Posted in: Comics, Current News | Tagged: comic shop, comic store

One Comic Store Opens, One Closes, One Destroyed by Hurricane Helene

Desert Island Comics in Brooklyn Closes, Secret Identity Comics in Chester Opens, Main Street Comics in Madison Destroyed by Hurricane Helene

Bleeding Cool always tries to keep an eye on comic book stores that close, those that open, and those that go through changes. Brooklyn comic book store Desert Island Comics which opened in 2008, has lost its lease and is to close at the end of the year after the landlord almost doubled the rent. . They posted on Instagram; "Goodbye cool world. Someone approached our landlord and offered almost double what we're paying in rent, we have no lease, and landlord says we have to match it or vacate by January 1st 2025. Their price is untenable for our modestly successful business, and frankly it's too much for anyone to pay. (The predatory business is a liquor store). Been hesitant to post anything alarmist because there's too many unknowns but it's clear a change is gonna come. Much love to you beautiful people who have shared this dream with us." Owner Gabriel Fowler told Brownstoner "I'm in chaos mode, but at this moment it looks like my last day will be Christmas Eve, and I'll then need to figure out how to move everything by New Years. Not looking forward to that! Of course I want to continue, but I can't be stupid about it and have a withering result."

"It may make more sense to call it a day. The places I can reasonably afford are in worse locations deep in the neighborhood somewhere and I don't think that would be viable. I need foot traffic and easy tourist access."

Andy Smith, is opening a new comic book store on the outskirts of Chester city centre, in Boughton, Secret Identity Comics from Friday, the 11th of October 11. He told Chester Live that the city has been without a comic store and he was going to put that right. "This is a completely new venture for me. I've always wanted to run my own business and build it up myself. I needed to make the step. I wanted to do it but I was initially thinking about more mainstream businesses. I soon realised I wasn't making the step because I had no passion for it. The answer was there all the time – my love of comic books. I've been planning it now for a year with all the research. We're putting the finishing touches to the store now and carrying out stress tests as the phrase goes before we open for the first time. It's a good location. It's on a main artery into the city and gets more footfall than you may think. There is a great business community here – they are owner-occupied small businesses which is what I am. I needed it to be close enough to the city centre so you can get to and from it in five minutes. With short stay parking outside you can also fly in to get the latest thing and be gone in minutes or stay for an hour. It gives customers the best of both worlds. In the future the plan is to open the upstairs for the vintage comics. At the moment everything will be downstairs while we get the measure of it but there is space to grow."

Secret Identity Comics is located at 39 Boughton, Chester, CH3 5AF open Wednesday to Sunday.

While Main Street Comics and Games in downtown Marshall, Madison, North Carolina, which opened in 2021, was hit by the flooding of the French Broad River after Hurricane Helene. They saw the flood water, which crested at over 22 feet, destroy all the contents of the shop, leaving behind "a wake of mud, toxic muck from factories up the river, loss of livelihood, and a dream shattered." Owners Kyle and Avia are looking to reopen the only comic book shop in Madison County. To that extent, they have launched a GoFundMe, which has currently raised $8,625 against a $15,000 target.

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