cameras and got himself a great deal on The Liquidator, and is now expanding his sporting goods store with the haul.
"I realized I don't have a career on TV," Van Bergen joked. For him the experience was extremely nerve-wracking but it enabled him to acquire about $200,000 worth of hockey and lacrosse gear and ski equipment for about $19,000.
The deal arose through an introduction from a business acquaintance and the show was filmed last spring, although it aired in early January. Van Bergen said he had to buy the entire lot from a store in 100 Mile House without actually seeing it.
"I bought it all blind," he said, although he did have a manifest detailing the goods.
It turns out the equipment was well worth the price, and the walls of a former clothing consignment store, now part of Corner Sports, are covered in skates and hockey gear.
Although Van Bergen had envisioned an expansion when he opened four years ago, he is still surprised at how it came about. The timing of the deal worked perfectly with the availability of rental space and the man, who got his start selling things on eBay, is now ready to do even more deals.
But he promises not to be as pugnacious as The Liquidator's Jeff Schwartz, nor does he swear as much. In fact, he warns parents not to view Season 3, Episode 18 with children.
To view the episode, check out Jason (Corner Sports) on The Liquidator on Youtube (warning some of the language is inappropriate for children).
