im done!

[skinnys_pal_tubby]

Don't open a shop for collectors.

 

As a collector most of the comics I want, I buy online for alot less than my comic shop will sell them. Sure keep several affordable key issues in stock, but I think that the real money will be from the comic book readers who come into your shop. Stock, good comics to read and customers will keep comming back for more.

 

Manga and anime for the female crowd, Vertigo for the mature readers, Tintin, Asterix, Bone, Archies and Disney for the young and Super-Heroes for the young at heart. A good selection of horror, and classic reprints for nostagia buffs.

 

If you have a true passion for what you sell, that will rub off on your customers and they'll be happy to return to your store regularly.

 

Good Luck! (thumbs u

[Stronguy]

san antonio has 5 comic shops.

but,none in my area.

3 of the shops have no good back stock. the other two have no back stock at all.

only one has key issues(but way over priced)

none have no clue about cgc comics.

 

i think its time to bring cgc to the locals.....

 

I can count at least 9 off-hand (but there are probably more).

Heroes and Fantasy (3)

Alien Worlds (3)

Collector's Authority

Dragon's Lair

Atomic Comics

 

And you're 100% correct about what they carry... nada. If you could get set up with a decent selection of back issues (actually price them so they sell) and keep fresh stock coming in (advertise) then you would have a unique store for the city. There hasn't been a decent store in SA for over 10 years. Mario at Collector's Authority tries but his stock is really, really stale.

[the blob]

Don't open a shop for collectors.

 

As a collector most of the comics I want, I buy online for alot less than my comic shop will sell them. Sure keep several affordable key issues in stock, but I think that the real money will be from the comic book readers who come into your shop. Stock, good comics to read and customers will keep comming back for more.

 

Manga and anime for the female crowd, Vertigo for the mature readers, Tintin, Asterix, Bone, Archies and Disney for the young and Super-Heroes for the young at heart. A good selection of horror, and classic reprints for nostagia buffs.

 

If you have a true passion for what you sell, that will rub off on your customers and they'll be happy to return to your store regularly.

 

Good Luck! (thumbs u

 

obviously you need to be strong in the new stuff, but i wouldn't assume this is a given. roger's time machine in NYC sells a lot of back issues and that seems to be his focus and he's not on ebay either. sure, NYC is 10X the size of San Antonio and can have a few places with that sort of focus.

 

Back issues people want, priced to sell, can sell. If you have dreams of picking up "$15" books out of dollar boxes (or cheap here) and regularly realizing full guide for them in the comic shop setting, fuggedaboudit. those mid/late 80's x-men with some "key" sabre-toothian even that are $20-$30 in OPG, those generic CA Spideys that are all $9-$12 in guide... fuggedaboudit!

[boomtown]

san antonio has 5 comic shops.

but,none in my area.

3 of the shops have no good back stock. the other two have no back stock at all.

only one has key issues(but way over priced)

none have no clue about cgc comics.

 

i think its time to bring cgc to the locals.....

 

I can count at least 9 off-hand (but there are probably more).

Heroes and Fantasy (3)

Alien Worlds (3)

Collector's Authority

Dragon's Lair

Atomic Comics

 

And you're 100% correct about what they carry... nada. If you could get set up with a decent selection of back issues (actually price them so they sell) and keep fresh stock coming in (advertise) then you would have a unique store for the city. There hasn't been a decent store in SA for over 10 years. Mario at Collector's Authority tries but his stock is really, really stale.

 

I hadn't been in a local shop in more than 5 or 6 years since I quit collecting moderns. Had heard that Heroes & Fantasies were closing down the original Ingram store but was surprised to hear that the Bitters store is also closing. I went in today & talked to the owner (not Rich-maybe he has a partner now). Asked him about business & he was pretty negative about the current market. He wasn't doing himself any favors with the store looking like , but his feeling was that the local market was just dead & wouldn't be surprised if it took a few more store closings before it improved.

 

Good luck to the OP, it's a tough market right now.

[Connor Underwood-migration]

Hire exotic dancers to run the cash register.

[Bruce1971]

Not sure if it's the same in your area but a friend of mine here in Toronto sells more at the Anime shows with half the setup costs than he does at the Hobbystar shows (comic show). Those kids will spend money.

 

Anime DVD rentals can be good, you get the customer in the store twice, once to rent, once to return. Make sure to have to walk past all your anime/manga stuff to get to the rentals.

 

Stock trades and other collected works. In general this stuff always sells, why? Because they make trades for popular books, not the stuff that bombed that every dealer has 100 extra copies of. As a store owner you can also push trades, great stories, convenient way to read the books, and honestly, they retain their value more then floppies. Can't count the times I have been in my friends store and someone comes in looking for something for a friend or relative to read, trades are an easy solution. Stock up for the holidays and new movie releases. Did I mention not getting stuck with stock every month improves your profit margins (thumbs u

 

Someone earlier mentioned Archies and kids comics. Remember, stock up near the end of school on these. Summer vacation is prime selling time.

 

New comics can cause you to lose your shirt until you figure out your sales numbers. I would order low and then buy off of the other local retailers at the same discount to make sure you are stocked for the first few months, unless of course your local retailers are always selling out of books the day they come out.

 

Vintage video games. There is a store here in Toronto that does very well just selling vintage video games. Small store usually with the owner and one employee. Whenever I go to that store they always have a few customers a hour spend $50+ each. They are a bit pricey, but probably not much more than I would pay for the games on ebay+shipping.

 

There are a ton of things you can spend money on. Decide on two or three areas to specialize in so you can build a reputation. Make sure you are passionate about, or at the very least, very knowledgeable in whatever area you decide to specialize in and be ok in the other areas.

 

Do local shows, offer discounts to local University students if they have a comic or anime club, I know at least one University did this with my friends store. Maybe advertise in local high school yearbooks.

 

Maybe tie in advertising with your local community paper with movie releases. Use the movie studios advertising to your advantage. Advertise those comics at your store when the movies come out. So many ideas, keep thinking of more, but this post is getting too long. Here is one last idea with some photos.

 

How about murals. Here are a few shots I took of side of the Silver Snail in Toronto last year.

 

 

 

[bug33fouf]

Hire exotic dancers to run the cash register.