Cbr:

[CBR News]

Following the 20th Anniversary of his store, Comix Experience owner Brian Hibbs reflects back on what it's taken to survive all these years and how things have changes. Plus, a visit to NYC comic shops, the Amazon fiasco and more!


Full article here (http://comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=20863).

[stingerman]

Great article!

Maybe should have been done in at least two parts --

but possibly the reason the bigger shops do not have POS is because they have their own inventory management system in place.

Hmmm....why are back issue sales so low?

Good question -- and the fault of most lcs's imo.

"90s killed the 'comic' star" - or the corporations. And that's the dang truth. :wink:

[Aspield]

The first time I went into Comix Experience, I was 19, from the burbs, and searching San Francisco madly for comic book stores. It was 1990 or 1991. I was nervous and trying to be metropolitan while scanning the unfamiliar streets for the sanctuary of comics.

And I found Comix Experience.

While everyone spoke to me in the shop (a condition that all employees seem to share there), I pretended I knew what I was doing. Hello! I was 19! And I was shocked, as I still am whenever I'm back in town, that this store has something for everyone, no matter the amount of money in your wallet (I've gone in with a dollar and I've gone in with a few hundred and felt satisfied both ways), the number of books in your collection (mine is somewhere between A LOT and NEEDS-TO-BE-DONATED TOO MANY), or interests (mine range from super heroes to gay-themed stuff to independent experimental).

So 20 years later, and the mystery of why it's well stocked, or how it manages to have something for everyone, or who they pull in to work there starts to be revealed.

It's a great store, in a bustling diverse neighborhood, full of interesting people. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting the Bay.

[MikeyWikey]

One really great thing you could do to help business would be to treat your customers better.

The selection in the store is great and it's less than a mile from my house. But every time I went in there you were rude to me and I wasn't asking for it. It happened enough times that I vowed to never give you my money again. Instead I go to Isotope or Comic Relief in Berkeley. It's worth it to me both in principle and to not have to deal with you. I haven't been back in two years and if anyone asks about the store, I tell them what I think. For the record, the dark-haired guy has always been nice to me. If you ever sell the store to him, let me know and I'll start coming back.

[Dragondragonfly]

:smile: I have spent my entire career in the book business, not comics. I am glad to see the customers are still the same. I get told things people should never hear.
It took me a while to get over feeling burdened for a persons soul. Its hard to balance customers emotional needs with their shopping needs.
Excellent article, I enjoyed the behind the scenes look.
Sounds like you have fun and really enjoy your calling.

[sweetdreams]

Is this the one near the mission district?
I may've gone to a book signing by Neil GAiman there, and there was a limit on the number of books he could sign so my friend asked me to carry half of his to get them signed and then unfortunately gaiman asked which was my favorite *mouth hangs open futiley* before I blurt out that they are my friends and he just loves gaiman so much blah blah balh, gaiman signed just the inside of one of them of course, fair enough.
Then pissed off friend got me an amazing chicken burrito at a tacqueria nearby.
FroZe my aaass off in that comics line.