Comic Shop Spotlight: Chimera's Comics
Oct 19, 2015
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Chimera's Comics in Woodbridge, IL.
OWNERS: Carmelo Chimera, Steven Brown, and Walid Shaar
MANAGERS: Nick Bade and Stu McLean
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 2
YEAR OPENED: 2015
NUMBER OF LOCATIONS: 3
STORE SIZE (SQ. FT): 1,400
Favorite Recent Comic Book: Secret Wars (Nick) and Star Wars (Stu)
How was your Halloween ComicFest event? 2015 will be the first at this new location.
What has been your best promotion or event? Our Grand Opening event was fantastic. We had Gene Ha on hand and also had face painting and an appearance by Spider-Man.
What recent changes have you made in the store? We are constantly adding new fixtures and adjusting product placement.
What steps have you taken to expand your customer base or to reach out to individuals unfamiliar with your store or comics in general? We pick a book of the week which works towards explaining our subscription service to new customers. In-store gaming also works to bring in new customers.
What are your plans for the near future? We are in the process of fixing up the back room to become a very cool gaming area, including a brick façade on the surrounding walls.
How did you choose your store name? It is owner Carmelo’s last name.
What superpower would you most like to have? Flight.
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| The new comics wall is backlit for easy browsing. | Signage on the shelves helps direct customers to titles that have just arrived in the shop and titles that are still recent. |
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| Trade paperbacks and collected editions get their own dedicated section of shelves. | The "Can't Miss" helps to highlight popular titles. |
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| Comic fans can also find supplies to keep their collections safe. | A selection of apparel sits next to a display that showcases hit manga series. |
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| The cash wrap is surrounded by some enticing merchandise. | From left to right: co-managers Stu McLean and Nick Bade. |
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