Emerald City Comics Games Toys

Reviews 8

VI

Viet Huynh

TLDR Go check out this nerdtastic store. Great store to quench your inner (and outer geek). An expansive back issues section right in the middle (seriously ... holy rusted long boxes Batman), nice dedicated corner section for toys and figurines with pockets of them throughout the store, one corner for subscription pick up and admiring the vintage comics you cant afford, a nice looooooooooooooong wall for new comics Wednesday, back corner loaded with board games and other gaming supplies and then the front corner loaded with graphic novels and the growing kids section. Youll see how big it is when they update their store photo or when you read these reviews and decide to just come on in. The store has also been hosting events such as in store signings from the likes of comic professionals Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Connor and Darwyn Cooke, regular character themed days on Saturdays in combination with raffles and giveaways on new comic Wednesday and regular game nights with Heroclix, Pokemon and Pathfinder amongst others. They also made their first entry into the variant cover game with the recent Star Wars #1 with a GI Joe one to follow. Its evident theres an effort to connect more with the nerd/geek community and welcome those that may not be as engrossed in the culture. The overall experience has always been good. The staff has been great to me with suggestions, adjusting my subscriptions/ordering comics and making sure Ive found all the droids that Im looking for. My only real naysay is the loyalty/rewards card. I personally dont purchase many graphic novels or back issues so I feel like Im not getting anything in terms of rewards for being a subscription based customer. Maybe the program can be looked at to apply to all the other diverse customer base.

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SC

Scott Bierworth

Ive had nothing but good experiences in the 20+ years that Ive been shopping at Emerald City. The employees are friendly and knowledgeable, and unlike many comic shops, there is plenty of staff. Most places Ive gone have a skeleton crew and getting their attention can be hard. Emerald City seems to have several employees there at all times. The fact that there is very little turn around shows what a fun place it must be to work. The only thing close to negative (and thats a stretch) I can say about it is that the store can seem cramped even though it takes 4 full store fronts in the plaza. But, thats because they have so much stuff. They have games, toys, comics, apparel, posters, cards and other miscellaneous stuff. It seems like every nook and cranny is filled with stuff. To me, its a good trade off. Sure, it would be nice if it were roomier, but I would much rather have a store that had everything I could possibly want, staffed by helpful, friendly people than a store that had a more limited inventory and no one to help you. And, if what Ive heard is true, even that small impediment might be gone soon. :)

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NO

Noble Valerian

I have been here a couple times and they have an awesome selection of tabletop games and a massive selection of comics. They even have a section called "As seen on Tabletop" which I thought was pretty cool. The staff were very helpful and informative, as well as friendly. My only complaint is that things are cramped. Thats a double edged sword though, since its the plethora of stuff that makes it cramped. >>> To address some of the comments. If you go someplace with unrealistic expectations then you can expect to be disappointed. If you want online prices go online... then wait however long it takes (3 days to 2+ weeks) to get your product and HOPE its in the kind of condition you expect. Or... pay a little more to have it instantly and know exactly what you are getting. Doesnt that make sense? If the world becomes anymore "me-centric" we are all going to perish... and its gonna be a bit anti-climactic if you ask me.

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SH

Sharon Thacker

This is the place to go for WHATEVER you are looking for or even if you are not looking for anything in particular! Nothing bad can ever be said about this location - the staff is always more than helpful and you always get service with a smile. The prices are incredible and they always seem to have what I am looking for - even if I dont know what I am looking for in particular that day. They always let me know if there is something coming out that I may be interested in, they always give me recommendations for a new comic book that I didnt previously consider but thought I might like and they set aside all new comic issues that I want to purchase in a box so I can pick them up at my convenience. How awesome is that?! And what other comic book store would even offer this amazing service?! This is the best comic book shop in the Greater Tampa Bay Area!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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TW

Twinnie Buendia

Nicely laid out store. Huge selection and everything is very organized! Extremely friendly and helpful staff. I like that they actually interact with my son and expressed interest in what he was looking at instead of just ignoring us. So much to explore! Besides the comics, they had manga, graphic novels, books, board games, card games, t-shirts, collectible figures, and toys. Their used section is always worth a look. Ive scored some nice deals there. Sign up for their rewards card if you plan on coming back often to purchase items. After you buy 10 comics or graphic novels, you get a big discount on your next purchase. After purchase of 20 game or toy items, you get a discount. This has helped with many of our purchases. They host a ridiculous amount of weekly events and giveaways. Just follow their FB page to keep up. They do an incredible job of posting events and updating their page.

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ZA

Zach Kidd

I have a love-hate relationship with Emerald City Comics. I love everything in the store, and I hate that I cant afford to purchase, move, and store all of the inventory! This place is geek-tastic. With a knowledgeable, helpful, and appropriately geeky staff. Sure, you can (theoretically) pop in, take a peek, buy something, and leave. But you wont. There is an expansive collection of a wide variety of anything geeky. Go hit a Buddhist Temple and spend a few months meditating on restraint, impermanence, and avoiding attachments. Then drop by ECC. Youll still open your wallet and spend with abandon, because that talking Yoda says everything youve been practicing, and you cant go home without it. TLDR: Awesome geeky wares, bring money, leave happy.

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KE

Kevin Konkler

Ive been fan of DC movies, cartoons, and TV shows my whole life. In 2010, I decided that it was time to dive into DC comics. I had no clue what to look for, where to start, or what to get. These guys pointed me in the right direction in so many ways. They suggested which TPBs I needed to read to get caught up on lore, which comics were fun to read, and what issues were must-haves. Theyve always been super friendly and helpful. I docked them down to Very Good on appeal because its super cramped in there. But that just means they have that much more awesomeness to sell! Its all very well organized too. Very easy to find anything youre looking for. I highly recommend going to either of the Emerald City locations for all your comic/gaming/nerdy needs!

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NA

Nancy Egea

Very disappointed on their customer service and loyalty to their clients. Have been purchasing from them for the last 3 months straight, purchased a significant amount to the point that I am recognized when I come in. Today I purchased closed to 200.00 worth of silver age books and requested to speak to someone whom I might speak with regarding perhaps negotiating the purchase or at the very least could I get the 20% discount that I would have received had I come back to the store after 7:00pm. I work in Clearwater but live in north Tampa. Their respond was sorry, you could come back after 7:00pm. Very poor customer service, the attitude was Oh Well your lost since you cant come back. They will definately will not be getting anymore of my business.

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