Demise of the local comic shops

[rabidwolf]

Was feeling a little nostalgic today, thinking about all the local comic shops I used to visit from the late 80s growing up and through the early 2000's in the Southern California San Fernando area and surrounding outskirts. A dozen or so stores that were mere miles away from each other lined with Silver Age and Golden Age books (some high end, some lower end). They have all long been extinct now, and no stores have surfaced to replace them other than LCSs that only have new arrivals, graphic novels, and toys.

 

The reason for the demise is pretty clear with the effect of the internet on the structure of the comic market. While I am not familiar with stores in other parts of the nation my questions simply is, will an LCS specializing in Silver and Golden Age ever arise from the ashes again and thrive as a store?

[TupennyConan]

You just typed a post onto the best current LCS for vintage comics.

[thehumantorch]

There are a few LCS that seem to do well selling back issues. I would imagine there is always room for another well run store in a good location. It amazes me how many CGC board members have stated they don't go to any LCS.

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

Was feeling a little nostalgic today, thinking about all the local comic shops I used to visit from the late 80s growing up and through the early 2000's in the Southern California San Fernando area and surrounding outskirts. A dozen or so stores that were mere miles away from each other lined with Silver Age and Golden Age books (some high end, some lower end). They have all long been extinct now, and no stores have surfaced to replace them other than LCSs that only have new arrivals, graphic novels, and toys.

 

The reason for the demise is pretty clear with the effect of the internet on the structure of the comic market. While I am not familiar with stores in other parts of the nation my questions simply is, will an LCS specializing in Silver and Golden Age ever arise from the ashes again and thrive as a store?

 

Its getting harder and harder for a "traditional" comic shop to make it.

 

Afterall, if you have a good inventory of old stuff, you can generally sell it online with far less expense then operating a brick and mortar establishment entails.

 

If you sell new material, you have to not only compete with the store down the street but also the ebay Powersellers and Amazons of the world that can undercut you and provide free shipping to boot (in some cases, without sales tax).

 

I don't envy anyone that has a brick and mortar LCS, nor would I recommend anyone opening one up unless you are 1). determined and 2). Financially well set and heavily capitalized.

 

 

 

 

 

[MrBedrock]

While I am not familiar with stores in other parts of the nation my questions simply is, will an LCS specializing in Silver and Golden Age ever arise from the ashes again and thrive as a store?

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

While I am not familiar with stores in other parts of the nation my questions simply is, will an LCS specializing in Silver and Golden Age ever arise from the ashes again and thrive as a store?

 

Your stores are only successful because of your Texan charm and boyish good looks.

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

Let me add one final element to my rambling: service. If you have outstanding service, you can build a loyal clientele that will return year after year, even if they potentially can save a few bucks elsewhere.

 

Sadly, nowadays though, not only is great service quickly disappearing but so is the customer loyalty it is supposed to engender.

[agro23]

A retail comics store is a hobby store, no? If a scrap-booking store can make it a comics store can make it. Just be well-run, friendly, priced competitively and live to serve. Just like with any other business. Among our fellow boardies are some following this model.

[FlComicFan]

Yes it can be done. I started up my shop in 2005 and have built it up within 4 years into a nice moneymaker. I opened with 50,000 $1 and $2 comics . Back issues are actually one of the most profitable things for me. It takes time to build up a clientele for back issues and you have to have a good selection and pay attention to what your customers are looking for. I myself dont understand why store even mess with toys & statues. The margins are pathetic and unlike back issues where if they are quality your inventory increases in value with 99% of toys within a few months of release they become dead stock. Purchasing walk in collections is probably the single biggest upside a brick & mortar store has over online only merchants. Cant understand why shops dont at least have some section devoted to back issues.

[thehumantorch]

Yes it can be done. I started up my shop in 2005 and have built it up within 4 years into a nice moneymaker. I opened with 50,000 $1 and $2 comics . Back issues are actually one of the most profitable things for me. It takes time to build up a clientele for back issues and you have to have a good selection and pay attention to what your customers are looking for. I myself dont understand why store even mess with toys & statues. The margins are pathetic and unlike back issues where if they are quality your inventory increases in value with 99% of toys within a few months of release they become dead stock. Purchasing walk in collections is probably the single biggest upside a brick & mortar store has over online only merchants. Cant understand why shops dont at least have some section devoted to back issues.

 

 

Where is your store?

[VintageComics]

Any brick and morter store that wants to make it needs to have an internet presence. It is the way things work now.

 

R.

 

 

[PrismaticSmoke]

My LCS opened in 1988 it basically sold Comics and Used books. They have moved 3 times, each to bigger locations. It has a huge back issue inventory, and its used book side is always packed.

 

If he sold only comics, most likely would be out of business. I know people who like to read like buying books at half the cover, then returning the books for store credit. Easy money.

[FlComicFan]

I own All Star Sportscards & Comics in Gainesville FL. Internet has its place for certain. With fewer and fewer stores around business is actually improving even in this weak economy. Some customers simply like to browse through before buying versus sitting on a PC and doing there shopping.

 

It also helps to know what you are selling. How many LCS have an owner who doesnt even read current comics? How many are a chain who hire employees without any experience with comics? A huge part of being a succesful comic store is the social venue you provide for your customers.

[thehumantorch]

I own All Star Sportscards & Comics in Gainesville FL. Internet has its place for certain. With fewer and fewer stores around business is actually improving even in this weak economy. Some customers simply like to browse through before buying versus sitting on a PC and doing there shopping.

 

It also helps to know what you are selling. How many LCS have an owner who doesnt even read current comics? How many are a chain who hire employees without any experience with comics? A huge part of being a succesful comic store is the social venue you provide for your customers.

 

Any tips you can give to guys who want to start a store? Far away from yours . What kind of back issues sell the best for you?

[Designer Toast]

Let me add one final element to my rambling: service. If you have outstanding service, you can build a loyal clientele that will return year after year, even if they potentially can save a few bucks elsewhere.

 

Sadly, nowadays though, not only is great service quickly disappearing but so is the customer loyalty it is supposed to engender.

 

I can't tell you how many shops I've been to where there is zero customer service. There used to be five shops where I live. Now there are only two, both operated by the same person.

 

There is nothing that will make me take my dollars somewhere else faster than getting crummy service, being treated poorly, or knowing a snake is running a store. I've been to shops where they've gladly taken my money, tossed ym books in a bag, and cared to not even whisper "thank you." Or how about the shop where you walk in and the person working there doesn't greet you, doesn't bother looking up from whatever it is they're doing, or doesn't even mumble, "Can I help you find something?"

 

Sure, store owners and employees have bad days, but you are running a business that is supported by a customer base and your customers should be numero uno at all times. I know that some comic book customers can be, well, let's say challenging.

 

Pertaining to those particular people you provide a service to that you do not much like, one of the best pieces of advice I have ever received from someone was this: You don't have to care, just act like you do.

 

I will always go with the shop that treats its customers like gold (thumbs u Jive's "ramble" is spot on.

 

 

[universal soldier]

Let me add one final element to my rambling: service. If you have outstanding service, you can build a loyal clientele that will return year after year, even if they potentially can save a few bucks elsewhere.

 

Sadly, nowadays though, not only is great service quickly disappearing but so is the customer loyalty it is supposed to engender.

 

I can't tell you how many shops I've been to where there is zero customer service. There used to be five shops where I live. Now there are only two, both operated by the same person.

 

There is nothing that will make me take my dollars somewhere else faster than getting crummy service, being treated poorly, or knowing a snake is running a store. I've been to shops where they've gladly taken my money, tossed ym books in a bag, and cared to not even whisper "thank you." Or how about the shop where you walk in and the person working there doesn't greet you, doesn't bother looking up from whatever it is they're doing, or doesn't even mumble, "Can I help you find something?"

 

Sure, store owners and employees have bad days, but you are running a business that is supported by a customer base and your customers should be numero uno at all times. I know that some comic book customers can be, well, let's say challenging.

 

Pertaining to those particular people you provide a service to that you do not much like, one of the best pieces of advice I have ever received from someone was this: You don't have to care, just act like you do.

 

I will always go with the shop that treats its customers like gold (thumbs u Jive's "ramble" is spot on.

 

 

+1

I've been going to the same LCS for about 24 years now mostly due to the customer service. There discounts are somewhat sub-standard, but they grade well and price at or below the current OS. They treat me as a valued customer and I have managed to develop a good relationship with the management where I find random back issues in my pull box once or twice a month. They know what I collect and will give me first dibs if it something they think I might be interested in.

[mschmidt]

There are a few LCS that seem to do well selling back issues. I would imagine there is always room for another well run store in a good location. It amazes me how many CGC board members have stated they don't go to any LCS.

 

I go to my LCS pretty much every week - I chat with the owner, pick up some variants, grab individual back issues here & there. I just don't buy my 25+ monthly titles from them seeing that they only give subscribers a measly 10% discount (and DCBS does 40%). Even with the shipping cost, I'm still saving a lot every month by using an online subscription service.

 

I think one of the big problems with the current crop of local comic book stores is that they still don't realize that most people have no problems whatsoever ordering items online - either from the large web-based comic book stores, ebay, here on the boards, etc. The VF/NM Preacher #1 that you have had on your wall for the last 12 months is never going to sell because you're asking $150 for it, and I can find cheaper copies on ebay every day of the week.

 

Imho, brick & mortar comic book stores need to accept the fact that they're not the big dog anymore - that people have choices, and that the store needs to be able to compete not just with other stores in the area, but with ebay/lone star/midtown comics/westfield/etc as well.

[whisp]

There is 4 stores in my city in which I prefer to only do business with 2 of them and really could care less about the other two. The main store I go to has my subscriptions and they go out of their way to always please me since I am a picky person. I always get first pick of the pile for my subscriptions and they will try to do their best to get me a variant. They are probably the 2nd smallest store in the city and they treat their customers as gold. They are the ones that did Watchmen private viewing for $2 a person for subscription members and friends and cover the rest of the cost themselves.

 

Store number 2 is a nice guy and has 2nd largest store in my city but alway give decent deals even though I am only in their once in awhile.

 

Now of the two last stores left the 3rd one is smallest in city when I last saw him but he moved to a new store. I havn't been to the new store as of yet. He is a nice guy though but no deals and overgrades with high prices in my opinion.

 

Now the 4th store is a bunch of wankers. This store I only go to when they are my last choice before ebay or they are having a sale. This guy always seems angry most of the time. Trying to get a good deal is like pulling teeth from a shark that hasn't eaten in 3 weeks and he just doesn't seem to care.

 

If I had my way I would take the store owners from the one store with all my subscriptions and make them the owner of the 4th store and I would have the perfect store. ah what a nice dream!!

[Count]

There are a few LCS that seem to do well selling back issues. I would imagine there is always room for another well run store in a good location. It amazes me how many CGC board members have stated they don't go to any LCS.

[comicstock]

>>Cant understand why shops dont at least have some section devoted to back issues. <<

 

Back issues have to be worked. Present them nicely, bagged and boarded. As they sell, replace the inventory if duplicates are in the back room. If it was dead stock to begin with, forget about it. Buy collections only if it's stuff the store can turn over in a reasonable period of time. Have an online presence and stay on top of that.