Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Morgan.
Richard, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have collected/read comics since I was a kid. Originally collecting bottles to return for the deposit to have money to purchase comics. Back then there were no Comic Stores like today so you had to hunt for books at convenience stores or small bookstores. My last job was in IT and though I had gone thru several mergers/layoffs in the past, did not survive this one.
At the time I had worked off and on with a local comic shop called New Dimensions and knew the owner had been considering getting out of the business. So back in 2044, I had lunch with him and made him an offer. He accepted and I officially took over on Feb. 14, 2005. Just happened to be a Monday to start the new endeavor, but was cool that it was on Valentine’s Day. Just proves I do love my job!
Since then there have been ups and downs with the business, but it has continued to grow with customers and the physical size of the store. The building that I started in had been divided into 4 sections and slowly but surely I have taken over all 4 sections.
Currently, I am in my 17th year and looking forward to several more years, not ready to retire as of yet!
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As with any business, there have been struggles, but mostly a fairly smooth run. With the Covid issues had a brief closure that was mandated, but still got thru it okay.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Richards Comics & Collectables, LLC?
The retail business mainly focuses on Comics (New/Old) and Action Figures. We still try to tough on Gaming, Autographed items, and other collectibles, to have a fun variety of items within the store. What I think stands out at my store vs other shops in the near area is the variety.
We also are happy to place Special Orders for customers to help them acquire items that I may not typically stock.
We have a fairly good stock of back issues and other items in the store and receive new items/books multiple times a week.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
The biggest lesson is to just be flexible. During the initial part of the crisis, inventory was difficult to get and we had to deal with a temporary closure. But, our customers were very supportive and returned as soon as they could and continued to do business with the store.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.richards-collectables.com
- Instagram: @richardscomics
- Facebook: Richards Comics & Collectables
- Twitter: @richardscomics
