The Weekly Feed: Experimentation Edition
Morning Roundup: Change Edition
Former Blade Staffers Launch 'DC Agenda'
D.C. Unemployment Rate Reaches 11.9 Percent
D.C. Insurance Dept. Denies Birth Control Coverage Meddling
And another local business bites the dust. Big Monkey Comics on 14th Street announced Monday that it will close its doors for good at the end of the month, blaming the recession.
It wasn't Galactus, Lex Luthor, or Dr. Doom that defeated us, but simple dollars and cents. The economy has adversely affected so many people, and we are the latest casualty. Last year alone Virginia last [sic] 45% of its comic book shops due to the economic downturn and we are sad to say that we now join their number.The news is a big blow to local comics readers and collectors, coming on the heels of the recent closing of the Fantom Comics location in Tenleytown.
Big Monkey say they will only be open Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 8 p.m. through the end of the month, with all inventory on sale for 50 percent off, so stop by to stock up and say farewell.
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That is too bad, but not as tragic as the closing of Al's Magic Shop on Vermont Ave. Al's was my favorite local business that I never actually bought anything from.
In the same vein, I wonder how long it is before Backstage shuts down for good.
Al's Magic Shop! I got my first rubber doo at Al's! That was back when you could get Made-in-America dog doo, before all the rubber dog doo jobs went to China. Now it's just a buncha goddamned cheap plastic $h!t. You can see the molding lines for god's sake! The texture is all wrong. Dog doo doesn't shine like that. There's just no pride of workmanship, no respect for the craft. I still have my original, hand-painted rubber dog doo and I treasure it now as always: a reminder of when American manufacturing was the envy of the world and when you could still get a laugh out of rubber dog doo.
Al's was the real deal...
Well this sucks. And it tends to support my theory that 14th street is not all that it's cracked up to be.
Not surprised. Not only was it off the street (you had to go upstairs) but both times I was there, there was a big role playing type game going on in the middle of the floor, blocking a good bit of access to books on the shelves. And the counter help was more interested in jawing with the game players than to help customers. So bad location, bad set up and indifferent help. Not the elements of a winning venture.
Yeah, hate to say it, but while the geek in me wishes such bastions of geekiness continued to exist, there's something to be said for sound business practices. For a while I was attempting to use them to keep track of one particular comic, but when it became too laborious (because I couldn't "reserve" copies unless I was "reserving" three or more titles), I switched to online methods. It's a shame, because I used to go in there and buy my one comic and usually some other graphic novel (and in one instance a $100 Absolute Sandman collection). Guess I just wasn't the clientele they wanted.
Agreed. I took my kid in there once; not only didn't they have anything appropriate for a child (hello! get 'em hooked on gateway comix!) but they didn't really seem to interested in pursuing a younger market.
Sad to agree. Last time I was in there the store was completely empty -- nobody in sight. I waited for fifteen minutes or so, hoping someone would show up so that I could make my purchase. Finally I just left a note explaining what I'd bought and some cash to pay for it -- which I tucked under the iPhone left on the counter.
It's a sad loss, but not all that surprising. That mysterious comic book-borne illness is killing off all the nerds.
People still read comics?? I figured hard copy comics were going the way of the Dodo Bird. Y'know, like newspapers. Still, sad to see another small local business go. Damn recession.
Now that Archie has chosen Veronica, I guess the world doesn't have time for an independently owned comics store. Hopefully the furniture store set to move in to that space will be able to sustain itself with a healthy markup on leather love seats.
I used to spend every Wednesday evening at Big Monkey getting my new comics. I went when it was in G'Town and I followed it to 14th St. I stopped shopping there after some turnover in staff, but I never rooted for it to fail. In its prime, that store had a vibrant community and some of the most friendly and and inviting staff I've encountered anywhere. One of the guys who used to work there is going to be in my wedding. Even though I haven't been there in well over a year, I had great times in that store and I'm sad to see it go.
Comics went through a speculative boom in the 90's that opened a lot of comic shops. When it collapsed (unsurprisingly), a lot of shops went with them.
The problems of comic shops (and their close cousin, game stores) are pretty well known among those in the geek-realm. They're often not run very well, which combines with the niche appeal to limit them further. Back in 2000, my then girlfriend worked at Another Universe on M St. in Georgetown. Apparently over half their revenue came from Pokemon cards. Side note, she was one of three women with a subscription.
So are they selling their domain name? Because I have an extensive collection of Pee Dog Comics, Tiujuana bibles and rubber dog doo that I need to liquidate. The landlord just upped the rent on the three warehouses I use to store the stuff.
I worked for them in almost every phase of their existence, Another Universe/Beyond Comics/Big Monkey Comics, and can echo Big Mike's sentiment that it had a vibrant comics community and friendly staff, that was, until the end of 2007. I haven't stepped foot in the place in well over a year but it's always saddening to see something you'd had so much time and care invested in, come to any sort of end. Good luck to all involved.
Agreed. I got back into comics years ago at the Georgetown Big Monkey. When they moved to 14th Street, mere blocks from my own, it was the perfect situation. However, when the staff turned over I was not as interested in going to Big Monkey and didn't have the fervor to go all the way to Fantom.
Big Monkey will be missed, I wish I had continue to shop there and perhaps there would still be a comic shop in the neighborhood.
Totally agree. The guy who worked there during the day on Wednesdays in gtown and 14th st was fantastic. There was a big drop off after he left...
Thank God its closing. I used to be an avid comic reader. I went in to pick up a gift I had put on order and got attitude because it wasn't entered right. The entire shop is empty besides two people playing a fantasy game and I am told my money is no good.
When they lost the old manager they lost any edge they had to stay afloat. Comic book shops can stay alive - a friend of mine has two on the west coast that are thriving.
I am laughing out loud at the fat, slovenly, living in his mother's basement, so self important with no self esteem, fan boy who is now unemployed and not going to find another job that allows him to read comics all day and not make sales. From the looks of this board - I'm not the only one who had the pleasure.
Yeah, that's the real problem geek-stores have. Too much geek, not enough store. Kids these days are reading Manga like crazy and collected editions are doing quite well in standard bookstores. You'd think there'd be a space for good specialty comic shops that make buying an inviting experience. Too many feel like they're cartoon versions of porn shops.
All I can say is that that G'town branch of Big Planet is nearly the antithesis of all of these complaints. It is a bookstore, not a game shop, so it is all books and no fantasy role players sucking up space. The staff is friendly and helpful, and generally engaging. No Simpsonian Comic Book Guy vibe. I've been going there since it opened and have never been unhappy with it.
Hey, thanks for the recommendation! I am also more interested in the graphic novels, which can be hard to find sometimes.
I had no idea this even existed! They didn't do a very good job at advertising. I'm going to check out what's on sale though. Maybe I'll find something cool.
It's a shame. I mostly stopped going to Big Monkey once they left Georgetown, but the store probably made more of an effort to reach out to people who don't read comics than any other comic book store I've ever heard of. The industry needs more of that sort of activism.
Big Planet Comics Georgetown
3145 dumbarton st
georgetown
202.342.1961
bigplanetcomics.com