Former Fourth Rail critic Randy Lander reveals his new Secret Project:
I bought a comic book store.
More specifically, I bought the comic book store I’ve been co-managing for about six years now. Dave and I, the co-managers, had expressed to the owner a couple years back that if he was ever thinking about selling the store, we’d appreciate the right of first refusal. In November, he contacted me about buying it, I was interested and I’ve been putting together the deal ever since.
There has been much talk online lately about comic book stores in general, especially with Riot Comics closing down. But there are some pretty significant differences between me and Jason Richards, owner of RIOT, not to mention significant differences between Riot Comics and Dragon’s Lair Comics & Fantasy, which I’m buying.
Hopefully we’ll be able to track Randy’s adventures in retailing online.
Congrats to Randy, this is great news!
It is good news. I live in Austin and go to Dragon’s Lair fairly regularly, and while it can’t compete with the mecca that is Austin Books — how they stock so much product without going out of business I’ll never know — but they’re a well-stocked store with extremely friendly and inviting service. I wish Randy all the best.