Less than a year after opening, Pat’s Media Market in Whitehall is already preparing for its next chapter, with plans to move into a new location this spring.
But the story of the shop’s early growth is not just about space. It is about how it has taken shape through the people walking through the door.
On opening day at Pat’s Media Market’s first location in downtown Whitehall, I remember walking down from CatchMark Technologies with a few co-workers to check out the new shop. Pat Armstrong was immediately eager to talk, sharing his vision for what he was building. Nearly a year later, that part has not changed.
“I just wanted to create something people could come into and enjoy,” Armstrong said. “Not just a store, but a place people feel comfortable being in.”
Pat and his wife, Stephanie, opened the store last summer with a focus on media, nostalgia, and discovery. Since then, that idea has evolved quickly, shaped in real time by customers, community support, and a steady stream of contributions.
A Store Shaped by the Community
One of the defining features of Pat’s Media Market is how much of it has come directly from the community itself.
Donations have played a major role in building out the shop’s inventory, with people bringing in items to share, sell, or simply pass along.
“A lot of what’s in here came from people right in the community,” Armstrong said. “They’ll come in with things they want to see go to someone who appreciates it.”
Those contributions have helped expand what the store offers while also creating a sense that the space belongs, in part, to the people supporting it.
“You’re not just walking into a business,” he said. “You’re seeing pieces of other people’s collections, their memories.”
Listening, Then Finding a Way
That connection carries into how the store continues to grow.
Armstrong has taken a hands-on approach to shaping inventory, often guided by conversations with customers.
“If someone comes in and asks for something I don’t have, I try to find it,” he said. “That’s kind of how this has grown. People tell me what they’re looking for, and I go from there.”
Rather than deciding in advance what the store should be, Pat and Stephanie have allowed it to evolve based on what people are asking for and what they care about.
“It’s not just what I think should be here,” Armstrong said. “It’s what people want to see when they walk in.”
That responsiveness has helped build trust and keep people coming back, turning first visits into repeat stops.
Growth That Came Quickly
That approach has led to steady momentum.
In less than a year, Pat’s Media Market has already outgrown its current space. Plans are in place to move into a new location, with a soft reopening expected in May and a larger celebration in June marking the shop’s one year anniversary.
“We’ve just kind of outgrown where we’re at,” Armstrong said. “This next place will give us room to do more of what we’ve been trying to do.”
The move will mark the third space the business has operated in since opening, a reflection of demand that has continued to build.
More Than Just a Store
What is happening at Pat’s Media Market points to something larger than a single business finding success.
In a community like Whitehall, spaces like this can become gathering points, places where people connect over shared interests, trade stories, and feel a sense of ownership.
That kind of environment cannot be manufactured quickly. It develops through consistency, interaction, and a willingness to listen.
“I talk to people all day when they come in,” Armstrong said. “That’s honestly one of the best parts of it.”
Looking Ahead
As the shop prepares for its move and its one year milestone, the focus remains on continuing what has worked so far.
A new space may offer more room, but the core of the business will likely stay the same. It will continue to be shaped by the people who walk in, the conversations that happen, and the small decisions made in response.
The next chapter for Pat’s Media Market will bring a new location.
But the reason behind its growth has already been established.
“We’re just going to keep building on what people have already made this into,” Armstrong said.
It is not just about what is on the shelves.
It is about how the store has been built alongside the community it serves.
Below, a look back at opening day at Pat’s Media Market’s first location in downtown Whitehall, where the story began.
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