Comments on: Long Agos and Worlds Apart

By: Brenda

Brenda — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 02:35:13 +0000

Hello, old friend! Glad to read this and so happy to see that you’re making your way in the world – I always knew you’d go out in life and do great things. Glad your trip home was a memorable one – did you swing by the old house on Jessie St. or the old restaurant? I think of those places often – good memories.

By: David Salchow

David Salchow — Mon, 17 May 2010 14:42:34 +0000

Thanks for the trip down memory lane Jason!

Nothing with stop the light rail line and I really beleive it’s for the greater good. It’s virtually impervious to our MN weather and will be a lifeline between the two downtowns. If Midway can survive the horrendous contruction which will probably last a year, the train line will drive customer’s right to their doorstep. There will be a train station at Snelling and University. I, for example, worked Dwtn Minneapolis but live east of St. Paul. Instead of the express bus, I could take the train, stop by Midway books, and catch the next train to continue the commute home.

I hope Midway Books can survive the construction period, because afterward, the train line could be a bonanza for business.

By: Russ

Russ — Thu, 13 May 2010 05:20:34 +0000

well there is another reason why walk-in stores are going under, and mail-order is now running the day: store contracting fees.

I, myself, wanted to open an actual store, and I was advised against it due to how expensive the contracting fees alone would’ve been.

Most of the money you make for years on end goes to repaying bank loans and whatnot that it took to open these stores in the first place.

As for the human contact…I guess you’ve just had better experience in dealing with people face-to-face than I have…

By: Lt. Clutch

Lt. Clutch — Wed, 12 May 2010 11:18:35 +0000

Wonderful stories, Jason. Long live the hang-outs of our youth! My first comic store was The Comic Castle in Fullerton, CA. As I kept moving around during my younger years, I stacked up a bunch of book, music, comic, and toy stores in places like Miami and Chicago which I’d love to see again someday. Hope they’re still around like the two you visited.

By: Shellhead

Shellhead — Tue, 11 May 2010 15:47:45 +0000

My first comic book store was Queen City Bookstore in Buffalo, and it seems to have a lot in common with your stores. I haven’t been in there in at least 10 years, so maybe I’ll check it out again when I go back home this summer. I know its still there, but I don’t know if it still has the same ownership.

By: Chip Cataldo

Chip Cataldo — Tue, 11 May 2010 11:36:30 +0000

Another great blog, Jason. It made me sad, since there’s no way I can re-create that experience. The store I grew up with had moved 4 times and I’m not sure even exists now. The stores in each of my college towns have all closed down, and the one store (remotely) here now I’ve not even been to because it’s a “gaming shop that sells comics.”
I’ll live vicariously through you on this, and given this blog…well, that’s a great replacement.

By: Newton

Newton — Tue, 11 May 2010 05:51:01 +0000

Love it. My old comic shop closed up a while back when I went home and it was sad. No idea what happened to it.

By: JuliusMarx

JuliusMarx — Tue, 11 May 2010 04:43:11 +0000

Great blog Jason! I know exactly how you feel. I had a similar experience the past Christmas going back to Oklahoma and visiting my old local comic book shop in Tulsa ‘The Comic Empire.’ It was like it was frozen in time. Now I think I might have to put together a similar blog about my experience.

Thanks for sharing these memories with us. And God bless Diane for being such a trooper! You’ve got a good one there!

By: demoncat

demoncat — Tue, 11 May 2010 01:26:32 +0000

nice story. can not believe that the shop owners remembered you still. not to mention getting douglas adams autograph talk about a score.and must have been a surprise to see an old haunt have the stuff you make it it the twilight zone bobble heads. shows that some memories never fade.