Don't get me started on owning a comic shop!
I was in the early process of starting a comic shop a few years ago...my plan was to make it less of a geeky place where no girl would ever come into, and more of a pop culture paradise. Here's my basic set up...
In the storefront windows:
A full size replica Storm Trooper, made to specs from the movie
(by the way, I know a guy who does props for major movies...and has TONS of molds)
Displays showing off graphic novels of Star Wars, Star Trek, Aliens and other sci-fi type franchises (mixed in would be indie sci fi, like A Distant Soil) and around that display on the inside of the store would be replicas from Star Trek, a Logans Run weapon, and other sci fi props...all of which for sale for top dollar.
Second window would have a life size replica of Iron Man, with all the latest movie stuff there...graphic novels and DVDs of superhero stuff, GI Joe, Transformers, Watchmen...any genre stuff that has immediate pop culture appeal
Between those, right in front, the concept was to feature movie tie ins, along with DVDs, on displays, along with similar graphic novels. So, in the very front would be a section with A History Of Violence, Sin City, Road To Perdition, along with things like 100 Bullets and Stray Bullets and other assorted things like The Shield.
Behind sci fi would be horror...The Dark Tower, all of the Vertigo stuff, Black Hole and I have tons of props from horror movies (like a replica Killer Clown From Outer Space, a Hellraiser cube, a murder ball from Phantasm...all kinds of cool stuff)
Behind that would be fantasy type stuff...and looping around to the Manga. This is where the door would be leading to a separate room with the Magic The Gathering type stuff. Nothing is more pathetic than entering a store and seeing losers sitting at a table playing cards. If anything keeps out new customers it is that (and the overall depressing vibe)
I'd also have a huge section of childrens titles viewable from the Iron Man window. Archie, Donald Duck, Bone, Patty Cake...all of that stuff...with cartoon DVDs as well, maybe a selection of toys and other trinkets for kids. Perhaps some animation cells to display, since all of my displays were to have movie props or something cool/high dollar to check out. That could lead into the teen oriented stuff, and end up at the Manga started on the other side.
So...unlike every comic shop I've ever been in...the first thing you see would be general audience items...things that would cause the average person to walk in...not walk away.
The endcaps inside the store would ALL be indie comics. Strangers In Paradise, Hepcats, Exit...all things that would appeal to adults (particularly women).
Then, you have superheroes in the back of the store. Why??? For a very simple reason that no comic shop ever thinks of...superhero fans WILL find you. Fans of comic shops WILL visit your store if they are nearby to check out what you have. They will NEVER decide not to come in because the store doesnt look geeky and desperate enough. Meanwhile, by putting the superheroes in the back, you are inviting the average person who doesnt read comics to come in and browse.
I of course invested in a ton of artwork and movie props and all sorts of rad stuff for the superhero section. I have Batarangs and little props from Daredevil and other assorted things...
I had amassed tons of high dollar items to stock the store, had a place picked out to do it...and the economy hit the skids...so we decided not to open the store because the economy is just not in a place to support a new place with no customer base like that at the moment.
I was kind of bummed, since I'm kind of sick of what I do for a living and have been looking to get out of the music business.
