I finally noticed why my old comic shop regulars stopped coming in

Two years ago I had this group of five guys who'd show up every Wednesday for new releases, but over the last six months they just vanished one by one. Turns out they moved to a shop across town because the owner there actually talks to them about story arcs instead of just ringing up their pulls - have you ever switched shops because of how the staff treats you?

3 comments

3 Comments

price.gavin1mo ago

Five regulars disappearing over six months is a slow bleed. @the_thea mentioned it's about staff getting excited - what did your staff actually do when those guys were still coming in?

logan_ellis1mo ago

Yeah, "staff makes or breaks the whole experience" is SO true. I stopped going to a shop once because the guy at the counter kept telling me I was reading the wrong comics, just totally killed the vibe. @the_thea is right, those regulars probably found a place where they felt welcome.

the_thea1mo ago

Switch shops? Yeah, I've done it twice and almost a third time. The staff makes or breaks the whole experience. If the guys behind the counter are just ringing up books and staring at their phones, it feels like a transaction, not a place you want to hang out. But if they actually get excited about a new run or remember what you're reading, that's worth driving across town for. Your old regulars probably didn't even mean to ditch you, they just found a spot where people cared about the same stuff they do.