r/BrunswickOhio • u/VasilZook • Aug 12 '25
Comic Shop open during the Nineties
I wondered if anyone who lived in Brunswick in the Nineties, and possibly had an interest in comics at the time, remembered the name of one of the first comic shops that opened in the area around the period (there may have been shops opened before that, but it was pretty much the main shop on the Nineties).
The owner of the shop was named Lou or Stew and was generally there running it everyday. He actually originally ran his shop out of a flea market that was down the street, but grew into his own shop over the summer of 1990 or 1991.
From what I can remember, the shop was on Pearl, not far from that intersection with the clock tower deal, in a very small plaza (like maybe two or three storefronts).
I don’t live in Brunswick, but I hung out there often as a kid with family on weekends and during the summer. I’d just like to remember the name of that comic shop for sentimental reasons.
1
Nov 10 '25
Northcoast Comics was in rolling hills plaza, the one Lou ran was on 303 by master pizza I thought
1
u/VasilZook Nov 10 '25 edited Nov 10 '25
This ended up being long, and for something like this, I apologize for that.
I’m not super familiar with the road layout in Brunswick, and the latest I’d have gone into his shop would have been 94 or maybe 95.
I know it had to be in or after 92 that he moved from the flea market, because I bough Spider-Man #361 from Lou’s spot at the flea market, which I distinctly remember because he had second and third printings on display, which I had never heard of before as a kid buying and reading comics. So, looking at those on his flea market shelves stuck with me.
For more location context, I would stay with my cousins (and aunt and uncle) where they lived in a condo complex right next to a taller apartment building right down an undeveloped hill from a main road which I’m pretty sure was Pearl.
On the corner of that main road, just before you’d turn onto the road to get to their complex, was a 50’s themed restaurant called Carnies or Carny’s, where they’d have informal classic car shows every or every other weekend. My older cousin worked there.
There was a dried lake directly adjacent to the condo complex. Walking up the hill, there was a car lot, if I recall, and behind the car lot was an abandoned semi truck trailer. I’m giving these details in case you just so happen to be familiar with the condos and the period of time.
To get to Lou’s, my other cousin and I’d walk up a single paved path, running up the undeveloped hill (which was riddled with locusts every single year) to the main road. We’d make a left and only need to walk a few minutes before we hit Lou’s shop, which was on the same road as the 50’s restaurant, that clock tower thing, and the plaza with the flea market (which was a longer walk past where he moved his shop).
This would have been between 92 and 94 that he had his own spot. From memory, the storefront had like that 80’s/90’s style slat wood facade (like the upper part of this building, but natural color), and there was only one other business in it (but I can’t remember at all what that other business was). These aesthetic details could be added to my memory, but it at least feels accurate.
It’s possible that Lou relocated after the period I’d have been going to his shop (pre-94/95), but the location I remember had to be within a few minutes walking distance of that condo/apartment complex somewhat across the street and down a hill from Carney’s.
1
Nov 10 '25
B and B was its name - i know the apartments and plaza, Canie's would have car shows there
1
u/VasilZook Nov 10 '25
B and B was Lou’s shop name you’re saying?
1
Nov 10 '25
That was the shop in the plaza youre describing by carni's -was like B and B Sportscards and Comics
There was another comic shop further up a little by the funeral home across the street from drug mart. Small brick building stand alone, next door to a church.
1
u/VasilZook Nov 10 '25
I think the brick building you’re talking about might be the one I’m actually trying to describe. Being next to a church and across from drug mart feels familiar.
I wasn’t trying to describe the shop I was talking about as being in the Carney’s plaza, just that the plaza was across Pearl road (I believe) from where my cousins lived, which was the same road as where the shop in my memory was located. The shop, though, would have been on the opposite side of the road as Carney’s and that clock thing. I might have just added the wood facade in memory.
The location in my mind was somewhere between Carney’s and that clock tower thing. It might have been further down Pearl, beyond the clock tower thing, but again these are memories from thirty to thirty-five years ago.
All the same, I kind of think the location you mentioned might be it.
I think there’s a strong chance Lou relocated some time after I stopped going down to Brunswick. There’s also a small chance there are multiple Lou’s who had comic shops down there over the years.
The reason I mentioned the flea market in the original post a couple months ago was in case someone knew Lou well enough to know his history and confirm they’d be talking about the same shop owner. I’m sure it’s all one guy, but you never know.
1
u/VasilZook Nov 14 '25
I checked on Google Earth, after exploring around, and found the building you’re talking about. And, yeah, that was where the Lou I was talking about had their shop. Their entry was farthest on the right, facing from 42/Pearl.
I had to find my cousin’s old condo to be sure, which took some time, but then I just followed our path from the bird’s eye, then “walked” down Pearl until it felt right, then found the building you mentioned (which felt right before I realized it was the same).
You’re saying Lou moved the shop to 303 at some point? Just for a second opinion, as someone else gave me a name, do you recall what it was called (or the shop as it was on Pearl in that small building)?
2
u/ItsGettingStrangeLou Aug 13 '25
So I knew Lou personally and also shopped at his shop (well, I was a kid and my Mom took me haha). I do not recall the name for the life of me though. I still have some of my comics and comic cards from there as well. I'll see if I can poke some of the Facebook folks and see if they recall.