One Shop Opens, Another Shop Closes?

The Arizona Republic's on-line companion site notes that a new store in the Atomic Comics chain will open up in Gilbert, one of those large communities that surround Phoenix proper. That will put Atomic Comics at five stores, which has to make them a top five chain, right? Top three? Tied for first? Anyway, I think I shopped in one of their stores in Mesa. It was a classic hobby and comics shop, well-lit in that strip mall way, comic-book focused, odd hobby elements with which I was unfamiliar, not a ton of alt- or art-comics stuff -- although as I recall the conversation at the counter was about the then-hot indy mini-series Demo.

I've received multiple e-mails this morning (meaning people out there are blogging it ahead of me) drawing attention to this few-days-old post by Ben Towle indicating that MacGuffin: The Graphic Novel Bookshop in Newport News, Virginia has apparently closed down. I think there's some some confirming that needs to be done on that one. If true, I wouldn't say this is a huge surprise, given that MacGuffin has been operating to my understanding as essentially a specialty bookstore where the specialty is comics trades. This is a fascinating way to position your shop as few stores of MacGuffin's size do it. On the other hand, specialty bookstores have been receiving a mid-'90s Steven Seagal-style butt-kicking from a number of market factors for about 10 years now.
 
posted 3:06 am PST | Permalink
 

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