Elmwood Avenue is getting a new comic book shop – Gutter Pop Comics. First of all, I’m happy to see a shop of this nature moving onto the street. Second, I’m happy to finally see a good fit for the eccentric building that can never manage to retain a tenant. Of course, it’s usually not the building that prevents a retail space from successful or not, it’s typically the wrong match with a business.
In this case, I couldn’t imagine a better fit. I’ve been hoping to see something move into this spot for years, and stay. Each time I see a place open, like a cell phone store, I can’t help to think about over-saturation? Nothing against cell phone stores, but how many can there be in a city? Same with real estate offices, salons, tattoo shops, drug stores and vape stores. One, two three… great, but soon they start to reach a point of redundancy.
Elmwood does not have a comic book shop, so Gutter Pop Comics is a breath of fresh air.
I asked Stephen Floyd, owner of Gutter Pop Comics, what the range of merchandise would be, and he said, “I suppose the focus is on small press and graphic novels but there will be weekly comics and super hero stuff. The whole gamut of the comics medium hopefully. There will also be some records by smaller DIY bands that are either local or that I have helped book in Buffalo.”
Floyd, a musician himself, happens to know a little bit about the press industry. He has a hand in One Percent Press and Drug Party Tapes. He’s also a member of the bands Mallwalkers, Hot Tip, Slow Mutants and Returners. Now he’s going to be running his own small print book shop on Elmwood.
The grand opening for Gutter Pop Comics is Saturday, June 18, from 11am to 7pm. Stop on in and check out all of the great merch that will be on hand.
Gutter Pop Comics | 1028 Elmwood Avenue | Buffalo, NY | See Facebook event