When chatting with Paul Kilduff in The Monthly’s June issue about the changing face of downtown Berkeley, San Francisco Chronicle writer and Berkeleyan John King mentioned in passing the demise of Shattuck Avenue’s Comic Relief. “…I guess the comic bookstore closed because the guy who had it forever has just run out of steam,” King […]
Comic Relief
Posted inBusiness
Comic Relief spawns a second comics book store
Uel Carter: set to open a new comics store in the space of an old one Another comics store is rising out of the ashes of the defunct Comic Relief. Just six weeks after Comic Relief abruptly shut its doors, a former employee has plans to open a new store in the exact same location. […]
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The Escapist comic book store opens on Claremont
Enthusiasts packed The Escapist for last night's opening/Photos: Tracey Taylor The Escapist, the comic book store that rose from the closing of Comic Relief, opened last night at 3090 Claremont Avenue, a couple of doors down from Dark Carnival, the specialists science fiction, fantasy and mystery bookstore that bought the old store’s stock. An enthusiastic […]
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Comic bookstore The Escapist to open on Claremont Ave.
Coming soon: The Escapist comic bookstore. Photo: Scott Mace. Michael Chabon will be happy. A new comic bookstore, whose name was inspired by a character in one of Chabon’s own novels, will open soon just a hop and a skip away from his Berkeley home in the Claremont neighborhood. Jack Rems, owner of science fiction […]
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From the ashes of Comic Relief, a new store is set to rise
Dark Carnival: owner Jack Rems hopes to re-open an iconic comics bookstore. The news that iconic store Comic Relief was closing came as a shock to many, most notably the comics-loving community, but it seems a knight in shining armor may yet save the day. Jack Rems, owner of Dark Carnival, another Berkeley bookstore which […]
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Comic Relief closes
Comic Relief. Photo courtesy of Allan Ferguson. Comic Relief, the iconic comic book store on Shattuck Avenue, closed its doors yesterday. The closing has been likely for months, with reduced business and staff turnover following the death of founder Rory Root two years ago. Berkeleysider Christopher Allen pointed us to a tribute to the store on […]
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Comic Relief struggles after founder’s death
Comic Relief on Shattuck. Photo courtesy of Allan Ferguson. Comic Relief, once regarded as one of the best comic bookstores in the U.S., is in danger of closing its doors unless it gets a new infusion of cash. Money has been so tight in recent months that the store has laid off two employees, according […]
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Comic relief: creating a 24-page comic in 24 hours
A 24-page comic in 24 hours: that’s the goal of 24-hour Comic Book Day which takes place all over the world on October 2 in comic book stores and other cartoon-friendly venues. In Berkeley, that place is Comic Relief at 2026 Shattuck Avenue. Staffer Sophie Yanow is organizing the event which will host 12 cartoonists […]
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Buy Local Berkeley gears up for new initiatives
Last month Buy Local Berkeley signed up its 400th member. Comic Relief, a comic bookstore on Shattuck, took the honor and the news was broadcast on Buy Local Berkeley’s twitter stream (@buylocalberk). If you live in Berkeley, you will have seen the Buy Local Berkeley logo around — in shop windows and on websites. The organization […]
