Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Dec 10, 2014 10:07:30 GMT -6
Wayne Richardson, owner of Evermore Comics in Kingsport, Virginia, is retiring after 30 years, but the store will continue under new owners. Richardson, who co-founded Mountain Empire Comics in 1984, reflects a bit on how the business has changed over the years, with games coming into the mix and now, more competition from the Internet: “Now with the Internet, anyone can go online and buy the same merchandise as me, as cheaply as I can and therefore the profit margin is almost non-existent. At 57 years old, it has become exhausting. There comes a time that you just feel it’s time to go.”
www.timesnews.net/article/9083247/comic-book-man-shop-owner-retiring-after-three-decades
KINGSPORT — After 30 years in the "funny book" business, local Evermore Comics owner Wayne Richardson is retiring.
But in no way is he going to stop reading comic books or being a Spider-Man fan. If fact, for those who know Wayne, then you know he'll probably always love reading and collecting comic books.
"I'm going to miss it a lot," Richardson said of the comic book business. "But you get to the point where, I've done this and I'm ready to move on. I'm excited about what's next, except I don't know what's next."
And what he's most excited about in his upcoming retirement is the chance to become a fan boy again and not have to worry about the business end of the equation.
The business end of the equation was Mountain Empire Comics, founded by Richardson and two of his best friends — Robert Pilk of Elizabethton and John Stone of Bristol, Tenn.
The trio opened the first Mountain Empire Comics store in Bristol, Va., in 1984. A year later the second location came to downtown Kingsport on New Street, and in 1986 a third shop opened in Johnson City.
In 1996, Richardson sold the Kingsport location (now on Center Street) to another party, left MEC and opened Evermore Comics and Games in Elizabethton. In 1999, he bought back the Kingsport store and kept the name Evermore. Richardson recently relocated to the Green Acres Shopping Center in light of the Mac's Medicine Mart expansion.
Richardson first thought about retiring a little over a year ago when Evermore relocated, and this past summer he posted a message on the store's Facebook page announcing a retirement sale. The closing did not take place this summer, though, as new potential owners approached Richardson about buying the shop.
"It's been sold and a retirement sale is underway," Richardson said. "December 31 will be my last day as owner of Evermore Comics and I'm not sure what the new owners are going to do."
Richardson's love of comic books began back in 1967 with the purchase of The Amazing Spider-Man #46. The 12-cent issue was the first appearance of Shocker.
"I was instantly addicted and I've been collecting and reading ever since," Richardson said. "My favorite character has always been Spider-Man. The loveable loser who couldn't pay his rent or get a girlfriend, who was scared and nervous to be out there trying to help people, cracked jokes and kept himself going."
In the early years of the comic book business, the store dealt primarily in, of course, comic books. As the years went on, Mountain Empire Comics, like other comic book shops across the country, started branching out with other products such as role-playing games, board and card games, collectible items (statues, posters, T-shirts), miniature games and action figures.
And with the rise in the Internet, comic book stores have also had to do things to make themselves more competitive and relevant, from offering table space for patrons to play games and cards, to hosting special events (such as Friday Night Magic) to friendly, personal customer service.
"The gaming industry was big for us, with Magic, Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh!. People came into the store and played card games all day," Richardson said. "If you have people in the store, eventually they're going to buy something."
The best part of being in the comic book business for 30 years has been meeting and talking with fellow fans who like comics, movies and science fiction. After being stereotyped as "funny books" or something only geeks would like, comic books have finally achieved mainstream status with Hollywood tripping over itself to make even more shows and movies based on comic books.
"Comics are finally getting to be popular and I'm just glad to have been in the industry all these years," Richardson said. "I couldn't write them, I couldn't draw them, but I sure could sell them."
Even though owning a comic book shop has been the best job in the world for Richardson, it's still been a job with all of the accompanying stress and pressure. The ever-changing face of retail has been the worst part of the job, with the lines between retail and wholesale becoming more and more blurred.
"Now with the Internet, anyone can go online and buy the same merchandise as me, as cheaply as I can and therefore the profit margin is almost non-existent," Richardson said. "At 57 years old, it has become exhausting. There comes a time that you just feel it's time to go."
Though the comic book industry has changed over the decades, some things about Richardson's store have remained the same when you walk in — Beatles music is playing in the background, a wall of Silver Age comics is behind the register, and Wayne will gladly talk to anyone standing still about comic books.
"I want to thank everyone who has shopped with me all these years. I cherish each and everyone of you," Richardson said. "I've enjoyed Kingsport, I've had a great time and I've enjoyed every minute of being in the comic book business."
www.timesnews.net/article/9083247/comic-book-man-shop-owner-retiring-after-three-decades
KINGSPORT — After 30 years in the "funny book" business, local Evermore Comics owner Wayne Richardson is retiring.
But in no way is he going to stop reading comic books or being a Spider-Man fan. If fact, for those who know Wayne, then you know he'll probably always love reading and collecting comic books.
"I'm going to miss it a lot," Richardson said of the comic book business. "But you get to the point where, I've done this and I'm ready to move on. I'm excited about what's next, except I don't know what's next."
And what he's most excited about in his upcoming retirement is the chance to become a fan boy again and not have to worry about the business end of the equation.
The business end of the equation was Mountain Empire Comics, founded by Richardson and two of his best friends — Robert Pilk of Elizabethton and John Stone of Bristol, Tenn.
The trio opened the first Mountain Empire Comics store in Bristol, Va., in 1984. A year later the second location came to downtown Kingsport on New Street, and in 1986 a third shop opened in Johnson City.
In 1996, Richardson sold the Kingsport location (now on Center Street) to another party, left MEC and opened Evermore Comics and Games in Elizabethton. In 1999, he bought back the Kingsport store and kept the name Evermore. Richardson recently relocated to the Green Acres Shopping Center in light of the Mac's Medicine Mart expansion.
Richardson first thought about retiring a little over a year ago when Evermore relocated, and this past summer he posted a message on the store's Facebook page announcing a retirement sale. The closing did not take place this summer, though, as new potential owners approached Richardson about buying the shop.
"It's been sold and a retirement sale is underway," Richardson said. "December 31 will be my last day as owner of Evermore Comics and I'm not sure what the new owners are going to do."
Richardson's love of comic books began back in 1967 with the purchase of The Amazing Spider-Man #46. The 12-cent issue was the first appearance of Shocker.
"I was instantly addicted and I've been collecting and reading ever since," Richardson said. "My favorite character has always been Spider-Man. The loveable loser who couldn't pay his rent or get a girlfriend, who was scared and nervous to be out there trying to help people, cracked jokes and kept himself going."
In the early years of the comic book business, the store dealt primarily in, of course, comic books. As the years went on, Mountain Empire Comics, like other comic book shops across the country, started branching out with other products such as role-playing games, board and card games, collectible items (statues, posters, T-shirts), miniature games and action figures.
And with the rise in the Internet, comic book stores have also had to do things to make themselves more competitive and relevant, from offering table space for patrons to play games and cards, to hosting special events (such as Friday Night Magic) to friendly, personal customer service.
"The gaming industry was big for us, with Magic, Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh!. People came into the store and played card games all day," Richardson said. "If you have people in the store, eventually they're going to buy something."
The best part of being in the comic book business for 30 years has been meeting and talking with fellow fans who like comics, movies and science fiction. After being stereotyped as "funny books" or something only geeks would like, comic books have finally achieved mainstream status with Hollywood tripping over itself to make even more shows and movies based on comic books.
"Comics are finally getting to be popular and I'm just glad to have been in the industry all these years," Richardson said. "I couldn't write them, I couldn't draw them, but I sure could sell them."
Even though owning a comic book shop has been the best job in the world for Richardson, it's still been a job with all of the accompanying stress and pressure. The ever-changing face of retail has been the worst part of the job, with the lines between retail and wholesale becoming more and more blurred.
"Now with the Internet, anyone can go online and buy the same merchandise as me, as cheaply as I can and therefore the profit margin is almost non-existent," Richardson said. "At 57 years old, it has become exhausting. There comes a time that you just feel it's time to go."
Though the comic book industry has changed over the decades, some things about Richardson's store have remained the same when you walk in — Beatles music is playing in the background, a wall of Silver Age comics is behind the register, and Wayne will gladly talk to anyone standing still about comic books.
"I want to thank everyone who has shopped with me all these years. I cherish each and everyone of you," Richardson said. "I've enjoyed Kingsport, I've had a great time and I've enjoyed every minute of being in the comic book business."