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Diamond Comic Distributors has announced the nominee for their Best Practice Awards Summer 2016 for comic book retail merchant , in the categories of Best Toys plane section , Best Interior Signage , Best Window Display , Best New Comics , and Best Staff Motivational Program .
Winners will be announce at San Diego Comic Con , retail merchant voting ends on July 12th .
Best Toy Section
Toys Ink – Tucson , AZ
Toys Ink has been topically operated for 5 year inside the Tucson Mall , in Tucson , AZ . As a family possess business , Toys Ink started off as a collectable toy store before they decided to bring in amusing leger . The comic Bible dower of the store has lento been grow and now that Toys Ink is the only CGC member in Tucson , it will stay on to produce . However toys have and will always be the main focus of the fund . We are always grease one’s palms collections and seek the internet for items that costumers are request . The store is always changing to lodge all the young product that comes into the store . On our Facebook , there are at 3 - 4 postings a hebdomad of new product that issue forth along with costume made item made by our gifted artist . There is always something unexampled to look and a great way to kill clip if your waiting for your railcar to get fixed at the Sears , which is right-hand next door .
Comikaze and Games – Goodyear , AZ
For starters we are a humble comic shop here in Goodyear AZ . We carry a wide of the mark mixed bag of Action Figures , Pops ! , new and back egress comics book , as well as hot toys and sideshow payable statues . We endeavor to remain on top of our inventorying to observe what toys and comics are hot on the market place and we try on to ensure we have them in gillyflower for our customers . Also if a customer would expect us a particular point that we do not have , we would check that to order it so that when the next person that is interested in the same item we would have it available for leverage .
POP ! Store – Italy
We prefer very cautiously the products we are going to sell . Then we categorize them fit in to : type of toy ( action figure , statue , establish set … ) , age range of a function ( tyke , teenager , grownup gatherer ) and date of first arrival ( new products will get the exterior screen ) .
With these notions in mind , we decide which one among our different covering solutions and shabu displays in our shop is the practiced selection for every production .
Space Cadets Collection Collection – Oak Ridge North , TX
We have roughly 2500 square feet of storey space dedicated to toys and collectable . We arrange directly from Neca , Funko , Tomy , Goldiblox , and indirectly from Mattel and Hasbro . We have a buyer that journey to Japan for very unequaled items . We also have items from 500 consignors representing 5 state which rounds out our vintage toy dog aggregation .
mirthful and Figure Addicts – Union City , CA
Comic & figure addicts carries a full variety of toys . From new to vintage chassis . We carry dissimilar brand name from hasbro , Mattel , Neca , mezco , raging toy and dozens others . We trade new in box figures as well as loose ones . That ’s why we believe that we have one of the undecomposed toy selection around .
Viera Comics – Melbourne , FL
Best Interior Signage
Lauderdale Comics – Fort Lauderdale , FL
Lauderdale Comics is a brand new store , opened to begin with this month , in Downtown Fort Lauderdale , Florida . We are the area ’s only Comics Lounge , offering comics , toy , collectible and Japanese snacks along with hatful of well-to-do seating – plus a java and bubble tea measure ! We are a good space for people of all suasion , and are fully trained to be autism - well-disposed . Our midland signage is a built - out bench - and - merchandise unit , with our local hero , Lauderdale Man , emblazoned on one paries , and his nemises on the opposite side . Derek Garcia , a local artist , make and hand paint the inner signage .
All Star Comics – Oklahoma City , OK
We wanted a way of aid direct customers to different field of our storage . We originally had signs for DC , Marvel , and independent comics , but the signs were very bland and did n’t really have a fun feeling to them . We had a local artist make three dimensional wooden signs for the unlike areas using the dissimilar companies Son . DC , Marvel , Boom , Image , IDW , and more are find out on the rampart above their title of respect . This helps client find the areas they are looking for . The kids section has it ’s own signage with character from Teen Titans Go . When kids see the signboard it draws them to the area where age appropriate stuff can be found .
Space Cadets makes certain that all of our signage is impress and none is manus - write . This assures that it is legible and that easy to see . It also look much more professional . We have isle signs marking our plaything sections , signs marking our unlike publishers , peculiar displays and more .
Dragons ’s Lair Comics and Fantasy – Austin , TX
Here at Dragon ’s Lair Comics and Fantasy ® we love using our interior signage for a variety of design ; from take our customers to elevate products or events and celebrating our manufacture they provide a great room to assist customers even when we ’re not physically interacting with them . We make most of our interior signs in star sign , but also apply banners and posters provided by our vendors . the great unwashed that just want to browse and nonchalantly check out the store are cater with all the info they need to know how to successfully sail our store , and they ’ll be tempt to buy capital product all along the manner !
Perhaps the most important look of our upcountry signage is how we apply it to direct our customer and keep the show of our store updated , topical , and most importantly entertaining and fun ! Every calendar month we change our endcap signs to feature upcoming comic events such as Rebirth or Secret Wars , employee recommendations , creator spot , universal subject suggestion such as " Teenage Team - Ups " , and " Where Do I bulge ? " feature which point fresh readers in the right direction for popular characters . The melodic theme are endless and we ’ve find that they are a tremendous manner to bestow attention to old and newfangled books alike that may fall into reconditeness on the shelf .
Events are a huge part of Dragon ’s Lair Comics & Fantasy ® , from book clubs to creator signings , Free Comic Book Day or Friday Night Magic we advertise our events with sign inside the storage at our registry and in the bathrooms . Every event has its own table arriere pensee sign customized for the event . The display face by our gaming table is devoted to our focus at the current time ; right now we ’re featuring information about our annual summer inner circle ! It ’s another way we keep the fund updated and fresh , and give the ( correct ) impression that we always have something take place . Dragon ’s Lair also use interior signage of our own making to serve our customers sail the fund . Whether it ’s informing them about laughable evaluation , how to find a product they ’re looking for , which posters are available for sale or store policy we attempt to keep them bright , eye contracting , and entertaining ! By guiding our customer with friendly and informative mansion , we ’re providing passive customer religious service that really goes a long way in creating an inviting and opened atmosphere in Dragon ' s Lair Comics & Fantasy ® .
Heroes Comics and Gaming – Louisville , KY
We sour long and hard to create an attractive and cohesive theme for our storehouse and this is speculate in our signage . All areas of the store are clearly marked with professionally printed signage for customer convenience .
1st Edition Comics – Peachtree City , GA
We have found a great sign to direct our client to our product while assert our theme and aesthetical . It is both center - arrest and functional . to boot our logo is a tender greeting as our clients enter the store . We use it for promotional reasons and is also a great way to advertise right when clients enter the store and is easily seeable from the outside .
Best Window presentation
We render to stay on top of our inventory to maintain what toys and comics are hot on the securities industry and we try out to ensure we have them in breed for our customers . Also if a customer would postulate us a particular point that we do not have , we would ensure to order it so that when the next person that is interested in the same item we would have it usable for purchase .
Dragon ’s Lair Comics and Fantasy – Austin , TX
windowpane displays are a corking way to give passersby and nonchalant shoppers a reason to enter your store ! We love using our displays to drum up stake around approaching events , celebrating novel freeing and show the miscellany of ware we hold .
It ’s not just about sport ( although we have a ton of it with these displays ) ! It ’s also about indicative merchandising and silent customer avail . Before even accede our store for the first time , customers in particular have their expectations set by these displays , and those expectations both include the atmosphere of the entrepot and the products we have available . This ambiance is in particular honest and crucial around the holiday shopping period , and we put together a fantastic holiday display every December that showcases all the great opportunities for gift giving Dragon ’s Lair Comics & Fantasy ® has useable . Our display are entertaining , informatory and unique because that ’s the environs people find inside Dragon ’s Lair Comics & Fantasy ® !
We do n’t really do dedicated window displays , as we conceive in hold large unobstructed views of the interior of our store . It makes our core client basis , families , more easy to have an undetermined , inviting sentiment of the store inside .
Interstellar Comics – Palm Springs , CA
Interstellar Comic Books & Collectibles is locate in Downtown Palm Springs , CA . Downtown is the heart of local businesses in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley . Interstellar is the first Comic Book store in Palm Springs in 20 years since opening on December 17th , 2015 . With Palm Springs being located in the centre of the Sonoran Desert , most construction are painted in tangent and John Brown to match the fence environment of the Coachella Valley . But at Interstellar we decided against the position quo and our store had to capture the exhilaration of comic books as soon as any passer-by sees us . The bright cerise frame was chosen to contrast extremely with the dismal blue of the interior walls , and the memory board ’s logo was color cope with to reflect that as well , with not only the banner fill the center of the gravid window , but also our alternate orthogonal logo hanging from the building sideway blade . Both of our substitute signs also showcase the focal stop of the logotype , the Interstellar Rocket Ship . The bright logo on the window is distinct and hard to miss , giving the power to see it from a space . The right helping hand side of the threshold displays our Ne open mark . On our room access , we have our hour of byplay and a sign of the zodiac that reads " Marvel sell Here , " with popular character , Iron Man , to make it readable that we are an establishment licensed to betray Marvel product . A glass cubical exhibit was station to show off most of our product , such as action figure , and Funko Pop figures , mugs , lunchboxes , and more which disembowel the aid of tourists . The drinking glass ledge also provide a modern esthetic to our window display , by giving the allusion of more infinite and allowing the product to shine . Above the windowpane , customers can reckon a row of comics from different eras , showing our true essence as a comic book store . From the outside , you ’ll see one our three large racks of laughable books , filled with our best sellers , Marvel Comics . In a individual coup d’oeil , customer understand what Interstellar is about before they even enter the store . In the first few months that Interstellar has been in Palm Springs , we have see a notably tumid stake in comic Koran , and we hope to before long be a staple fibre in the comic book residential district and Downtown Palm Springs .
Comic Quest – Lake Forest , CA
Each holiday time of year we endeavor to add many comic related to touch sensation to the store . Twisting vulgar vacation items into superintendent - heroes . One of the chief examples is our windows . We string hundreds of tree ornament to make famous superhero symbols such as the Batman logotype , Superman logo and Spider - man . Using ornaments to make pixel - art version of illustrious symbols .
Since they are in the window they can be seen from the street as well as shopping in the store . append a vacation vibration , but still keep with our comic roots .
Challengers Comics + Conversation – Chicago , IL
Our current windowpane display was design by Chris " Mini Marvels " Giarrusso , as homage to the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe covers . A group of Heroes ( from all publisher ) are excitedly running towards Challengers ' front door to get comics ! We gave Chris a list of characters we desire ( GrimJack , Zot , Power Pack , Doctor Who , etc . ) and he take the ease . With 72 ' of horizontal window space along our front bulwark , we really require a colourful , eye - catching showing to make challenger fend out to everyone passing by . Thanks to Chris G. , we are easily visible from the street , the nearby gearing platform and the exalted wheel trail a block aside . We also have street lamp flop out front , so our windows are interpret all dark . And best of all , Chris repeated our favorite Mini Marvels Daredevil joke . I wo n’t say what it is , but you ’ll know it when you see it …
And for Sidekicks , our all - ages tote up - on space , we reprocess old Challengers window art from Art Baltazar , Takeshi Miyazawa , Colleen Coover and Chris G. ( again ) . All of those pieces were also designed peculiarly for our window and we were happy to give them added purpose once our newer designs were put up
World ’s Coolest Comics and Toys – Greenville , NC
Why do we have the best window showing ? Because last April we installed window perf with the invention of some of today ’s most democratic risible ledger quality like Wolverine , Batman , Superman , Spider - Man , Harley Quinn and Deadpool . In improver , we also have 2 petty easter eggs on the left-hand window as there are two small Ant - Mans included in the window perf . Besides looking great , the windowpane perf also protects the product inside the storehouse from sunlight and heat . The window perfs also keep the store nerveless even throughout the hot summer 24-hour interval .
So far , we have make tons of positive feedback from our customer , both new and old , and even from comic script artist and author who have seen it . Jeff Parker and Sandy Jarrell , who work at DC Comics and come as special guests for FCBD , love the fresh window excogitation . Also , Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner take in the new memory board windowpane design on Facebook and Twitter and were completely unrestrained about them . These unexampled windowpane designs have brought in lost of new customers who have seen them while driving down the streets .
We have windows that front the Rebecca West and the good afternoon sun and reflection from cars required covering the window . We placed posters in the windows , but they became sun discolourise and were not easily replace in some country . We want something the was appealing and could make our fund easily recognizable . We met with one of our customers who is a local artist and decided to paint the window with different laughable characters . This makes the store noticeable from the street where before you could not make out the post-horse now it is easy to see the dissimilar presentation . It also has rush a savings on air conditioning in the summertime time . We transfer the displays doubly a year and have had many compliments and requests on the windows . Parent take pictures of their fry in front of the window and we often here the child from the out side as they see their favorite fictional character .
in effect New Comics Section
We repose out our new comic book section in a very specific and dissimilar means . Because we want our customers not to just pick up the stigma new comics , but easily find recent back issue , our young comic book stand include all titles and issues from the last few month . We simply place the new comics in front of the single from the month before . Comics are organized by society and then in alphabetic order within the company . We also bag and room everything and mark the new comics for the week with a signal hanging in front of it . We also use attend foretoken in front of comedian to grade review and recommendation signs . We pick several book of account a week to set in our 100 % returnable subdivision . If our customers do n’t have it off them , they can fetch them back within 7 day and trade for a different comic .
Villainous Grounds – Perryville , MO
nefarious Grounds is a newcomer to the comic strip biz , having open in former 2016 . We spent 3 months renovating our 130 year honest-to-god building , transforming it into a coffee tree shop and comic book store . The 2nd story of our building domiciliate our strip along with other merchandise . The rooms up the stairs once housed a dentist post among other community businesses and we love the charm of the private vignettes . The front room overlook the town square and one plays home to our new comics division as well as our fry ’s comic recession . Vibrant and sport , we palpate this way is a great way to inaugurate each week ’s offerings . One commentary that we ’ve heard from several customer is that they like our layout and how gentle it is to find our new cartoon strip each week .
Perryville , MO is home to over 8,000 resident and until we open up , comic and coffee buff likewise had to drive nearly an hour to accomplish their needs . We ’ve premise many newfangled patrons to comics and they are coming back for more . With all the new comic book - ground movies come out , comic book graphic symbol have become mainstream and we comport not only funny rule book but a lot of other ware to entice those new patron .
When our client speak we listen and we ’re constantly ingest exceptional orders , fetch in the comic they want . We strive to provide a variety and also bring in a batch of newfangled # 1s . On average at least 50 new comics can be found each workweek gracing our shelves , along with $ 1 comic strip to quicken the appetite . nefarious Grounds also gets Tuesday deliveries so that when we open at 6 am on Wednesdays those new comic are on the shelf and waiting to be translate
Our whole wall of comedian is a New Release bulwark ! We maximise our selling chance and sport many new Scripture by countenance a large bit of titles to be go out . Those that are raw are marked by a splitter with a description . Our options admit :
While we are a new store and still growing , we believe we have some marvelous practice in place that will keep to grow and carry us through many years to do !
Best Staff Motivational Program
Pulp 716 : Coffee and Games – Lockport , NY
Employee benefits :
1 ) say at least one comic or tpb per shift , while on the clock .
2 ) Unlimited give sickish prison term . If you ’re sick , you need not vex about losing pay . That being say , we only had a sum of 4 sick of hour used for our intact staff of ( 15 employees ) in the preceding year . People do n’t call in tired of when they love their job .
3 ) Paid clip for ferment with children with reading handicap : We bear our staff to sit with tiddler , once per calendar month , to help them read strip 1 on 1 . We call it the POWer Reader Group .
4 ) Cosplay everyday if you want to ! fall apart whatever you want ! Employees get creative , client fall in in the fun .
The results : Happy employees make the customer experience unforgettable . We propel our staff to have fun . Happiness is contagious !
Space Cadets has many ways in which we actuate our employee .
1 ) We leave our employee to give out deservingness awarding to fellow employee that they name . These merit awards are given as talent certificates .
2 ) During the holiday we had a " Bingo " card with unlike items that employees could sell and mark off . If they filled out the entire Bingo circuit card , they received $ 10 . When they fill one bill of fare , they could begin another with no bound .
3 ) As owner , Jen King , often use what she calls " Happy Random Bonus Day " . The reason for the fillip are not random . The bonus is tailored to the employee . For example , if she go through that an employee really would love a special comedian but has no money in their budget for it , she might give it to them as a bonus for their hard work .
4 ) Space Cadets also allow its employees to tick out comics and swap for a 24 time of day period of time and render them ( as long as they return undamaged ) . This allows them to read far more than they might otherwise be able to open .
5 ) We also take our employees out to reward days . We take all the employees and their syndicate to Star Wars Episode VII .
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