chrisco37 Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Had a shop where I used to live (about 2 yrs ago) close down. It was the 3rd store of a franchise (for lack of a better term). The 2 other stores do really well, and have been around for a long time. So I think it was more a function of location than anything. The location that closed was in a small college town and really only carried new books, trades, and MTG. And the flagship store was only about 20 miles away (same offerings plus back issues, statues, etc). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the blob Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 5 hours ago, BlowUpTheMoon said: The Buffalo area has had at least three new shops open in the last two years. One is restaurant/comic book store. http://www.saycheesepizza.com/ Another is a coffee shop/comic book store. https://www.pulp716.com/ Buffalo is having a renaissance, no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batman_fan Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 I am in Boulder, CO. We have one comic book store. Next closes one is probably close to 20 miles away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octavius Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 We used to have 3 and 1/2 comic books stores here in Adelaide Australia, but we recently lost one of them due to, at least from the owners point of view, "high rents". However the store itself was about 80 years old, dark, dingy and the clientele was...different to say the least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlowUpTheMoon Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 1 hour ago, the blob said: 7 hours ago, BlowUpTheMoon said: The Buffalo area has had at least three new shops open in the last two years. One is restaurant/comic book store. http://www.saycheesepizza.com/ Another is a coffee shop/comic book store. https://www.pulp716.com/ Buffalo is having a renaissance, no? Yes, except for the sports teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Readcomix Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 1 hour ago, batman_fan said: I am in Boulder, CO. We have one comic book store. Next closes one is probably close to 20 miles away. Yeah, but you've got the Uzbek Tea House! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batman_fan Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 1 minute ago, Readcomix said: Yeah, but you've got the Uzbek Tea House! Very true, but I am ashamed to admit I have never eaten there in the 8+ years I have been in Boulder. Usually I am by it on Saturdays and it gets crazy busy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Readcomix Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 3 minutes ago, batman_fan said: Very true, but I am ashamed to admit I have never eaten there in the 8+ years I have been in Boulder. Usually I am by it on Saturdays and it gets crazy busy. I checked it out on a weekday afternoon. Pretty cool, but it would make a heckuva comic shop! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NP_Gresham Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 In the Sacramento area. Lots of shops pop up and flame out here. The one's that last seem to have a great supply of back issues and/or gaming area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theCapraAegagrus Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 The closest one to me is primarily a toy shop, so I presume that business keeps good money flowing. They sell most of their comics to me at a discount, have tons of $1 issues, and maybe about 50 that are $10+. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the blob Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 5 minutes ago, TwoPiece said: The closest one to me is primarily a toy shop, so I presume that business keeps good money flowing. They sell most of their comics to me at a discount, have tons of $1 issues, and maybe about 50 that are $10+. Toy shops getting hurt by Amazon, etc. The one in my neighborhood closed and we are loaded with breeding yuppies. Then again, maybe with no TRU their business has been boosted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theCapraAegagrus Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 43 minutes ago, the blob said: Toy shops getting hurt by Amazon, etc. The one in my neighborhood closed and we are loaded with breeding yuppies. Then again, maybe with no TRU their business has been boosted. Kids don't buy toys on Amazon, though. I see a lot of parents bringing their kids into the shop to buy toys. While we, as adults, have patience to find a good price on Amazon/etc, kids don't have that patience, and these toy stores benefit from that. Kids also play with their toys... Lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the blob Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 18 minutes ago, TwoPiece said: Kids don't buy toys on Amazon, though. I see a lot of parents bringing their kids into the shop to buy toys. While we, as adults, have patience to find a good price on Amazon/etc, kids don't have that patience, and these toy stores benefit from that. Kids also play with their toys... Lol... Selection is the problem at a smaller indie place. But if they are succeeding, then great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ygogolak Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 19 hours ago, BlowUpTheMoon said: The Buffalo area has had at least three new shops open in the last two years. One is restaurant/comic book store. http://www.saycheesepizza.com/ Another is a coffee shop/comic book store. https://www.pulp716.com/ It appears the pizza place also has fried chicken. Are the comics in the same space? Anything cooked, roasted, heated, etc...should not be mixed with collectibles. Cigars are popular again. Any cigar and comic shops opening soon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theCapraAegagrus Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 10 minutes ago, the blob said: Selection is the problem at a smaller indie place. But if they are succeeding, then great. Fair point. I'm not in the toy game. I understand a lot of hobbies, but that one I don't get. I think it's the 'lack of creativity'? Most toys are designs derived from other works. I appreciate almost any hobby involving paper or metal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ygogolak Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 16 hours ago, the blob said: https://foursquare.com/v/gotham-city-lounge/49cd9410f964a520035a1fe3 This is what hipsters in Brooklyn are doing instead of playing with comics 14 hours ago, JcomicJ said: a comicshop/hobby shop with card game nights like pokemon and magic the gathering would be a great idea 14 hours ago, the blob said: Along with $3 beer/whiskey combos? Do most metropolitan areas not have bars that have board games now? The problem with mixing any of those things is that you have to be sure it's going to work. A liquor license is a very expensive venture. It's not like opening a Diamond account. Look up Bulletproof Comic in NYC. They have all types of late night gaming but they are also in one of the most densely populated areas in the country with good public transportation to get people around. https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Collectibles-Store/Bulletproof-Comics-Inc-118048081555688/ JcomicJ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ygogolak Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 17 hours ago, bc said: Hey 1Cool - you remember that LCS that was in the Old Arcade building downtown (on the second floor I think) ? Been closed for years, was trying to think of the name. Many of the books in that first box you got came from there. Who closed on York Road? -bc York's Comics & Cards. https://www.facebook.com/York-Comics-Cards-120135241332644/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Cool Posted October 18, 2018 Author Share Posted October 18, 2018 17 hours ago, bc said: Hey 1Cool - you remember that LCS that was in the Old Arcade building downtown (on the second floor I think) ? Been closed for years, was trying to think of the name. Many of the books in that first box you got came from there. Who closed on York Road? -bc I think that was before my time - I moved to the Cleveland area in 1996. The York comic shop was not very well run from what I saw so I was not surprised it closed but I'm wondering if shops like Kenmore Komics are feeling the crunch since they carry so much back stock and not that much gaming stuff. Carol and John is probably my least favorite store to visit in our area just because they never have key books in stock and so much new stuff its overwhelming but they appear to be very successful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ygogolak Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 25 minutes ago, 1Cool said: I think that was before my time - I moved to the Cleveland area in 1996. The York comic shop was not very well run from what I saw so I was not surprised it closed but I'm wondering if shops like Kenmore Komics are feeling the crunch since they carry so much back stock and not that much gaming stuff. Carol and John is probably my least favorite store to visit in our area just because they never have key books in stock and so much new stuff its overwhelming but they appear to be very successful. Half of the footprint of Kenmore's store if gaming, ha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the blob Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 48 minutes ago, ygogolak said: Do most metropolitan areas not have bars that have board games now? The problem with mixing any of those things is that you have to be sure it's going to work. A liquor license is a very expensive venture. It's not like opening a Diamond account. Look up Bulletproof Comic in NYC. They have all types of late night gaming but they are also in one of the most densely populated areas in the country with good public transportation to get people around. https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Collectibles-Store/Bulletproof-Comics-Inc-118048081555688/ I don't think bars in NYC want to pay rent for people to play board games unless they are drinking extra. Bulletproof Comics is about 600 feet from Brooklyn College (18,000 students) and a couple of blocks from Midwood High School (4000 students) and a couple of more blocks from another high school with 4,000 students, so that probably makes a difference too. (I live about 10 minutes from there). They had a location in a less centralized area a couple of miles away that also had room for gaming, but that is gone. They are also across the street from a huge shopping mall with a big Target in it. Unless the have a loooong term lease, not sure how they continue to pay the rent. They had a location in a less centralized area a couple of miles away that also had room for gaming, but that is gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
