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Chicago comic shop to be given away
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184 posts in this topic

I did a search but didn’t see this posted anywhere...

A suburban Chicago comic store could be yours with the written answer to just one question: "What makes a great comic book store?" 

The owner of Chimera’s Comics in Oak Lawn is giving away the shop to "someone who will love it, someone with passion and ideas and ambition to make this store amazing," Carmelo Chimera wrote on the brand's website.

The 1,500-foot store has been open six years, Chimera wrote, and has acquired a loyal following for its comics, games and toys.

Chimera, also an attorney, owner of the shop's La Grange location and founder of the publishing arm of the brand, wrote that he can no longer devote the time to the Oak Lawn store, so he decided to give it away.

"There has been a comic book store in Oak Lawn since I was a baby," he wrote. "It’s where I grew up. But the store needs someone there who will love it and take care of it the way I can’t anymore."

The winner will get the store, its inventory and fixtures, he said.

But he made one thing clear: "This is not a raffle, not a drawing or a lottery. This is entirely merit-based and I will decide the winner in my sole and absolute discretion.

Applicants are asked to submit a small application fee and answer, in 500 words or less, what makes a great comic book store.

The contest ends Feb. 28 or when Chimera receives 2,000 applicants.

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/suburban-chicago-comic-book-store-contest-giveaway-chimeras-505570211.html?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_CHBrand&_osource=SocialFlowFB_CHBrand

Edited by westerberg14
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Chimera’s used to have a third location in Woodridge, IL, but it has since closed.     Probably didn’t help that Graham Crackers has four stores in that same vicinity.  Wonder if the Oak Lawn giveaway correlates.

I haven’t been to any of Chimera’s locations in years, but I always found their back issue selection to be severely lacking.

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3 minutes ago, mattn792 said:

Chimera’s used to have a third location in Woodridge, IL, but it has since closed.     Probably didn’t help that Graham Crackers has four stores in that same vicinity.  Wonder if the Oak Lawn giveaway correlates.

I haven’t been to any of Chimera’s locations in years, but I always found their back issue selection to be severely lacking.

But if you win it, you can do whatever you want. I think back issues, for the most part, is not the best use of floor space for a comic book store.

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2 minutes ago, Leo-man said:

Be wary...

$25 non refundable application fee.

Financials will not be shared until a winner is selected under NDA. At that point the winner can decline to accept the offer.

Winner must negotiate the lease and establish a diamond account.

This shop does not deal in back issues. Bulk of instore merchandise is recent modern back issues and trades.

My guess is that they could probably sell the store for $2k - $3k outright. But do a contest that has an application fee. Get the 500 necessary applications and that's way more money in your pocket then selling the store outright. Get 2,000 applications and it's a huge windfall.

It's noted that some of the application fee is to pay off debts. This is why it would be important to share financials before getting applications .... unless the application fee was refundable to all.

The contest is selling a dream, but does not give people a realistic picture of the business in that area. 

They had a co-owner to their other store and that was recently dissolved. On his podcast that owner insisted that the last two years of retail were the worst in his life and things were not good for a modern day comic store.

Thisnis less Willy Wonka once you start digging into the fine print.

Pretty much what I thought about the whole thing.

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I wonder why its only a 20 day contest-something must be happening on the 28th or he would get more applicants it seems if he drew it out longer.

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8 minutes ago, Leo-man said:

$25 non refundable application fee.

Financials will not be shared until a winner is selected under NDA. At that point the winner can decline to accept the offer.

Winner must negotiate the lease and establish a diamond account.

 

So, once the winner sees the financials and what the lease will cost, he can back out and the owner gets to keep all of the non-refundable application fees. lol

 

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1 minute ago, shadroch said:

The contents of the shop are worth far more than 3K.

What something is "worth" vs. what someone is willing to pay ... two very different things.

Modern back issues (non-key issues) ... little to no value.

Trade paper back trades ... not terribly robust at the shop. And all editions that you would find regularly at the 50% bins at cons.

Fixtures ... sure value in those ... but very specific. Would have to find the right store in close proximity to sell.

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2 minutes ago, tv horror said:

Aw shucks! If only I didn't live in Ireland. 

I would like to own your store so that a very mysterious fire would start suddenly one night and I would would get the windfall.:devil:  475 more words to go.

 

 

download.jpg

When a LI shop burned down a few years ago, I made a joke about Jewish Lightning. Some three years later, I was contacted, on this forum by pm, by investigators from an insurance company. I never responded and they didn't follow up. 

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1 minute ago, Domo Arigato said:

 

So, once the winner sees the financials and what the lease will cost, he can back out and the owner gets to keep all of the non-refundable application fees. lol

 

I am going to give away my entire comic book collection. I will be giving them away to the person who writes, in 500 words or less, the best reason as to why they should be the recipient of my collection. My collection is worth at least $10,000. I love my collection, but I can no longer devote the time or energy to its maintenance as I have. This is not a raffle, not a drawing or a lottery. This is entirely merit-based and I will decide the winner in my sole and absolute discretion.

There will be a $100 non refundable application fee. Applications are due by May 31, or until I receive 10,000 applications, whichever comes first.

Brilliant, no?

 

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3 minutes ago, Domo Arigato said:

 

So, once the winner sees the financials and what the lease will cost, he can back out and the owner gets to keep all of the non-refundable application fees. lol

 

Yes. And don't forget about the NDA so all the other participants will never know the truth.

And if you read further ... the owner talks about how transparent they are in this contest. I would have to disagree.

Plus they are promoting it in some areas as a "Chicago-based" shop. We are talking at suburb outside of Chicago. So that's mis-leading in that you think "Chicago" ... lots of people ... lots of traffic and sales. That is not the case in this town.

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8 minutes ago, Leo-man said:

Yes. And don't forget about the NDA so all the other participants will never know the truth.

And if you read further ... the owner talks about how transparent they are in this contest. I would have to disagree.

Plus they are promoting it in some areas as a "Chicago-based" shop. We are talking at suburb outside of Chicago. So that's mis-leading in that you think "Chicago" ... lots of people ... lots of traffic and sales. That is not the case in this town.

anyone who lives in IL and about 2 hours away from  chicago says they live in chicago... i was out of state and met some people from il.. oh cool i live in chicago im in the south loop where you at?.. they said naperville

Edited by john fucsalot
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