Gamestop announced that it will open around 35 collectibles stores globally in its fiscal 2017, which began January 29, 2017.  The company added 17 during its Q4, bringing its global total to 86 collectibles stores, including 24 ThinkGeek stores in the U.S.

Collectibles sales grew 27.8% in Gamestop’s fiscal Q4, and 59.5% for the year, totaling nearly a half billion dollars ($494 million) in the year.

The good news in its collectibles categories came as the company reported declining sales and profits from most of the rest of its business.  Fiscal Q4 sales were down 13.6%, with U.S. same stores sales down 20.6%.  As previously reported, holiday sales were weak, behind industry weakness, promotional pricing pressure, and lower in-store traffic (see “Gamestop, FYE Report Sharp Holiday Sales Declines”).  Q4 earnings were down 16% to $208.7 million, from $247.8 million in the year ago period.

Sales declined 8.1% for the fiscal year with a 13.5% decline in comparable same stores sales in the U.S.  Earnings were $353.2 million, down 12% from the previous year.