Matt Fraction talks about good comic book stores:

Comics retailing ain’t easy; it’s a calling. The ones who do it well are a rarity for a reason and I respect the hell out of them. It demands a drive and dedication and talent that come in short supply. But when the stars align there’s nothing that makes me happier than a great comic book store. Wherever they are and whomever they’re run by, a great store is the difference between a browser and a reader, between a tourist and a lifer.

A store is a store, and its customers are transitory; a great store fosters readers for life. Last summer, I was a guest at HeroesCon, the annual convention Shelton puts on. It was my first time at that show since I left town a decade ago, and my first time there as a working professional. And I saw a dozen folks I remembered from back in the day, still reading books week in and week out, still regulars hooked on a weekly habit. There was something– I don’t want to say profound, because words like that should be saved for actual profundity– but meaningful to me, seeing that phenomenon in person. A great store by virtue of being great protects and fosters its customers.

Over on The Engine, posters use this as a jumping off point to compile a list of great stores.

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