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Thinking about starting a local comic/collectible show on Long Island

Started by Genesis Comics,

40 posts in this topic

Genesis Comics

Genesis Comics

Posted
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I recently went looking to see if there were any local shows I could set up at and found NOTHING here on Long Island, so I figured if I can't find a place, why not run a show myself :insane:...I have a place in mind and had some initial conversations with the person responsible for renting out the space...I was thinking about a show every 2 months or so on a Sunday (the room is cheaper then)

Location is on a main road and is easily accesible from the LIE and Sunrise...

This is not a large venue and would most likely accommodate approx 40 8 foot tables, although I have not been there yet to scope it out...

 

I was wondering what advice you folks could give me on running a show or any best practices? What have you seen at shows that you liked/didn't like? Obviously I would need to get vendors as well as advertise...

I don't anticipate making any money the first few shows, but would hopefully make a few bucks down the road :wishluck:

 

I am considering setting up a website although I don't have the faintest clue how...my brother in law works for Intel so maybe he can get me started... (shrug)

 

As a dealer what do you look for in a show? Does anyone need electric?

What is a reasonable amount to charge for a table? Where would you like to see the show advertised?

 

As a seller what draws you to a show? What would make you come back every 2 months? How much would you be willing to pay to get in (if anything)?

 

Thanks and I look forward to hearing replies :acclaim:

 

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mrwoogieman

mrwoogieman

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I live on Long Island!

 

I used to go to a couple different local shows, one in RVC and another in Deer Park at the Brumundi Lodge on 231. Nothing around like that in years.

 

Cool!

 

 

 

(and I'm not an old Jewish woman, but I would go buy comics!)

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lscomics

lscomics

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Advertise as much as you can. If you don't draw a crowd even dealers that are as close as 45 minutes away won't shell out for a table. I say this from experience, there's a local show here in NW Indiana that I won't even bother driving to looking to buy because of how poorly it's run/advertised.

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mycs

mycs

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Bighulkfan,

 

best of luck with this as I'm a Long Islander also and would love to take my kids to one of these shows but have never really seen one locally. What specific location were you thinking of ?

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shadroch

shadroch

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If the idea isn't to make money, you might want to team up with a few dealers to get started. Rather than charge them table rent, just go co-op and use the money for advertising.

I would think it woulds be pretty important to have the closest stores on board, as they would be great advertising. You might even want to offer thm a free table in return for pushing the show.

If you were interested, I think there are a few forumites who might be willing to work with you on this. I know I would.

A problem I encountered in the 90s was that hall owners have a misconception of comic books. They don't realize the audience is mostly adult males.

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the blob

the blob

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funny thing, i was thinking about exactly the same thing this weekend (probably needs to be in nassua county) as well as the logistics of a show in brooklyn or queens (each of which have populations of 2.5 million). brooklyn comic shops have really been decimated in the last few years, so i wonder how much pent up demand there is, although that likely has something to do with ethnodemographics as i suspect many immigrant groups just have no interest and brooklyn's population in many parts is heavily immigrant..

 

though doing it in either borough is tricky as you're going to want to have it near a central subway destination (probably near atlantic avenue in brooklyn..which is where they have the alternative comic show evey year...dunno what "central" is in queens though)...long island is easier as everyone drives.

 

maybe a joint venture with the folks here who do the clifton/hanover NJ shows? (probably not a good idea to overlap with one of their dates or one of mike carbo's manhattan show dates)

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shadroch

shadroch

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I have not been there, but I hear the weekend each quarter that Koch opens his warehouse is jammed to the gills. I'm amazed when I drive thru Red Hook and Williamsburg. Places you would not want to slow down at at a red light now feature sidewalk cafes due to the influx of the hipster crowd.

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the blob

the blob

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koch is actually near an area (sunset park) that has been partially "gentrified" lately with a lot of hipsters and young professionals. it wasn't that way when he came there, but the area has changed.

 

yes, there are a lot of hipsters, true, but east flatbush, bushwick and canarsie, which were once irish/italian and jewish are mainly carribean (though the last two have gotten some hipsters lately), a big chunk of flatbush (where I live), which was once mostly irish and jewish is now pakistani and carribean, parts of bayridge and sheepshead bay are mainly recent chinese and arab/pakistani immigrants, etc. i agree though, the potential customers are there, just maybe not enough to support a lot of stores (though park slope has 4 comic shops).

 

the hipsters gottah go somewhere with a 1 bedroom in alphabet city running $2K+.

 

strangely enough the one comic/card shop in cobble hill, which is still all old time italian americans and newly arrived yuppies or hipsters also closed, but i think that had a lot to do with the owner just losing interest in trying to make his place appealing to customers and still acting like it was 1992 and customers were going to come to him.

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Dr. Balls

Dr. Balls

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What are thoughts on having something like this going in conjunction with M:TG or whatever else - trying to garner some of the card gamers? Is it worth expending the marketing/vendor effort to get that other crowd?

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Genesis Comics

Genesis Comics

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To clarify a few things...

The location in question is in Suffolk county about 20 minutes in from Nassau...There are a few colleges nearby

 

No nearby trains but it's in a hotel on a main road which connects to both the LIE and Sunrise and there is a bus stop right there as well

 

The show would be a non-sports collectible show...I was thinking comics/toys/MTG or other gaming (Pokemon/YuGiOh/HeroClix etc) maybe autographs/original art...

 

Shadroch-the main focus, for now, is getting it off the ground and not losing money the first few shows...I've thought about going in with somebody, but right now I'm in the information gathering stage...that may be a possibility...

 

The dates of the shows would not conflict with the big shows (big apple, nycc, and probably avoid kochs warehouse openings as well)

 

For dealers...what's a fair price for a table? I was thinking $50 for 1, $85 for 2 and $110 for 3?

 

Discounts for anyone that helps me get this rolling :foryou:

 

A free raffle for a free table at the next show with one entry for every table purchased. For example if there are 40 tables at the show and someone purchases 3 they have a 3 in 40 chance of getting 1 free table at the next show.

 

For attendees...what's a fair price for admission? I was thinking early bird (enter 1/2 hour before "official" opening maybe $7.00 and regular admission $3.00?

My thought is kids under 12 are free...

 

My big questions is where to advertise...I was thinking local newspaper, craigslist, facebook, twitter, a website for the show, Wizard maybe?, local collectible shops, and maybe the local college as well? thoughts? (shrug)

Any other thoughts/suggestions folks? :wishluck:

 

Thanks for all the replies so far :applause:

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Dr. Balls

Dr. Balls

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Don't forget event insurance! If you are putting this on, you're officially the guy at the top. Someone slips and falls, you'll be name numero uno on the lawsuit, along with the building management and whomever else the lawyers come up with.

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