How Many Comic Shops?

[patrickwm68]

I was on another thread and got to thinking about this. In the mid-90's there were comic shops on every corner most of which didn't last too long after the great comic market crash. How many shops in your area out of business or still open can you name?

Here in NJ:

Marple Comics
Comic Attitudes
Jim Hanley's Universe
Tommy's Comics
Comics & Cones
Comic Books & Fishing Hooks
Ron's Gallery
Pop's Comics & Cards (I went in, "NO we don't have comics!" ???)
Boyhood Dreams
Star Spangled Comics
One Hour Photo "We Have Comics"
Comics and Keys
Route 18 Flea Market
U.S. 1 Flea Market
Watchung Flea Market
Main Street Comics
Steve's Comic Relief
Amazing Heroes/Heroes World
Zap Comics (still open)
MC Comics (still open)
JC Comics (still open)
Jay & Silent Bob's Secret Stash (still open)

There were tons of random stores that had nothing to do with comics and added them to their inventory just to make a quick buck.

[Alex655321]

Yeah, in my area I am down to one local shop, Marks Comics.
The only way he survied is by selling other stuff.
Warhammer, Magic the Gathering, pokeymon, etc.

[patrickwm68]

Yeah, in my area I am down to one local shop, Marks Comics.
The only way he survied is by selling other stuff.
Warhammer, Magic the Gathering, pokeymon, etc.

Magic The Gathering is what saved a lot of shops.

[Alex655321]

Magic The Gathering is what saved a lot of shops.

I used to love that game back in the 90's:buttrock:

[Underdog07]

I was in Cleveland until 1995 - most of the stores in that area that were open pre-1993 are still open. Of course the ones that just opened to capitalize on the "hot" new books did not last.

[Vince-Vell]

Ones Still open in North NJ

One Flight Up Books 2 (my main place to hit)
Jokers Child
JC Comics
Amazing Heros
Clockwork Comics & Games
Wild Pig Comics 2
Jay & silent Bobs secret stash
Time Warp comics & games
New World Manga
Deweys Comic City
Little Shop of Comics

Closed

Cj comics (think they closed)
I forget the names, one in Cranford NJ closed recently.
There was another in Clifton, was big into import stuff.
Was one in the livingston mall, closed years ago.
Was one in Woodbridge mall, closed years ago.


Thats what i know and remember

[patrickwm68]

Ones Still open in North NJ

One Flight Up Books 2 (my main place to hit)
Jokers Child
JC Comics
Amazing Heros
Clockwork Comics & Games
Wild Pig Comics 2
Jay & silent Bobs secret stash
Time Warp comics & games
New World Manga
Deweys Comic City
Little Shop of Comics

Closed

Cj comics (think they closed)
I forget the names, one in Cranford NJ closed recently.
There was another in Clifton, was big into import stuff.
Was one in the livingston mall, closed years ago.
Was one in Woodbridge mall, closed years ago.


Thats what i know and remember

Amazing Heroes was in Woodbridge Center. It was owned by Heroes World Distribution, then Marvel bought Heroes World when they decided to distribute their own books. Once that failed the store closed up.

[Vince-Vell]

Amazing Heroes was in Woodbridge Center. It was owned by Heroes World Distribution, then Marvel bought Heroes World when they decided to distribute their own books. Once that failed the store closed up.

Always wondered what happened to them, was a fun store when i was able to go as a kid.

[patrickwm68]

Always wondered what happened to them, was a fun store when i was able to go as a kid.

Same here, I remember the stairs that went up to where the books were. Toys, posters, and shirts were downstairs.

[Vince-Vell]

Same here, I remember the stairs that went up to where the books were. Toys, posters, and shirts were downstairs.


Ya during x-mas time i would tell my parents im gonna sit here and read some books, while you go do the shopping BS. Sat in the spot in the back upstairs just going thru what seemed like at the time endless books.

[patrickwm68]

Ya during x-mas time i would tell my parents im gonna sit here and read some books, while you go do the shopping BS. Sat in the spot in the back upstairs just going thru what seemed like at the time endless books.

Me too.

When I started dating, my girlfriends would have to wait around for me till I decided to leave there.

[Volstagg]

Green Bay is down to one real comic shop. The Great Escape

There are 2 more: Rogue Traders and Definitive Edge. When I moved here I went in to check Rogue's out and needless to say it was laughable. They had no monthly comics and said if I wanted they could order me subscriptions, Bah!!! I just noticed yesterday a new shop opened, Power Comics. I need to stop by. I miss the store in Madison I bought comics at since I was old enough to get an allowance, Capital City Comics. It really makes me want to open a shop but I know the loyalty people have to "their" store and the headaches.

[Babytoxie]

Titan
Zeus
Keith's
Awesome
Lone Star (6 locations I can think of)
Atomic Age
Madness Games and Comics
Duncanville Books
Half Price Books (numerous locations)

Stage & Screen closed around 2000 or so. Neat store, too bad. They carried comics and action figures, but their primary focus was movie memorabilia.

[patrickwm68]

Green Bay is down to one real comic shop. The Great Escape

There are 2 more: Rogue Traders and Definitive Edge. When I moved here I went in to check Rogue's out and needless to say it was laughable. They had no monthly comics and said if I wanted they could order me subscriptions, Bah!!! I just noticed yesterday a new shop opened, Power Comics. I need to stop by. I miss the store in Madison I bought comics at since I was old enough to get an allowance, Capital City Comics. It really makes me want to open a shop but I know the loyalty people have to "their" store and the headaches.

Towards the end of their business the one store (Ron's Gallery) that I used to reserve at wouldn't order a book if I was the only one who ordered it. I'd say "Hey did so and so come out today" and the reply would be "You were the only one who ordered it so I didn't get it". What?!!! The final straw was one Wednesday the store was closed with a sign on the door that said "No books till next week, please don't buy your books somewhere else". OK, the next week came and the same thing. So I wrote a note that basically said "I can't afford to shop here anymore when I have to keep going to other stores where I don't get a discount to buy books you won't order me."

[rilynil]

"The Deep" in Huntsville rocks. This is the first time I've lived close enough to a comic shop to call it "My Local Comic Shop." It's been around in one incarnation or another for years, according to its Web site. I've only lived in Huntsville three years. There's another comic shop in nearby Madison and there's another one in Huntsville.

[Pogo4321]

In my part of town, Sacramento suburbs

A-1 (2 locations)
World's Best
Empire
Adventure's in Comics and Games
Great Escape
Broadway Comics & Cards
Some Monkey shop way out in Rocklin

There have been a number of fly by night shops-- the ones that survive find a niche--but I remmber walking into new shops in the 90's and not seeing a book more than 6 months old.
Biggest loss was when Comics and Comix went out about 10 years ago