He almost had to close his store because of COVID. How Columbus stepped up
What do Superman, Batman, Spider-Man and Wonder Woman have in common?
They all are among the comic book superheroes that allow Patrick Robinson to pursue his passion for the genre while making a living selling comics to those who love them.
Robinson, who goes by “Pat” for short, has owned Columbus Comics, formerly the Columbus Book Exchange, since 1980. The business, which dates to the 1960s, has had several names, including Stanley’s Book Shelf and 12th Street Bookstore. It also has been highly mobile, moving from downtown Columbus to Wynnton Road in midtown in the 1990s before venturing north to Hamilton Park Drive, where it operates today.
“We sell mostly comic books, graphic novels and such,” Robinson told the Ledger-Enquirer. “I just try to service the readers. I’ve always enjoyed comic books, novels and science fiction.”
But the last year has been challenging for Columbus Comics and its owner.
It’s a small, local business that was not exempt from the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses depend on foot traffic, and the decreasing of it already has closed several Columbus businesses since the start of 2021.
Those challenges escalated recently, when Robinson contracted the virus. But thankfully for the small business owner and his passion project, the public stepped up to help.
A call for help
Robinson couldn’t receive any new comics for a large period of 2020 due to shipping restraints from suppliers caused by COVID-19. So, he relied heavily on customers purchasing back-issue comics that were on the shelves. He also runs an eBay extension of the store.
Robinson had to close the shop temporarily while he quarantined after testing positive for the virus on Jan. 4.
He quickly realized that even while customers stopped flowing into the store, his bills didn’t cease.
Robinson set up a GoFundMe page “out of desperation,” where individuals could help him cover the bills.
“When I was told that I had to quarantine for two weeks, I said, ‘Oh my gosh,’” Robinson said. “Because I still have existing bills and people are still expecting product, and I can’t be open to sell it to them.”
Robinson still had to manage expenses such as rent, inventory and utilities.
He estimated that $6,000 would be enough to cover expenses while the shop stayed closed. He wrote on the GoFundMe page that any amounts donated by regular customers could be applied to purchases when the shop reopens.
His customers, past and present, stepped up.
As of Tuesday morning, $4,519 has been raised. Eighty-two people have donated in 12 days, in amounts ranging from $5 to $300. Robinson said he received donations from customers who no longer lived in Columbus but still follow his shop on Facebook.
“People have been very kind to me,” Robinson said. “This has been a very humbling experience. ... I already knew my customers were very loyal and very helpful, and the GoFundMe just reiterated that. I didn’t know what would happen, and I didn’t really know where else to turn.”
Hope for the future
Robinson’s shop faces challenges outside of the COVID-19 world as well, but he’s optimistic.
Demand for paperback books or comics looks different now compared to 50 years ago, with the rise of digital editions and services such as Amazon Kindle changing the comic industry.
The comic business, Robinson admits, is “nowhere near what it used to be.” People don’t read them as regularly anymore.
But Robinson hopes that as long as his shop provides what readers want the same way it has since its inception, it’ll stick around. And given how its customers stepped up their support when the owner needed it, Columbus Comics doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, anytime soon.
“I just hope to keep doing what I’m doing,” Robinson said. “I still love what I do.”
If you go
Hours: 10 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Saturday; noon - 4 p.m. Sunday.
Address: 6440 West Hamilton Park Drive, Suite B.
This story was originally published February 17, 2021 at 11:19 AM.
