the_leo•16d agoProlific Poster

Stopped by a comic shop in Austin and the whole vibe was off

I was down in Austin last weekend visiting a friend and we stopped into this comic shop I'd heard about online. The place had a ton of back issues which was cool, but the owner was just hovering over everyone the whole time. Like, he'd walk past and grab a comic off the wall if you looked at it too long, saying stuff like 'that one's valuable' or 'you need to be careful with those.' I get that some books are pricey, but I've been collecting for 15 years and I know how to handle a bagged comic. There was this one kid maybe 12 years old who asked about a Batman issue and the owner just kind of dismissed him. It made me think about how some shops push people away without realizing it. Has anyone else walked into a store like that where the staff made it feel unwelcoming?

2 comments

2 Comments

lucaslane16d agoMost Upvoted

Find a shop that actually wants your business instead of treating customers like they're a threat to their inventory. If the owner can't handle people browsing and showing interest, they've got the wrong business or need to hire someone who actually likes customers. Plenty of good shops out there that understand comics are meant to be read and enjoyed, not just protected like museum pieces.

taylor_barnes5916d ago

lucaslane you hit the nail right on the head. I walked into a shop a few months ago where the owner followed me around the whole time, barely said a word, just glared at my hands like I was gonna steal a back issue. I actually put down what I was holding and left. Found another place across town where the guy will pull out a stack of recommendations based on what you're into and doesn't care if you sit on the floor and read for twenty minutes. That's what a comic shop should be, a hangout spot not a vault. The owners that act like their stock is made of gold bars are the same ones complaining about Amazon stealing their customers.