Did you buy your comics in grocery stores?

[HardyGirl]

I think the only comics I had that came from the store were a 3 pack of Looney Tunes comics my mom bought for me (when we were here in Oakland visiting my brother) from Lucky's.

[EMCE Hammer]

Sometimes, but it always bugged me that they weren't very crisp by the time I got to them.

[jimbutsu]

The spinner rack at the pharmacy on Saratoga and Cox Ave. I can still remember the smell of that place.

[kryptosmaster]

Grocery stores, drug stores, corner stores, newsstands, mini-marts.
I distinctly recall buying Hulk #200 from a spinner rack at Bells Markets. Oddly, I never really cared for Hulk but I guess it being a #200 got me to plunk down my 25 cents.
Archie digests I got from the drug store across the street.

Rich

[ShadowAvenger]

I remember buying most of my comics from either of the two bigger grocery stores in town when I was a kid in the 1970s. One was on the way home from middle school and high school while the other was where my mom always shopped. I made it a point to always go with her so I could pick up a comic or two along with my favorite breakfast food. There was the smaller IGA store but it was way on the other side of town so we hardly went to it. There was also a mom and pop grocery store that we went to occasionally (I went there mostly for the Famous Monster of Filmland magazines). The town's only drug store also had comics but we only went there when we had to get medicine.

All but one of the bigger grocery stores are now gone and I was angry when they got rid of their comics several years ago. They recently tried to get rid of their book and magazine racks but enough people complained that they brought back a much smaller magazine rack and spinner rack for the paperbacks. Shame that they did not bring back the comics.

Only one of the local mini marts ever sold comics and that lasted for a short time in the 1980s.

We now have a Wal-Mart Super Center that carries Archie digests and the occasional Marvel comic magazine.

[LadyZod]

eckerd drugs for me

Same here, Damian. Darn Miami influence!

When I was younger, I'd get the Mexican DC printings from the international newstand I'd go with my dad in Jamiaca, Queens.

As a teen, eckerd drugs... then Walden Books... then Eddie's comics on 27th Ave (which Eddie, my age and in my HS, had a corner of his dad's mom and pop drug store.)

Then things got heavy. I'd hit Frank's in Westchester for back issues (since the man didn't know how to price and everything was cover price.)

[Bruce Banner]

Back in the day I mostly bought my comics from our local drug store/convenience store.
They had them on one of those old metal rack displays that rotated.
The larger mags and treasury editions were on a normal shelf right next to it.
Those were the days!

[david_b]

Back in '72/'73, my family lived out on a farm, so me going to town to the grocery store was huge because of their meager assortment of comics at the magazine rack..

But that's where the collecting started. Within the year, I discovered a local drug store which carried different Marvel titles not at the grocery store. Once we moved into town, I found this small antique shop with an actual swivel comic rack, I was there 3-4 times a week.

david_b

[palitoy]

My local grocery store (Miracle Mart!) only carried Mad Magazine, no comics to speak of. Fortunately we had Checkers Variety near by and the Corner Store which had stacks of treasury editions and some old toys called "Major Matt Mason" on the shelves.

[david_b]

Drug stores (many many 3 packs for $1.00)...and eventually newstands

THAT'S where my collecting took off as a kid..

True Story.., back in the late '60s my small town got it's first 'Shopko', and in '73 they had the spinning racks with 3 comics for 49 cents or something..

Most of the bags were ripped open, so I just grabbed those and like everyone else, put in the comics I wanted.

....It's how I found plenty of recent back issues and my beloved Spiderman 122...

david_b

[artskull]

I'll never forget staying at Grandmom's house… she would give me $1 and I'd be able to get a couple comics and a Slurpee at 7-Eleven.

[Mikey]

Back in my hometown in the 70's a small Unclaimed Freight store moved in.

Man, they had great stuff including crazy cheap outdated comics - sometimes 10 years old at that time.

I remember in 1978-ish they were selling 1977 Star Wars cards for 50 cents a BOX

[Random Axe]

Drug stores started my fascination and addiction. I was always on the honor roll as a child, so I got to go and pick out a bunch of comics as a reward. I ended up with a large stack of treasury edition books, but I have no clue where they came from. I think my dad brought them home form the airport newstand.

When I went gocery shopping with my mother, I was always well behaved and was allowed to roam the store. I'd always end up in the magazine aisle sneaking looks at Creepy magazine and Wrightson's stuff. Even in the early 70's, Bernie's work was hardcore.

In 1979 or so, my mother found out about a comics specialty store across town, so the occasional trip was made there. All downhill since...

Scott

[johnmiic]

A Candy Store/Magazine shop. It was named Barbone`s, (Bar-bone-eez). That guy had a great old place. He used to get Sci-Fi model kits, tiny Space:1999 eagle toys, MAD, Famous Monsters, Eerie, Creepy, Heavy Metal, Epic, HULK magazine but not Starlog. He still had soda fountain dispensers for egg-creams.

I got mildly concerned when Marvel announced they would print Micronauts for direct sales only outlets starting w/#39,(?). I had to travel 10 blocks in the other direction to a new comic book store. Then I discovered Nexus, Alien Worlds, Twisted Tales, E-Man, Captain Victory, Groo, The Rocketeer and wondered why I couldn't find these in a newsstand?

[UnderdogDJLSW]

I had our local grocery store and a 7-11 as my main source. I didn't know there were comic book shops until the 80's.