Running a comic book shop

Discussions on what it takes to run a comic shop, and if it's easy or hard.

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#ComicBooks #TopComics #GraphicNovels

[Eyrrll]

Ahhh, comic shops in the early 90s… back when my shopping center had to add two bike racks in order to keep the sidewalk passable on Wednesdays.

When the kid running the new comics from our back room to the shelf would return angry because the large pile of customers out there waiting were grabbing them from his hands before he could put them down.

When almost every single week gave us at least one enhanced cover that met with “oooos” and all around… and $15-$20 a week would get most people everything that they wanted.

Good times.

[Improbi]

I can picture one of Perch's earliest promotions as a comic store owner, "Buy 10 comics, get a shot of premium whiskey for free!!".

[DemienC.]

Important thing: "It was easier to start a business back then".
Welcome to gig economy and tyranny of corporatism.
Most of you in USA didn't even notice how they lost freedom.

[Popesize]

A part of me would love to run a comic book store. But i also know the reality. I don't think it would work to start up a new one nowadays. All shops i know has been around for at least 20-25 years. They have experience and a name. A new one would have to fight uphill. And since even the established ones have it rough, i don't think it would be much easier for a new one. Maybe if i took over an already existing one...

[arthurtripp]

THE EARLY COMIC SHOPS IN THE LATE 80S WERE RUN BY COLLECTORS SUPPORTING THERE HABITS WITH FELLOW COLLECTORS. ADD CANDY, SODA AND TOYS, BASEBALL CARDS TO PAY THE RENT.

[vedrengrabelox]

I think no matter what you do, you go through times where it feels like a grind. It is good to have a good business partner or manager. I like ordering and arranging things, but sometimes customer interaction starts to wear me out. The other owner is just the opposite. We balance each other out and that benefits the shop greatly.

[crewinXeagles]

All you need to be successful is keeping a large supply of pop funko figures for the normies. sadly the people who enjoy comics are being pushed from comic shops as they are changing their target demographics. now they have more focus on video games, collectibles, board games, or MTG. Luckily there are still plenty of comic shop owners still passionate about the hobby. I don't know where I'd be without my local comic shop

The first comic shop I ever went to was Comic Castle in the late 70s in Philly. Man it was like entering heaven. Still love going to my lcs and spending a couple of hours browsing and hunting down issues I’m looking for. Definitely prefer a well lit uncluttered organized shop however

[warnutztheloser]

it aint like the 90s-80s comics were Everywhere

[InfamyOrDeath-__-]

Now now Perch, if your shop was a success then it would still be open now wouldn’t it?

And I heard from old customers of yours that you ridiculed them for buying *Dynamite* booby covers.

[merlinparache]

This was wonderful to listen to. I am particularly interested in collectibles, Funko Pops, anime statues, pins, etc. I find myself dreaming of opening a shop lately because there are no places in my city that get the job done well enough for me. It may be an option for me in the future but I don't know yet. I miss being able to share the enjoyment of hobbies with others, people have become so distant and inhumane these past few years. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[andyb.rodriguezart]

That one dislike: So first Arby’s and now hot dog’s aren’t real food?! Perch has gone too far!

[jon]

As a consumer of comic books I was always curious as to how profitable it is the run a shop. I noticed a lot of them are located in very obscure shopping centers with not much foot traffic passing by so the rent is probably cheap. When I buy comic books I usually dig through the $1 bin where I see a lot of their unsold inventory being thrown in there and I'm guessing they are selling these items at a loss. When I do buy a new issue at cover price I am thinking the margins are slim since they are around $4-$5 each. I am always surprise when it is not the owner who is running the shop but hired staff so the store must be profitable enough to do so. I am thinking most of their profits come from higher end collectibles that people buy or membership for their magic games, etc.

[DavidBerlanga]

Real question: How do you handle the accounting and taxes buyer end? Quickbooks? Other app? I run a business that has thousands of transactions by the end of the year and use Quickbooks. Just wondering what is easiest for your business with counting every sale and purchase expense. Sometimes it's a nightmare. 😅 Also wondering if I hired an employee or 2, if the store would survive. I have no time to run one myself, since I run other businesses. But would like a comic store too.

[_Isaiah]

Hey Perch, I would love to see a Comic book shop tour!!

[rolandkatsuragi]

10:53 That's how I discovered my LCS. He stamped the store info on all the FCBD books he donated for the local library convention.

[jorge]

Of course is easy peasy! Just look at Perch: All the glamour of YouTube, most of the time while drinking 🥃... 😉 And having Big Names that make Twitter quake like the Ghost Celebrity himself: Sean Gordon Morphy! 👻
Perch just go Johnny Appleseed opening comic stores while herding all his loyal YouTube followers into the magical world of Comics that don't suck 🙌 😂
Thank you for the video.

[agent_meister]

I don't know Perch. I remember the first time I walked into my LCS. The only comic book shop for 250 miles. It was love at first sight😍😍😍
Great video: I love hearing stories like these.

[sloppychlow]

I wanna see a time lapse of perch drawing his comic

[jvanek]

Out of curiosity I looked up Washington State economic freedom index and it ranked 37th