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Stories and photos by
Lauren Vanderdeen

back childhood memories

elling nostalgia has sustained Golden Age Collectables
S for nearly four decades.

Patrick Shaughnessy, the owner of the comic book shop
which has operated at Granville Street since 1979, said a
major selling point is the nostalgia brought on by collectibles
and comic books.

“People get patterned at youth, for the things that they
enjoy the most,” said Shaughnessy. “A lot of people see some-
thing [in the store] that they saw or remember, things they
heard about and couldn't get when they were younger.”
Shaughnessy said regular customers return to the store for
“the old stuff, the new stuff and the in-between stuff.”

Nostalgia fuels
comics,store

v

Decades-old comic book store offers collectibles that bring

Ashley Sparrow has been coming to Golden Age Collect-
ables for over 10 years. She’s been a fan of Star Wars since she
was two years old. For Sparrow, the science fiction universe
reminds her of childhood.

“T've had Star Wars action figures since I was probably four
or five,” Sparrow said.

Shaughnessy said the interest in comics and collectibles has
developed through the decades.

“When I started in business you were an oddball if you
came in here, and now it's almost like you're an oddball if you
don't come in here,” he said. “It's become such a relevant part
of our culture, what people enjoy.”

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Shehata said the bodega’s combination of hip-hop culture and
variety of snacks offers something for all customers. “I feel like
anyone can come here and just walk out with something.”

Henry Nguyen has been a regular at Lucky’s for the past three

nic. months. He said he frequents Lucky’s for a specific strawberry

s, a shortcake ice cream bar.

Aart, “Ice cream trucks are kind of not around anymore,” Nguyen said.
the “WhenI found out this place had it, I was like, this is awesome.”

yhere Voss said with the community’s support, the new bodegas that

gas. saw success during the pandemic will be here to stay.

u're He said that sourcing and importing these exotic snacks was

challenging last year. The business saw the cost of shipping

pally containers rise from $1,500 to $15,000.

ttes. “It definitely was a challenge,” Voss said. “But we believe that

vides if we can survive in the pandemic, that we'll be OK for the non-

res. pandemic times as well.”

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Patrick Shaughnessy, owner of Golden Age Collectables, reads a comic at his store on Granville Street. | AUREN VANDERDEEN PHOTO

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