Comicazi moving next-door (not closing)

[chenoameg.livejournal.com]

They seem to be packing up, and there's a for rent sign on the building. Anyone know more?

Comments

[unferth.livejournal.com]

I believe they're just moving next door, into the space that used to be the travel agency:

http://www.comicazi.com/blog/?p=1911

The big news is really that Comicazi will be next door come December. The space is bigger and badder and all sorts of things are in the works! We can't wait to start showing it off!!

[laryu.livejournal.com]

That is correct. They are moving next door to the slightly larger x-travel agency space.

[ron_newman]

When I stopped in to talk to Mike during Midnight Madness last week, he told me that the new space next door is MUCH larger than his current store, as it includes a now-hidden back room. He expects to officially reopen some time this week.

He closed his Arlington Heights store earlier this year and has consolidated all of his stock into Davis Square.

This move is probably why they cancelled their scheduled event at the Dilboy VFW this month.

[marphod.livejournal.com]

Doesn't surprise me.

Making a sustainable positive cash flow as a comic (and novelty) shop is Damn Hard in good economic times. These days? I'm surprised Million Year Picnic and New England Comics haven't had significant cutbacks.

Comacazi was the least friendly comic shop I've ever been to. I'm really surprised it lasted this long.

[jenskot.livejournal.com]

Yeah, like it or not women comprise 50% of the population, minorities (together) at least as great, and when comic companies are recognizing that and diversifying their products (Marvel's half-assed "Year of the Woman" aside) comic shops would really benefit from keeping step and making their shops friendly to all segments of the population. MYP, NEC, and Comicopia do a really good job of that (although MYP's customer service is weak, they have good stock)... Comicazi was like a throwback to the NECs of the 80's I used to frequent - not quite as bad as Comic Book Guy, but not exactly welcoming.

Boston is actually really spoiled by the number of awesome, diverse comic shops we have - I recently checked out a comic shop in a strip mall down south, and it totally CBG - dirty, dark, overflowing bins that smelled kind of moldy, big-tittied posters everywhere, and a fat dude with food on his shirt staring glazed-over at the internet without noticing me. Comicazi is way better than that, but it certainly wouldn't harm them to actively reach out to the atypical comic readers.

[ron_newman]

My ex-girlfriend has been a Comicazi customer for many years and loves the place. Why do you think women would be put off there?

[curiositykt.livejournal.com]

As a woman, and a long time comicazi customer, I don't understand either. I love the place and Mike is always nice, remembers my name and even knows exactly what to recommend to me. I often also find other women in there at the same time. Once there were 7 women and 1 man, and we all had a big laugh over how this would never happen anywhere else.

[maelithil.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure what you mean, either. Comicazi is the best comic book store I've found, Mike's a darling, and it's always really, really fun in there. Friendly, welcoming, and full of awesome comicses!

[unferth.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I don't want to get into an internet argument - especially one that's just trading personal anecdotes, since it's not like I can demonstrate that they weren't unfriendly - but they've always been perfectly polite to me, and I'd be sad to see them go. I am admittedly a fairly stereotypical comic-shop customer, so I am a lousy test case on whether or not they're welcoming to people who are not.

[marphod.livejournal.com]

I'm perfectly willing to believe there are vastly different customer service experiences at a store; it could be who was working, if they were having a Bad Day, etc. Maybe I look to 'straight' to be a comic-geek. It is just every time I've been in, if there was anyone else in the store, I could never get the employee's attention, much less find what I wanted.

[ominousspectre.livejournal.com]

I'd give them another chance. It's a really small store and if I was in there for the first time, I might feel kind of uncomfortable about looking around if the proprietor was trying to talk to me. Maybe that's a common occurence in the space, so they're less pushy about striking up conversation?

I don't really remember much about the first time I was there, although I remember I was alone and wearing a dress, but felt like I was treated with respect and not just "oooooh, girl with a dress" attention. But from that point on, whether I was there with my boyfriend or there by myself, I've always enjoyed my time there.

[marphod.livejournal.com]

I had essentially the same experience no less than 5 times. *shrug*

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

My experience also mirrors yours. I don't go there often because I'm not into comic books, but when I have been in for whatever reason, they've always been totally nice to me and not at all inappropriate.

Different experience

[tealegirle.livejournal.com]

I have to say, I've had a very different experience there--nothing but good. They don't stock as much non-traditional, offbeat stuff as I wish they did, or as Million Year Picnic, but once Mike gets a sense of your taste, he'll keep a copy aside for you of anything he thinks you might like. Not that many non-white people wander through, but Davis Sq is pretty white itself; and it has a fair few geek girl customers.

Very neighborly shop--one of those small local businesses you hope does well. And the new shop isn't slightly bigger, it's nearly three times as big.

[ron_newman]

To the OP: since they are not closing, could you please edit the Subject line? Thanks.

[chenoameg.livejournal.com]

Done!