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Earliest comic shops?
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103 posts in this topic

Gary Arlington opened the San Francisco Comic Book Store in 1968. When my family moved into the neighborhood in 1971, I became a regular customer and spend all the extra cash there. All the great underground artists met at his shop. Even though my funds were limited, he never kicked me out. Gary had a stroke recently and retired. He has one of the best raw EC collections around and is still looking for Tale of Terror Annual #1.

 

In August 1972, Bud Plant, the late John Barrett, and Bob Beerbohm co-founded Comics & Comix in Berkeley. I was a student at UC Berkeley from 1973-1976 and visited the shop several times a week.

 

Raymond, I think I can top you. Ever go to Mickey's out on Clement Street? No idea when it opened, but I'm pretty sure it was closed by 1964.

 

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IMG_0067_zps34e71af6.jpg

 

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I was born and raised in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. One of the most famous comic book stores was the Now & Then Books on Queen Street in the downtown core of Kitchener.

 

Now & Then Books was a comic shop in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Founded by Harry Kremer and Bill Johnson, it was one of the earliest comic shops to operate in North America, and employed Dave Sim before he began his comic book series Cerebus. The Harry Kremer Retailer Award at the Joe Shuster Awards was named in honour of co-founder Harry Kremer, who died in 2002.

 

George Henderson's Memory Lane, the country's first comic shop, opened in Toronto in 1967. Inspired by it, Now & Then Books was opened on Queen Street in Kitchener by Harry Kremer and Bill Johnson in 1971. Kremer soon took over complete ownership of the store.

 

Now and Then Times was a newsletter published by the store beginning in 1972. Its first issue had work by Dave Sim, who later worked at the store 1976–1977, before he began his comic book series Cerebus. Sim said of the store, "It was the first and only place in Kitchener that I ever felt truly comfortable before or since".

 

Kremer died from heart problems in 2002. The Harry Kremer Retailer Award is given out each year at the Joe Shuster Awards in memory of Kremer and his shop, which had become the longest-lasting comic shop in North America.

 

Not the original store but just across the street from where the original store was.

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Harry's tomb stone image by Dave Sims (Creator or Cerebus)

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I do not recommend Eide's in Pittsburgh, even if they claim to be the World's Greatest Comic Store.

 

I can't recall a single time that I've left that store where I didn't feel offended by the narcissism and just plain rudeness from all but maybe one of the "Comic book guys".

 

Maybe if I dropped a few grand on their over-priced golden aged books, they'd be a bit nicer. I live in Pittsburgh, work a 5 minute walk from them, but will never go there again until I hear the day they fire all of their long-term employees and actually get some decent, nice people.

 

I love that they bad-mouth New Dimension Comics, and now 5 stores later, I can guarantee you that NDC is more respected and enjoyed by comic fans. Eides had a 15 year head start to build up a golden/silver collection, but they are juts a bunch of a-holes.

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The first book store that sold comics I can remember was "My Friend's Book Store" in Brooklyn, NY. I think I first went to the location on Cortelyou Road in Brooklyn off of Flatbush Avenue in about 1964 or 1965. They were a used book store that also sold back issue comics and magazines. I bought FF #1 there for $8.50.

 

There were boxes filled with back issues grouped by title behind the counter on wooden shelves. The more rare issues, such as Golden Age and early Marvel Silver Age first issues were in binders inside the counter showcase. A friend of mine bought a Famous Monsters Of Filmland #1, with an autograph by Jim Warren on the cover, there as well. The owner was a man named Ruby. He had a price list hand lettered on a piece of cardboard from the back cover of a spiral notebook.

 

The more common and recent issue were in wooden bins and were not in any particular order. Included in this horde were Pre-Hero Marvels which were not as sought after as the Hero comics. He must have had a relationship with the "Passaic Book Store" in NJ because another friend of mine sold some Golden Age books to Passaic and they turned up in Ruby's stock.

 

"My Friend's Book Store" eventually moved to a larger location on Flatbush Avenue. A fire in the 1970's put them out of business.

 

 

There was also a book store called "Magazine Land" on Avenue Z in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn in the early 1960s. All comics were .10 and you could trade two of your comics for one of their's. It was a place to go to pick up a recent issue you may have missed on the stands.

 

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Comics & Comix opened a shop just around the corner (about 1974?). Also, there were a couple of used bookstores on the block that sold back issues. There was a kid that priced the comics for one bookstore. He used to let me have some of the comics for cheaper. I remember he re-priced an Avengers #100 from $1.00 to 50¢ for me. He was a big Neal Adams fan. I think his name was Adam.

 

I was just doing some Internet research to find the name of the comic store across from Recycle Books in San Jose when I ran across this post. I think the "Adam" you mention might be me. If so, it is a funny coincidence. If not, a reasonable error on my part. Back in about 1975 I started memorizing the Price Guide every year. This gave me a tiny amount of local notoriety in San Jose comic shops because I could price things without referring to the guide. Because of this (among other things) I would answer questions at local conventions, like when Rick Calou of San Francisco's Comic Detectives challenged all comers to stump me on the price for any comic (no one won the challenge). Another thing that happened is that Scott (I think that is his name) at Recycle Books asked me to price comics for them. I priced what they had and appraised collections for purchase as well. A little later, Roger Grant-Ribal at Comics & Fantasies hired me. The time period I was doing the pricing at Recycle was more like 1976-1978 than 1974, and I was 10-13 years old at that time. I was a big Neal Adams fan back then, but my name is Andy, not Adam. However, I don't know of any other "kids" who did what I did for Recycle Books, and I knew every store in town.

 

For what it's worth, I briefly worked as a comic book artist from 1991-1994 before getting into the video game and film FX business.

 

Best regards,

 

AP

www.paqart.com

 

I'm not good with names, so it probably was you. After 30+ years, some memories are a bit fuzzy.I was going to San Jose State University and graduated in 1977. I still have that Avengers #100. Good to hear from you after all these years.

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In 1976, at around age 12, a friend told me about a shop that sells comics and other collectibles...the shop was named 'Comics & Company":

 

cccard.jpg

 

This shop may be the 1st such comic shop in the city of Columbus (please correct me if I'm wrong). After frequenting the shop after 2 years, I was granted the chance of a lifetime by the owner...employment! :applause: RJ was also my mentor in the hobby, and will never forget such great guidance.

 

Half of my collection came from this shop...great times...:D

 

I remember Rita's shop from 74/75 - it was originally on Indianola I think. There was a used bookstore near Downtown that sold back issues prior to then, I'm forgetting the owners name but he was one of the promoters of the early Columbus comic-cons in the 1970s, and I don't know that he carried new books. Comics & Company was the first Comic Shop in the modern sense that I recall in Columbus.

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In 1976, at around age 12, a friend told me about a shop that sells comics and other collectibles...the shop was named 'Comics & Company":

 

cccard.jpg

 

This shop may be the 1st such comic shop in the city of Columbus (please correct me if I'm wrong). After frequenting the shop after 2 years, I was granted the chance of a lifetime by the owner...employment! :applause: RJ was also my mentor in the hobby, and will never forget such great guidance.

 

Half of my collection came from this shop...great times...:D

 

I remember Rita's shop from 74/75 - it was originally on Indianola I think. There was a used bookstore near Downtown that sold back issues prior to then, I'm forgetting the owners name but he was one of the promoters of the early Columbus comic-cons in the 1970s, and I don't know that he carried new books. Comics & Company was the first Comic Shop in the modern sense that I recall in Columbus.

 

Found a reference to the books store I was remembering, Roy Willis' Book Sale on Town Street.

 

http://marvelmasterworksfansite.yuku.com/topic/19176#.U9EpjIBdWPQ

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Port Comics on Long Island was the first shop i went to in the 80's besides 7-11. Every couple of weeks my dad would drive me up (45 minutes or so away) and would go often when I started driving. No idea if they are still there. Think they were in Comack.

 

Also was a shop called seredipity comics in the smithhaven mall on Long Island I would take the bus to.

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I remember going to The Great Escape in Nashville for the first time in '77. I'm not sure how long it was open prior to that.

Pretty much the happiest place on Earth for me for many years. :cloud9:

citylimits2-1.jpg

 

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Raymond, I think I can top you. Ever go to Mickey's out on Clement Street? No idea when it opened, but I'm pretty sure it was closed by 1964.

 

I think your 1964 date is pretty accurate. In 2011 I bought out a dealer who had one batch of Mickey's DCs. Mostly late 10-centers but I believe there are a few 12-cent Batmans, but no New Look ones. So 1963/1964 would be my guess.

 

 

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Love the picture. Love that store. As it happened on our trips from Michigan to Florida, we'd always stay in Nashville the first night. So The Great Escape was the first comic store I ever visited. Probably in 1981 or 1982. I know on one of my two visits I bought a Dragon Magazine 64, which was the new issue at the time.

 

I believe the first comic book store in Kalamazoo was Fanfare, opened in 1983. Before that, there was Buff's Books, which had good back issues among the paperbacks and such. I wouldn't be surprised if they had comics throughout the 70s.

 

In Oakland, CA there were one or two bookstores in the 60s with amazing GA stashes.

 

Marc

 

 

 

 

 

I remember going to The Great Escape in Nashville for the first time in '77. I'm not sure how long it was open prior to that.

Pretty much the happiest place on Earth for me for many years. :cloud9:

citylimits2-1.jpg

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Bender's Books is the oldest one I remember around here. The owner Dave started selling comics out of there in the 70's and eventually took over the business. Dave is one of those folks who remembers everyone's name and what they like..... often upon entering he'll say"I've got something here you might like....". Even after 40 years he still likes talking comics. I remember buying high grade single digit ASM's from him for 30 or 40 bucks a piece. He's always carried used PB's, Pulps, Big Little Books, toys...... you name it. It's still there and cool as ever. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

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Supersnipe in NYC, went there in 75 or 76 but seemed like the place had already been there forever.

 

I walked about a mile to get there with my Grandmother in 1972 after seeing their ad in Overstreet. I picked up a Donald Duck #30 for a buck and stil have it. I believe they were already established then.

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I remember Ron Oser's two shops even before Bustelton Avenue. In 1973 he and Bob Rose opened a tiny place called Comics for Collectors, downtown Philly. (I think it was on Spruce Street.) Quite possibly, it was the first real comics-only store in Philadelphia. I had to take a bus and a train to get there!

 

You'd open the door and practically bump into a glass display case, that's how little room there was. Primarily they carried higher-end items from the Golden Age. They soon expanded to sell all current comics and a load of Silver Age back issues at their 2nd location on Walnut Street.

 

I visited there once week without fail, for years. Oser split with Rose and then moved to the Northeast for Comic Investments. Thankfully that store was within walking distance! The last comic I remember buying there was Dark Knight Returns. Then I moved to LA.

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Although not one of the oldest by any means, I remember when a comic shop (Dreamscape Comics) opened up in my hometown when I was 13 (this would be 1985).

 

Anyway, I found out about it because I was coming back from some school trip and the bus was stopped at a light at Broad and Third Avenue in Bethlehem, and I looked out the window and I thought I saw a sign that said "comics". I couldn't be sure, but after school that day, I hopped on my bike and rode the 2 miles to the store.

 

The thing I remember about it was that it was a cold autumn day, and when I walked into the warm store, my glasses immediately fogged up. The happiest moment of my life was suddenly delayed because I couldn't see!

 

Anyway, I eventually started working there and became very good friends with the owner. Comicstock from the boards (Jim) bought into the business about 5 years later and was part-owner for a few years.

 

Nick, the owner, died two years ago very unexpectedly. He was relatively young and in great health. The store had gone downhill over the past decade, and I hadn't been there much since I moved to Chicago, but I will always remember the good times.

 

The Lehigh Valley had a few shops that opened up in the 80s.

 

There was Cap's Comics Cavalcade that first opened in Kutztown and then moved to Allentown.

 

Third Street Comics Emporium in Easton (which was renamed Mr. Monster's Comic Crypt).

 

There was Beachhead Comics in Allentown (which was an interesting place to say the least).

 

Many others opened up in the 90s and later, but those were the oldest that I knew of.

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I've been shopping in Alternate Worlds in the Cockeysville area since I was 3 or 4. I've gotten to know my LCS owner over the years and he's been in business since the 70s. I'm not sure of the exact year his brick and mortar store opened though.There Facebook pages says they are celebrating 34 years being opened so that gives you some idea of how long they've been around.

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Memory lane was established in downtown Toronto in the 60's

 

I posted this in a thread some while ago.

 

 

Be prepared to look at mint everything AND in comic book racks.

 

http://www.cbc.ca/archives/categories/arts-entertainment/visual-arts/the-comics-in-canada-an-illustrated-history/canadas-first-comic-book-store.html

 

Super video. Captain George has a bit of Kevin Costner about him.

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I've been shopping in Alternate Worlds in the Cockeysville area since I was 3 or 4. I've gotten to know my LCS owner over the years and he's been in business since the 70s. I'm not sure of the exact year his brick and mortar store opened though.There Facebook pages says they are celebrating 34 years being opened so that gives you some idea of how long they've been around.

I had a sub at Alt. Worlds in the early 1980s when I was in college and Dave Bowen was managing it for Mike at the old location on York Road (underneath a shoe repair place as I remember it). I bought nearly complete runs of Kirby's Fourth World titles out of their boxes during a major back-issue sale for VERY light $$.

Cool store, good times... :cloud9:

 

 

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