Thursday, March 29, 2007  
Gemini Jetpack to Close

:: Posted by Bryan @ 3/29/2007 12:30:00 AM
Business Opportunity

Video rental, comic, gaming, collectable store, located in the heart of University population. Unique market, constant source of fresh traffic combined with a large existing client base of approximately 3000 customers. If you're looking to purchase a high traffic, evolving, friendly business, this is your chance. All store fixtures, product, till, computers, televisions and client base come with sale.

Contact 1-519-***-**** and leave message for a return call.


via Tom Spurgeon comes word that comic shop Gemini Jetpack is closing its doors.

I've driven by this store many times but it was only when I found a list of Canadian locations participating in 24 Hour Comics Day that I realized it was a comic book store. Unfortunately, I still haven't been inside. Located in Waterloo, on the main drag (King Street, the massive main street that is shared by Waterloo and Kitchener), and just a block from Wilfred Laurier University, Gemini Jetpack bills itself as a "pop culture" store and specializes in anime sales & rental, manga and comics, and gaming (trading cards and role-playing). The store was founded over 5 years ago by Jason Vilon & Wendy Reyn and seems to have made efforts to develop a community of manga fans and gamers. According to a statement on the store's website, Gemini Jetpack will be closing April 28 due to (from what I can make out) poor sales and some poor business decisions. As Tom notes, it's an interesting statement.

Anyway, good luck to the owners and best wishes.

-----
What with the recent problems experienced by Now and Then Books, and now Gemini Jetpack, I'm beginning to think Kitchener-Waterloo has too many comic book stores, really finicky comics readers, or is fast turning into a vast, comic book-hating wasteland. Hard to believe, since Waterloo is the nerd capital of North America in addition to being (or because it is) a hi-tech juggernaut/boomtown. Is it possible that, in an area home to over half a million people, there are not enough manga-readin', superhero-lovin', Magic-the-Gathering-playin', who's-stronger-arguin', anime-watchin', graphic-novel-buyin' cognoscenti to keep these shops afloat? Have regular grown-up bookstores and video outlets usurped the place of the traditional direct market comic book store?

Kind of makes me want to start a "Golden Triangle Comic Shop Cadaver Derby."

What's left:

Blaine Thurdlow (Kitchener)
Lookin' for Heroes (Kitchener)
J & J Cards and Collectibles (Waterloo)
Carry-On Comics (Waterloo)
Retrorocket (Cambridge)
The Dragon (Guelph)

any more?

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