I bear in mind the primary time I noticed Fats Jack’s.
I used to be a freshman at Temple College and was going to a midnight screening on the lengthy gone Roxy Cinema once I observed the shop, closed, up the road. I distinctly bear in mind saying to myself as I peered previous the metallic gate, That could be the best comedian retailer I’ve ever seen.
Two years later I used to be working there, telling tales of my cousin Gil’s childhood on Krypton whereas standing behind the counter ringing up common clients.
And it was, the best comedian retailer that I had ever seen. A lot of my expertise there was not solely a priceless training within the medium, but additionally working for a retailer that even then was a bit of comedian ebook historical past.
From coping with a portion of the purchasers who have been primarily a Dick Tracy rogues gallery (No-Tape, Walter Brooks, Cisco, et. al), to getting the chance to look by way of some unique EC pages within the workplace to a notable alumni and buyer base, Fats Jack’s was an expertise.
However primarily, it was a comic book ebook retailer and on the time, there have been a number of in Middle Metropolis Philadelphia. What made it distinction was the folks.
Proprietor Mike Ferrero would inform me loopy experiences and tales from his years in enterprise understanding how a lot I’d be charmed by listening to about such wackiness (“Did I inform you in regards to the time Russ Cochran went to the hospital together with his sick child and the nurses have been shocked that it was a monkey?”). Fats Jack’s was greater than a retailer, it was a group.
And now it wants assist.
Because the pandemic destroyed various small companies, Fats Jack’s remains to be holding on by a thread. However they want the assist of pros, followers, and clients alike to maintain it afloat.
In enterprise for over 46 1/2 years, Fats Jack’s deserves to make it to 50. Give it some thought, what number of shops have you learnt which can be nonetheless in enterprise for over 50 years and what number of of these companies are a distinct segment enterprise?
So, to maintain the doorways open of the best comedian retailer I’ve ever seen, assist this GoFundMe, and save a bit of historical past.
