A couple of more observations about being a 'niche' business.

I used to think the animosity that some comic fans have for comic stores was unique. The "I hate my local comic shop because they never have what I want, I hate the owner, it's always messy and dirty and filled with stinky fan boys...(but I'm not a fan boy)..." statements.

Well, just as comic shops have the 'Comic Book Guy,' Indy record stores have their 'Jack Black clerks' and bookstores have they 'snooty snob guy.'

The same; "If they can't compete, they should just die. Who needs them, I can always get my stuff cheaper and more conveniently at the chains or online..." sentiment seems pretty widespread.

I think they are COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY wrong. Of course, I do.

But really, I think that independent stores are a crucial part of any healthy industry. And that this won't be recognized by most industry insiders until it is too late.

We are the guys who find that unique and obscure book, or record, or comic that needs to be supported, who tells people about it. We are the guys who have a space that you go where you can immerse yourself in the sensory atmosphere, and associate with like minded people. We are the kid in the playground who tells you how 'cool' something you've never heard of is. With all the enthusiasm and verve that face to face contact can bring.

Sure, you can get some of that on the Internet (though that seems like a faceless, almost soulless alternative in the long run.) Sure, the big chains have huge selection and wide aisles, but they also have a homogenized selection, and harried hassled clerks.

Fortunately for everyone, though, is that I've come to believe that there is an irreducible number of fools and madmen who are willing to give it a try. In sports cards, it has hit 1000 shops, but you know, between old retired school teachers and retired military and cops and firemen, there will always be a few shops around.

But think about it. There are only about 2500 people in a country of 300 million who own a bookstore. There are only about 2500 people who own a record store. 2500 who own a comic shop.

I bet if you asked people to make a list of the top 5 dream jobs they would want, that there would be millions who would list a bookstore, millions who would list a record store, and.....well, thousands who would list a comic shop!

I guess that makes me lucky....or stupid. Because there have to have been thousands or tens of thousands of people who have tried or looked into the possibility and decided it was impossible.

When I look at that 300 million figure and at the 2500 figure, I think that I should have, you know, 100's of thousands of customers by ratio. Instead, I may have 500 people who are regulars, and a couple of thousand more who come in frequently, and maybe (after 27 years) tens of thousands more who come in infrequently.

The inescapable conclusion is that the other hundreds of thousands of people shop at Barnes & Noble and Best Buy and Amazon.

So be it. I have to find the niche, the service, the odd product, the location, location, location, the personal touch, the blog, the presentation, the knowledge, the experience, the whatever it takes to survive.