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Reunited!
So I shared this on social media but it also belongs here.
24 years ago, I moved to a (Crummy) apartment in downtown Toronto, I noticed a comic and toy store opening it's doors just a few blocks down. I went opening day, turns out the owner was a dealer I had met at a few shows, we immediately hit it off.
I spent the rest of my twenties and early 30s hanging around with him, doing shows together, trips to US toy shows/flea markets and we also just hung out. I eventually moved to the burbs but we spoke weekly and I still visited the shop every other week.
Around the time my son was born, my friend went through a rough patch personally and decided to make a clean break. He sold the store to a local chain and moved away. I still remember having a last coffee with him across the street because my infant son would scream the minute he entered the store (i blame the Darth Maul statue).
The new owners smelled like weed and well, it wasn't the same. I stopped visiting, eventually, it closed down.
Some of the inventory/fixtures popped up in a dingey basement store on Yonge street in 2008, the guy who ran it was this grumpy character who I knew from my college days. The sign for my friend's shop was sitting in a pile on the stairs and while I wanted to buy it, i had no place to put it and like i said, grumpy dude. I heard later it closed it's doors, I sincerely regretted not taking action.
Yesterday, my wife wanted to visit a board game shop in the city and it sounded fun. Along the way, I saw a huge comic/board game shop that looked new, we pulled over to check it out.
The friendly clerk asked me if I'd ever been to the store and we went back and forth for a little while on the history and locations.
He mentioned there used to be a location north of there and I realized, this immaculate/friendly store used to be that dingey basement. I asked if he still had the sign, he texted his boss and yeah, it was in the window, I had walked right by it.
I made an offer, we haggled via text and well, it's mine now. I happily got to carry it down Yonge street, people were honking, no wonder my wife stayed in the car.
Such a great memory of good times, I'm so happy to bring it home. Where I hang it? I have no idea, although I am going to see if my friend wants it back.
comicpostsign.jpg
I don't know what happened to the rest of the sign, there was a rocket ship at one point and a cartoon explosion but I'm happy with what i reclaimed.
24 years ago, I moved to a (Crummy) apartment in downtown Toronto, I noticed a comic and toy store opening it's doors just a few blocks down. I went opening day, turns out the owner was a dealer I had met at a few shows, we immediately hit it off.
I spent the rest of my twenties and early 30s hanging around with him, doing shows together, trips to US toy shows/flea markets and we also just hung out. I eventually moved to the burbs but we spoke weekly and I still visited the shop every other week.
Around the time my son was born, my friend went through a rough patch personally and decided to make a clean break. He sold the store to a local chain and moved away. I still remember having a last coffee with him across the street because my infant son would scream the minute he entered the store (i blame the Darth Maul statue).
The new owners smelled like weed and well, it wasn't the same. I stopped visiting, eventually, it closed down.
Some of the inventory/fixtures popped up in a dingey basement store on Yonge street in 2008, the guy who ran it was this grumpy character who I knew from my college days. The sign for my friend's shop was sitting in a pile on the stairs and while I wanted to buy it, i had no place to put it and like i said, grumpy dude. I heard later it closed it's doors, I sincerely regretted not taking action.
Yesterday, my wife wanted to visit a board game shop in the city and it sounded fun. Along the way, I saw a huge comic/board game shop that looked new, we pulled over to check it out.
The friendly clerk asked me if I'd ever been to the store and we went back and forth for a little while on the history and locations.
He mentioned there used to be a location north of there and I realized, this immaculate/friendly store used to be that dingey basement. I asked if he still had the sign, he texted his boss and yeah, it was in the window, I had walked right by it.
I made an offer, we haggled via text and well, it's mine now. I happily got to carry it down Yonge street, people were honking, no wonder my wife stayed in the car.
Such a great memory of good times, I'm so happy to bring it home. Where I hang it? I have no idea, although I am going to see if my friend wants it back.
comicpostsign.jpg
I don't know what happened to the rest of the sign, there was a rocket ship at one point and a cartoon explosion but I'm happy with what i reclaimed.
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