Posted in: Comics | Tagged: coronavirus comics, leeds, ok comics

OK Comics – How Coming Out Of Shutdown Is Even More Challenging

Published Tue, 30 Jun 2020 08:15:02 -0500

OK Comics is a great comic book shop in Leeds, and was the home for many an agent during the Thought Bubble Comics Festival when that was held in the city. Bleeding Cool reported on when the store was in trouble ten years ago, but ten years later it was still going strong – until the pandemic shutdown. Yesterday Jared of OK Comics tweeted the following, which seemed to hit a nerve, true of so many other comic book stores – and so many other businesses right now.

Alright, so… OK Comics has been open again for two weeks. Lots of people have been congratulating us on getting through the lock-down. People seem glad that we've 'survived'. Popular opinion is that we're through the worst of it. The fact of the matter is things have never been tougher. The shop is sooo quiet. Since reopening we're averaging five customers through the door each day.

The streets of Leeds are mostly empty. People who usually work in the city centre, now work remotely. Shoppers who normally use the city centre are reluctant to use public transport and staying away. Our awesome mail order customers who have been so supportive through our period of closure are now slowly going back to work themselves, and no longer have time to read so much.

Bills that were on hold have now kicked in again. For small, independent retailers, the second half of the year is going to be even tougher than the first. If you have something on order with OK Comics, please pick it up now, or arrange to have it mailed out. If you're planning to buy a gift for somebody, maybe get it now. If there's a comic or book that you've had your eye on, feel free treat yourself it now.

Specially selected items are available on our new webshop, with new items being added every week. If you can't find what you need there, you can request delivery of all our comics and graphic novels by email.

Since the lockdown announcement, we have continued all customer subscription orders. If you're one of the few people who haven't picked your stuff up, or had it mailed out recently. Please contact us today! Email ship@okcomics.co.uk.

New releases are expected to be weekly from now on, so if you need your stuff mailing out on a weekly basis, let us know.

OK Comics' website is here and as Jares says, "If you don't see what you want on the website, email shop@okcomics.co.uk, we may have it on our shelves."