'Blockhead' sells New Kids On The Block memorabilia to share nostalgia with fellow fans
A lifelong New Kids On The Block fan from Columbus has decided to sell her collection of memorabilia online, reflecting on the sentimental value of the items and hoping to give other fans a chance to relive their teenage years.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A lifelong super fan of New Kids On The Block (NKOTB) who lives in Columbus, has decided to part with her treasure trove of memorabilia, listing the items for sale online.
Ashley Knott said her decision came after reflecting on the sentimental belongings she has accumulated over the years, stored under her basement stairs.
"In the past few years, I have helped to clean out my grandmothers' houses to move them into assisted living," Knott wrote in an email to NBC4. "They both had sentimental stuff that none of the family wanted, we took some stuff, but we gave so much of it away. It got me thinking about what's going to happen to my Tupperware’s of sentimental stuff."
Knott has held onto these treasures since her teenage years in the '90s when she spent her after-school job earnings on NKOTB merchandise as well as "Tiger Beat" and "Teen Beat" magazines. Now she is ready to pass the items on to other fans who might have an appreciation.
The sale comes just in time for NKOTB's upcoming concert in Columbus on Aug. 23 at Nationwide Arena, where she and her friends be in attendance. A self-proclaimed "Blockhead," she still makes it a point to see the band whenever they come to town, though the days of road-tripping to multiple shows are behind her.
Revisiting her collection has been a nostalgic experience.
"There are scrapbooks of old magazine articles, photo albums from the concerts we went to up at Blossom with our car decorated in pictures and signs," Knott noted. "When we paid way too much money for nosebleed seats because the scalpers would buy them up, we would have to find them for sale in an ad in the newspaper for 4 times what they are worth, then Western Union money to some stranger and hope the paper tickets arrived in the mail. Luckily, they always did."
Selling the items has brought mixed emotions, including the satisfaction of knowing that these things can bring joy to other fans. So far, she has only sold one item — a specific hat that a fellow Blockhead drove over 40 miles to purchase.
"If something in a Tupperware under my basement stairs can provide a nostalgic moment for a fellow blockhead, that's a really good feeling," Knott said.
Knott shared that back in the day, her bedroom was a shrine to not only NKOTB but other teenage icons like Tony Hawk, Johnny Depp, and Andre Agassi. Every inch of her room, including the ceiling, was covered in posters. Spencer’s at Northland Mall was her go-to spot for the latest NKOTB merchandise.
While she has listed most of her collection, she plans to keep a few cherished pieces, like her Jordan Knight shirt, since Jordan was her "favorite." She said she noticed an interesting trend online when deciding how to price her things.
"For the NKOTB items I looked online at other reseller sites and picked a price I think is consistent with the saturation of the item on the sites and the range of prices," Knott explained. "It's fun to see other sellers’ NKOTB collections, you can always tell which New Kid was their favorite because they have the majority of their items."
Selling these items has been a cleansing experience, and she has been surprised at the value of some of her "vintage" items. But she knows, as her investment banker father would say, "Something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it." Time will tell what becomes of the rest of her NKOTB treasures, but for now, Knott is content knowing she is giving other fans a chance to relive their teenage years.