Comic Shop Spotlight: Comics & Gaming Fairfax
Jan 26, 2016
Click to see larger image.
Comics & Gaming in Fairfax, Virginia.
OWNER: Tom Chillemi
MANAGER: James Hemdal
NUMBER OF LOCATIONS: 4
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 5
YEAR OPENED: 2013
STORE SIZE (square feet): 3,000
Favorite Recent Comic Book: Giant Size Little Marvel – the whimsical feel of the comic helps convey a lot of humor.
How was your Halloween ComicFest event? It reminds me of FCBD in the early years. The customers are getting more and more excited about it. I expect larger turnouts this year.
What has been your best promotion or event? Free Comic Book Day. We step it up as a block party. It brings out families. It is always our largest revenue day.
What recent changes have you made in the store? We expanded and added a 1,500 square foot game center.
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 have set up in local theaters whenever a new comic book related movie hits, sponsored local kid sport teams, had box toppers (pizza shops), and donated to schools/local charities/fundraisers. We use Constant Contact, Facebook, and MeetUp to keep community engagement.
What are your plans for the near future? We hope to expand our player base and what games are played here on a regular basis. We have a strong gaming culture here and would like to bring more people into the fold.
How did you choose your store name? Just wanted to keep it simple; a potential customer gets a very good idea what we are selling.
What superpower would you most like to have? Slow down time/super speed. There is never enough time in the day to get everything done, but more importantly: to spend with my family.
 |
 |
 |
|
A large sign lets customers know where the entrance is |
Fun banks and figures fill these shelves |
Board games line the wall... |
 |
 |
 |
|
...while tabletop games are spotlighted on an island. |
There is a large selection of graphic novels and trade paperbacks |
The Kids Section and Funko POPs sit side by side |
| Click here to see more stores featured in the Comic Shop Spotlight! | ||
