Your comic book store.

[Double L]

Describe your local comic book store and what it's like.

[Hawkgirl_70]

I wish I had a LCS, but the closest around that I know of is in a shady area part of that town and an hour away.
The next closest area is STL, which is 2 hrs.

But that's a fun question to ask.

[Tami]

I have two within easy driving distance. One is decent sized and is part of a 2 store chain. the other is much smaller. The larger one has, as expected, a larger selection. the smaller one offers more friendly, personalized service and the owner is there almost every day talking to customers.

There are actually quite a few more, though most a a longer drive to get to.

[Hawkgirl_70]

I have two within easy driving distance. One is decent sized and is part of a 2 store chain. the other is much smaller. The larger one has, as expected, a larger selection. the smaller one offers more friendly, personalized service and the owner is there almost every day talking to customers.

There are actually quite a few more, though most a a longer drive to get to.

That's what I kind of envisioned one buying like. I'm a friendly, social kind of person too. I think it would be fun to go and talk about the latest stuff out and the potential next best sellers.
I would love to help support $$$ a nice, little store.

[Tami]

That's what I kind of envisioned one buying like. I'm a friendly, social kind of person too. I think it would be fun to go and talk about the latest stuff out and the potential next best sellers.
I would love to help support $$$ a nice, little store.

Have you ever thought about opening one yourself?

[Carabas]

Well, they have a really broad collection.
Huge offer of non Marvel/DC books as well.

Massive trades shelves (but the first book in a series seem to always be out of stock).

They also have a very annoying habit of filling the racks first, and the pull lists last, usually Friday morning (books come in Thursday afternoon). I've seen books I ordered, that I knew they only ordered my copy of, end up on the racks and sold to whomever.

Andthe other shop, while better in almost every way, is a bit too far away to call local.

I'm much happier with my current shop: Amazon.

[Hawkgirl_70]

Have you ever thought about opening one yourself?

Actually, I have!
I even have a decent location, (that we happen to own, a small foreclosed home we bought, that could easily be turned into anything), for a shop right outside city limits.
The problem is.... I live in a small county of about 10,000 people. Nearest other towns are about 30m away. I just don't think there are enough bodies to support it.
I also thought of a nostalgia feel movie rental, as believe it or not, we still have those in the 2 grocery stores. You could sell lots of other movie / action figures / comic book things in there as well.
What I'm pessimistic about is, how do I afford to buy all those monthly comics and trades thru Diamond and survive?

[Iron_Legion87]

My comic book store is located in a hipster part of town. It's connected to a coffee shop and a pizza shop. It has a cool atmosphere and everyone that goes there is knowledgeable of comics and is generally friendly. It's kinda like a cross between the comic book shop from the movie Kick Ass and Stewards comic book shop from Big Bang Theory lol.

[Enigma]

I have two LCS next door to each other, both independent businesses. One is purely trades (and other 'geek' items), and one is singles and second hand music. I pull from the singles shop (obviously), and I try to get trades from the trade shop, but it is so much cheaper online... I also want to support them though. My general rule is if I start a series in the store, I finish it there. Both are fairly nice. The trade place is very friendly (much younger person, more enthusiastic haha). The singles shop is a nice guy too actually, but he isn't entirely appreciative of how new people might not understand things. All in all, I feel pretty lucky.

I would love Stewart's comic book shop!

[Hawkgirl_70]

I'd go to Stewart's place too!
That "place" would be so cool!
I love to watch the old shows and see some of my TPB's prominently displayed in his store. Haha.

[DebkoX]

Both the one at my home address and my university address are Forbidden Planet stores, which are the hugest in the UK. I don't go to them because I'd spend too much but they are good.

[Tami]

Actually, I have!
I even have a decent location, (that we happen to own, a small foreclosed home we bought, that could easily be turned into anything), for a shop right outside city limits.
The problem is.... I live in a small county of about 10,000 people. Nearest other towns are about 30m away. I just don't think there are enough bodies to support it.
I also thought of a nostalgia feel movie rental, as believe it or not, we still have those in the 2 grocery stores. You could sell lots of other movie / action figures / comic book things in there as well.
What I'm pessimistic about is, how do I afford to buy all those monthly comics and trades thru Diamond and survive?

The small shop I go to is about the size of, well, an average bedroom.

Best advice, do research and write out a budget and develop a business plan. Think small, with the option of growing bigger if your customer base grows.

Here is a very good place to start your research.

[GOLGO 13]

Not a particular pleasant place to visit. It's the usual small, crammed packed to the rafters single room with 4 color junk & no sense of style. Defiantly assembled by a straight man.

The proprietor is an absolute cut-throat hustler with no sense of self-awareness. Briefly asked him how he enjoyed his time at NYC Comi-Con & if he got pictures. He replied that he had no time for that because he to busy running around grabbing all the exclusives he could get. I was not even remotely interested in knowing what he came back with.

While discussing my collection, I mentioned that I had been collecting Walking Dead for a while before I went to trades, and he quickly inquired if I had TWD #1 for sale. I told him my collection is in my villa in the South of France. He wanted to know if I was perhaps going to France anytime soon.

I despise this hobby so damn...much.

[noiseredux]

I have a few local places actually.

The one I hit weekly is the one near my work. It's just convenient to stop on my way home on Wednesdays. It's a good place. Your usual comic/used records/used video games/old toys/etc kind of place. But the comic collection is very good. They pretty much always have every new release I'm looking for each week. The store manager is a nice guy (who I've known for years as I've frequented the store) and is always glad to chat, make sure I grab all the free swag he has available, and order me anything I may have missed. It's a good place.

[DebkoX]

Some good news!

The small-time Comic store in my hometown is still open! I left four years ago and its not an affluent town, but the shop is still going and has expanded!