In The Hood: July
Gaming Traffic
To keep a steady flow of customer traffic, both of his stores host gaming events for the general public. The Roseville location offers four to six events per day, while the Sacramento location hosts three to four sessions per week. The events draw crowds of all ages, and, Peets says, offer social and other values for kids.
“A lot of kids don’t have great social skills or discipline,” he comments. “Here, they have to adhere to the rules of the store and learn how to get along.”
Sanctioned tournaments are another attraction and involve keeping track of players’ points and reporting them back to the company that markets the game. “Last year, someone playing in our Roseville store won $1,000. Participants can win up to $100,000 if they make it to a national event,” he says.
Peets credits his knowledgeable staff for much of his success. “I couldn’t do it without good employees who treat customers in such a way they want to come back,” he says.
The best way to learn more about comics, he advises, is to talk to those who work in comic book shops. “We’re the best,” he says with a laugh, but he also recommends Comics & Collectibles and World’s Best Comics, both in Sacramento. Outside the area, Peets suggests Flying Colors in Concord, Comic Relief in Berkeley and Heroes in Campbell, near San Jose.
Overcoming Odds
Not unlike a character in a comic book, Peets has overcome the odds and grown a successful business in a competitive market. He plans to open two more stores in the next five years and expand his online sales.
Although he works about 75 hours a week and commutes from his home in Wilton, he hopes to cut that back and let his employees assume more active roles in running the stores and business. Meanwhile, his outlook for the overall comics market remains strongly positive.
About comics, he says, “We should all be thankful for any kind of material that gets kids to read.”
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