1. Books With Pictures 99 W. Broadway C, 541-485-1048. Books-with-Pictures-Eugene.Myshopify.com.
2. Radar Toys 3061 W. 11th Ave., 541-515-6459. RadarToys.com.
3. Nostalgia Collectibles 1280 Charnelton St., 541-484-9202. NostalgiaCollectiblesEugene.com.
Opening their doors two weeks before the pandemic shutdown in spring of 2020 was not ideal, but Books With Pictures — Eugene Weekly’s 2021 Best Comic book store — not only survived, the business finally found some equilibrium.
“We’ve been growing steadily since last summer, with a bit more speed since this spring,” says Andréa Gilroy, owner and operator of the shop located at 99 West Broadway. What sets BWP apart, according to Gilroy, is that two out of the three employees have a college education in comic books — literally.
“We’re passionate, not just about helping folks find what they want, but helping folks learn more about comics in general,” she says. “If someone is interested in an art style, or a character, we love talking more about these things.”
“Most importantly,” she continues, “we believe that representation is really important, and that comics fandom should be a safe and welcoming space, so we take care to stock books that appeal to folks who are often left out of traditional nerd spaces,” including women, kids, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ individuals.