J.P. Lutz, an Assistant Professor of Sports Management at Manor College in Jenkintown, is a proud small business owner, running Bucks County Baseball Co. in Bristol, alongside his father Jim Lutz since 2011.

Bucks County Baseball Co., which began as an online business, started out of a passion for sports. J.P. and his father are avid sports fans and memorabilia collectors.

“We recognized that the sports collectibles industry had changed and how people were consuming sports collectibles had transitioned to more of an e-commerce platform,” said J.P. Lutz.

J.P. was running the business out of the basement of his house for about two years, then began looking for a larger fulfillment center.

“We had an opportunity to purchase one of the largest retail spaces on Mill Street,” he said.

“We developed an entirely new concept focused on vintage sports collectibles, and officially opened our retail business in the summer of 2013 to complement our online presence.”

On Feb. 22, Small Business Revolution, an online series focused on telling stories of America’s most inspiring small businesses that features Amanda Brinkman and Shark Tank’s Robert Herjavec, announced that Bristol Borough was its 2017 Main Street winners.

This means that Bristol Borough will not only win an incredible $500,000 to put toward revitalizing their small businesses, but several small businesses will receive hands-on assistance from small business experts. J.P. Lutz is hoping that Bucks County Baseball Co. will be one of those lucky businesses that get to work alongside Brinkman and Herjavec.

“We view our Bucks County Baseball Co. as a cornerstone for the town’s revitalization efforts,” he said. “We understand that our success is the town’s success. The support of the Small Business Revolution could help us attract a much larger customer base, and truly develop unique, sports-related experiences that would put Bristol Borough on the map.”

As a Manor College professor, Lutz brings his experience being an entrepreneur into the classroom.

In early February, Lutz ran an autograph signing with former Philadelphia Flyer Brian Propp, and had Manor’s Sport Management students help coordinate the logistics of the signing.

Lutz is looking forward to incorporating more Manor students into his shop, and thinks it’s a great way to give the students hands-on experience in entrepreneurship.