Is a comic shop still a good idea? 1 1

[Don.F]

Hello all, Thanks for taking the time to read this. 

I was wondering is it still a good idea to open a comic shop in 2019? If it is how would you do it and how much would it cost (assuming you have no inventory). 

 

I was looking at some other posts about this on here but they seen to be over a decade old (or at least the ones I saw).

[batman_fan]

16 hours ago, Don.F said:

Hello all, Thanks for taking the time to read this. 

I was wondering is it still a good idea to open a comic shop in 2019? If it is how would you do it and how much would it cost (assuming you have no inventory). 

 

I was looking at some other posts about this on here but they seen to be over a decade old (or at least the ones I saw).

I would think step one (as it appears you have no experience in the area based on your post) would be to go work part time at a comic book store. Keep your day job while you do it. See how the store operates and what is really involved and then ask yourself if that is what you really want to do. 

[dupont2005]

Even if the shop is successful I imagine there are countless better investments. But if the bills get paid and you get to hang out in a comic shop all day that might be worth it. In 2008 the LCS went out of business after failing to sell the place. A couple owned it and the husband was a delivery driver while the wife ran the shop as a hobby. She said she made 10k a year out of that place. I think that was including her salary 

[Conacon]

17 hours ago, Don.F said:

Hello all, Thanks for taking the time to read this. 

I was wondering is it still a good idea to open a comic shop in 2019? If it is how would you do it and how much would it cost (assuming you have no inventory). 

 

I was looking at some other posts about this on here but they seen to be over a decade old (or at least the ones I saw).

Working at one or spending a lot of time at one is good advice. If you take the plunge, be sure to diversify. I don't know of any straight-up comicbook stores in my area any more. All of them focus on collectible card games, D&D, and other gaming products. The owners of the two shops I frequent have both told me comics are secondary to gaming products and they wouldn't stay afloat with just comics and comics-related merchandise.  

[ft88]

How to become a millionaire running a comic store.

Start with $2 Million'

Open comic store.

Close store with $1 Million.

Joke 2:

How do you run a Russian comic store?

You don't close comic store.  Comic store closes you.

 

Common observation #34276:  

How to run a successful comic store:  Organize Magic the Gathering and other card playing or D&D like groups.  

 

Wiseguy comment #329:  

Do you mean physical store or online store?

 

[revat]

The simplest way to do it is to probably buy the business of someone retiring.  Get all their inventory, fixtures, relationships, etc.  Obviously take a look at their books first to see if there's money to be made.

I think a lot of the profitable ones now also have gaming aspects.

 

[thunsicker]

8 minutes ago, revat said:

The simplest way to do it is to probably buy the business of someone retiring.  Get all their inventory, fixtures, relationships, etc.  Obviously take a look at their books first to see if there's money to be made.

I think a lot of the profitable ones now also have gaming aspects.

 

And by this I assume you mean their profit/loss books. What comics they have is probably almost irrelevant.  I assume most comic shops still make most of their money off of things other than back issues.

[revat]

4 minutes ago, thunsicker said:

14 minutes ago, revat said:

The simplest way to do it is to probably buy the business of someone retiring.  Get all their inventory, fixtures, relationships, etc.  Obviously take a look at their books first to see if there's money to be made.

I think a lot of the profitable ones now also have gaming aspects.

 

And by this I assume you mean their profit/loss books. What comics they have is probably almost irrelevant.  I assume most comic shops still make most of their money off of things other than back issues.

haha correct, definitely their accounting books (profit/loss/etc).  Also, I'd be interested in looking at their tax filings too, as accounting records might just be made up excel stuff.  I guess one should probably look at their comic books too.

[aardvark88]

Makes no sense to open a comic store if you have no inventory or personal collection worth at least $50,000++ to roll into the shop to start it up. Might as well open up a DVD rental shop and get crushed by Netflix and streaming.

Seriously, why don't you set up your own bi-monthly Pop Culture comicon out of the largest hall (gym, community center, hotel ballroom, church) you can rent that hopefully includes the 8' or 6' dealer's tables and chairs onsite? On the weekends in between, I recommend you sell at other local collectible shows, Sunday flea markets and mail order online.

[batman_fan]

If someone is looking to buy a store I think the owner of Time Warp in Boulder, CO is thinking of retiring and would prefer to sell everything at once.  Decent location, decent inventory, no idea on price.