Joe's Books and Things in Manassas, Virginia. Maria's Books and Things in Fredericksburg, Virginia 0

[NoMan]

Represent. 

[ttfitz]

I don't know if I ever shopped at Joe's Comics in Manassas, I moved to the area in 1985 (Seven Corners in Falls Church) or 1986 (Woodbridge). If that's the same place that was on Burke Centre Parkway in the late 80s and 90s, I used to stop there on occasion when I took back roads home.

As for Marie's (assume that's what you mean when you said "Maria") in Fredericksburg, I didn't get down that way very often, so I think I only shopped there a couple times. It was an interesting place, the prototypical "hole in the wall" (when I lived in Seven Corners I got my comics from the literal Hole In The Wall Books in Falls Church, that apparently closed a few years back) comic store, with stuff piled all over the place.

 

[awakeintheashes]

On 2/5/2024 at 4:20 PM, ttfitz said:

Hole In The Wall Books in Falls Church, that apparently closed a few years back) comic store, with stuff piled all over the place.

Oh man, it closed? I used to shop there all the time. Victory was my main shop, but I’d hit up Hole in the Wall regularly as well. 

There is/was a plant store in Del Ray that also had comics. That place would have told Hole in the Wall to “hold my beer”’in regards to hole in the wall and books stacked all over. 

Edited February 5 by awakeintheashes

[jimjum12]

On 2/5/2024 at 4:20 PM, ttfitz said:

I don't know if I ever shopped at Joe's Comics in Manassas, I moved to the area in 1985 (Seven Corners in Falls Church) or 1986 (Woodbridge). If that's the same place that was on Burke Centre Parkway in the late 80s and 90s, I used to stop there on occasion when I took back roads home.

As for Marie's (assume that's what you mean when you said "Maria") in Fredericksburg, I didn't get down that way very often, so I think I only shopped there a couple times. It was an interesting place, the prototypical "hole in the wall" (when I lived in Seven Corners I got my comics from the literal Hole In The Wall Books in Falls Church, that apparently closed a few years back) comic store, with stuff piled all over the place.

 

Last time I spoke with Marie, many years ago, an appointment was needed to have the "better" back issues brought in. She said she felt the area wasn't secure anymore. GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[NoMan]

On 2/5/2024 at 1:20 PM, ttfitz said:

I don't know if I ever shopped at Joe's Comics in Manassas, I moved to the area in 1985 (Seven Corners in Falls Church) or 1986 (Woodbridge). If that's the same place that was on Burke Centre Parkway in the late 80s and 90s, I used to stop there on occasion when I took back roads home.

As for Marie's (assume that's what you mean when you said "Maria") in Fredericksburg, I didn't get down that way very often, so I think I only shopped there a couple times. It was an interesting place, the prototypical "hole in the wall" (when I lived in Seven Corners I got my comics from the literal Hole In The Wall Books in Falls Church, that apparently closed a few years back) comic store, with stuff piled all over the place.

 

thanks. you are right, Joe moved to burke after Manassas. Marie's was a hole-in-the-wall.

So much time has passed, sometimes I don't know what was real and what I simply imagined. 

[NoMan]

On 2/5/2024 at 1:44 PM, jimjum12 said:

Last time I spoke with Marie, many years ago, an appointment was needed to have the "better" back issues brought in. She said she felt the area wasn't secure anymore. GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

wow, how long ago was that?

[jimjum12]

On 2/5/2024 at 5:26 PM, NoMan said:

wow, how long ago was that?

Over 20 years I'd say, things may have changed. Bear in mind that Fredricksburg is a non stop traffic jam from 5-9am, 1130am to 200pm, and 330pm to 700pm. It's horrible. GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[CJ Design]

On 2/5/2024 at 3:20 PM, ttfitz said:

I don't know if I ever shopped at Joe's Comics in Manassas, I moved to the area in 1985 (Seven Corners in Falls Church) or 1986 (Woodbridge). If that's the same place that was on Burke Centre Parkway in the late 80s and 90s, I used to stop there on occasion when I took back roads home.

As for Marie's (assume that's what you mean when you said "Maria") in Fredericksburg, I didn't get down that way very often, so I think I only shopped there a couple times. It was an interesting place, the prototypical "hole in the wall" (when I lived in Seven Corners I got my comics from the literal Hole In The Wall Books in Falls Church, that apparently closed a few years back) comic store, with stuff piled all over the place.

 

Funny I grew up Near Seven Corners (Sleepy Hollow area) as a youngin' I had to get my back issues at a Mason Used Book Store under the Surf Shop in Fairfax City and  Serendipity Books in Oakton. I do remember the Hole in the Wall

Edited February 6 by CJ Design

[NoMan]

On 2/5/2024 at 2:29 PM, jimjum12 said:

Over 20 years I'd say, things may have changed. Bear in mind that Fredricksburg is a non stop traffic jam from 5-9am, 1130am to 200pm, and 330pm to 700pm. It's horrible. GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

it was so country in the late 70s. I'd stay at my grandma's and walk to Maria's

[jimjum12]

On 2/5/2024 at 6:08 PM, NoMan said:

it was so country in the late 70s. I'd stay at my grandma's and walk to Maria's

I would ride by it while delivering seafood in the early 90's or so. I called once to see if it would merit stopping, but opted not to, as my route then wasn't on a strict timetable. GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[ttfitz]

On 2/5/2024 at 4:40 PM, awakeintheashes said:

On 2/5/2024 at 4:20 PM, ttfitz said:

Hole In The Wall Books in Falls Church, that apparently closed a few years back) comic store, with stuff piled all over the place.

Oh man, it closed? I used to shop there all the time. Victory was my main shop, but I’d hit up Hole in the Wall regularly as well. 

Yeah, it had been a while since I had been by there, and this thread made me wonder about it, a google search shows the couple who had owned the store since 1979 decided it was time to retire and closed it, in 2019, I think the article said.

On 2/5/2024 at 4:40 PM, awakeintheashes said:

There is/was a plant store in Del Ray that also had comics. That place would have told Hole in the Wall to “hold my beer”’in regards to hole in the wall and books stacked all over. 

I would guess you are talking about the place on Mount Vernon, Exotic Planterium and Card & Comic Collectorama. I LOVED that place - any time I would start reading a title that I hadn't before and wanted to pick up back issues, I'd head over there, Dennis always seemed to have at least a year's worth of recent back issues in his box for cover price. Sadly, Dennis passed away in 2018.

For anyone who would like to get a look, I found a Youtube video:

 

[ttfitz]

On 2/5/2024 at 4:44 PM, jimjum12 said:

Last time I spoke with Marie, many years ago, an appointment was needed to have the "better" back issues brought in. She said she felt the area wasn't secure anymore. GOD BLESS ...

At the time I visited, I couldn't afford any kind of "better" comics, so it's just as well, haha.

[ttfitz]

On 2/5/2024 at 5:37 PM, CJ Design said:

Funny I grew up Near Seven Corners (Sleepy Hollow area) as a youngin' I had to get my back issues at a Mason Used Book Store under the Surf Show and  Serendipity Books in Oakton. I do remember the Hole in the Wall

I lived on Patrick Henry for little over a year right out of college before I got married and moved to Woodbridge. Hole in the Wall was just up the road from me, very convenient for getting my weekly "sub" order.

[FlyingDonut]

On 2/5/2024 at 4:40 PM, awakeintheashes said:

Oh man, it closed? I used to shop there all the time. Victory was my main shop, but I’d hit up Hole in the Wall regularly as well. 

There is/was a plant store in Del Ray that also had comics. That place would have told Hole in the Wall to “hold my beer”’in regards to hole in the wall and books stacked all over. 

Hole in the Wall closed a couple years ago. The plant store closed - it was the worst comic store I have ever been to. Note that the DC area is the worst large city in the country for comic stores. You want to buy comics? Come to my house.

[awakeintheashes]

On 2/5/2024 at 10:15 PM, FlyingDonut said:

Hole in the Wall closed a couple years ago. The plant store closed - it was the worst comic store I have ever been to. Note that the DC area is the worst large city in the country for comic stores. You want to buy comics? Come to my house.

I left in late 2017, and when I go back it’s for meetings on the Hill, so I never got to head over that way. Hope they are both doing alright. The wife was always super friendly.

Yeah, that plant store was bad. it was also so hot in there in the summer. Mixed with the dust it just wasn’t a pleasant experience. I settled in at Victory and liked everyone there. Although, they’d have card tournaments on the weekends, and I could never find a parking spot, so it was pretty frustrating. I had a pull at Fantom for a little bit, but they moved once or twice and it just wasn’t convenient.

A lot of my best back issue hauls and finds came from Craigslist (pre-fb marketplace) or the poorly publicized local auctions. 

[RockMyAmadeus]

On 2/5/2024 at 7:15 PM, FlyingDonut said:

You want to buy comics? Come to my house.