It was 1991. I was 20 years old, filling up my ’84 Mustang at $1.12 a gallon (and still shocked gas had climbed past a buck). I had no clue what I wanted to be when I grew up — but I did know I wanted to run my own business. So that summer of ‘91, Main Street Comics was born.
MAIN STREET
COMICS
Since
Back then, we were called Main Street Hobbies. And being a comic fan? Definitely not mainstream. “Comic fan” basically meant nerd in a basement. Wearing a Batman shirt to school might earn you a one-way trip to a locker. That was the stereotype.
But word started to spread. Comic fans found us and kept coming back. They liked having a local shop where they could hang out, have fun, and actually feel welcome. Slowly but surely, the store became more than a business — it became a way of life. My life.
THEN COMICS STARTED BLOWING UP!
Suddenly, everyone and their mother was opening a comic book store. All the “baseball card guys” jumped in because hey, “there’s gold in them thar hills,” right? Shops were popping up on every corner. The market got saturated fast, and then the recession hit. Business got tough. I started questioning everything — the store, my ambitions, my future.
But here’s the thing: I never got into this for the money. So I stuck it out.
Then came a surprise savior: vintage Star Wars toys. [Cue the theme music.] Thanks to George Lucas and a wave of nostalgic collectors like me, they became the thing. For a few years, they were everything. I built up one of the largest collections around, and people came from all over the tristate area. It literally saved Main Street Comics. So yeah — thanks again, George.
Eventually, all those fly-by-night shops started to close, one by one. The ones left standing were originals — like us. And through all the ups and downs, our customers stayed loyal. I’ll never forget that. Without them, there is no Main Street Comics. And without the store, I’d be living a much different (and way less fun) life.
Fast forward to 2002 and the release of the first Spider-Man movie. Game-changer. It shifted the entire comic landscape. Comics weren’t “gimmicky” anymore. The writing got better. The characters felt real. Suddenly, being a comic fan was actually cool. And with that, the industry — and our business — started to grow.
“I have always included minority characters in my stories, often as heroes. We live in a diverse society—in fact, a diverse world, and we must learn to live in peace and with respect for each other.”
- Stan Lee
What I love most? The fans. The ones who’ve been with us since the beginning. The new ones discovering comics for the first time. The ones who call our store a “safe haven.” A place to hang out, be yourself, and geek out over the stuff you love. That’s what keeps us going. That’s what’s kept us going for over 3 decades.
That’s right — 30 years and counting! We’re proud to be the longest-running comic shop in New Jersey.
The world today is nothing like it was in 1991. And I couldn’t be prouder of how far comics have come. We went from VFW halls and closet readers to Comic-Cons drawing 100,000+ fans a weekend. Now comic fans are running the studios. The movies rule the box office. Comic tees are everywhere. It’s wild — and honestly, kind of amazing.
As for me, I’ve kept the same philosophy since day one: be honest, be kind, and treat everyone with respect. I think that’s why people stick with us. It’s not just about comics — it’s about community.
We see hundreds of regulars every week — all ages, all walks of life. Students, teachers, doctors, lawyers. Everyone’s welcome here.
So whether you’re new to the scene or a longtime collector… DC, Marvel, or indie all the way… stop by and check us out. We think you’ll love the selection, appreciate the prices, and feel right at home.
Looking for something? Just ask. Got a collection to sell? We’re always buying.
Hope to see you at the shop!
—Your friendly neighborhood comic shop owner
- Michael Pfeifer
