Oct. 16th, 2005
Fantastic Games & Comics
Oct. 16th, 2005 05:57 pmThere is a "Comic Book Store" (and I use the term lightly) in Lynnwood behind the Safeway on Highway 99 at 196th Street that just irks me to no end. Matter of fact, I would go so far as to say that I DESPISE this particular shop! And why?
Back in the day, it used to be Fantastic Games. It was a descent little game shop, nothing spectacular. Some new games, some used games, a few model kits... mostly just an excuse for the owner to have a place to game. The type of local small business that I love to support, even if it is difficult to figure out who actually works there.
But then about a year ago, they added "Comics & Collectables" to the shop, and it's just gone to hell. I really thought this brand of comic shop had all but dissapeared, but aparently I was mistaken.
No organization to their "comics" section at all as far as I could see. Cramped. Dark. Stacks of product just sitting on the counters, unmarked. No one willing to pull away from their game long enough to identify themselves as an employee. I wandered around there for 20 minutes with a potential purchase and never figured out who to pay.
It was every stereotype of a bad comic book store I've ever seen or heard of, wrapped in to one shop.
If I were African-American, it would be as if they had opened up a Fried-Chicken-N-Watermellon Restaurant with a tap-dancing theme to it.
And worst of all, it seems as if it woulf be INCREDIBLY easy to shoplift from this place. No, not easy... REQUIRED. I mean if you can't find a person willing to take your money, why bother paying?
Back in the day, it used to be Fantastic Games. It was a descent little game shop, nothing spectacular. Some new games, some used games, a few model kits... mostly just an excuse for the owner to have a place to game. The type of local small business that I love to support, even if it is difficult to figure out who actually works there.
But then about a year ago, they added "Comics & Collectables" to the shop, and it's just gone to hell. I really thought this brand of comic shop had all but dissapeared, but aparently I was mistaken.
No organization to their "comics" section at all as far as I could see. Cramped. Dark. Stacks of product just sitting on the counters, unmarked. No one willing to pull away from their game long enough to identify themselves as an employee. I wandered around there for 20 minutes with a potential purchase and never figured out who to pay.
It was every stereotype of a bad comic book store I've ever seen or heard of, wrapped in to one shop.
If I were African-American, it would be as if they had opened up a Fried-Chicken-N-Watermellon Restaurant with a tap-dancing theme to it.
And worst of all, it seems as if it woulf be INCREDIBLY easy to shoplift from this place. No, not easy... REQUIRED. I mean if you can't find a person willing to take your money, why bother paying?