Ryvre von Doom

this is exactly what Starbucks did in the 90s and 00s, and it’s why so many amazing (and late-night!) coffee shops in Chicago are long gone

A map of Hyde Park, a neighborhood in Chicago. Indie bookstores are marked with blue pins. From north to south: Call & Response, First Aid Comics, 57th Street Books, Powells, Seminary Co-op, Build Coffee and Books, and Da Book Joint. There is a red pin representing an upcoming Barnes & Noble closest o First Aid, Powells, and 57th Street Books

The B&N opening in Hyde Park is in the middle of three Black-owned indies -- Call & Response, Da Book Joint, and Build Coffee and Books.

I'm not 100% on this, but I think that's around half of Chicago's Black-owned indies with permanent locations. (there are a couple popups)

A map of Chicago with a few yellow pins representing chain bookstores and red pins representing new Bars & Nobles. All red pins are comfortably far from yellow pins.

They seem to be staying clear of other chains like Books a Million and Half Price Books (in yellow)

A map of Chicago with a large cluster of blue pins representing indie bookstores along the lake and in Oak Park. Red pins, representing new Bars & Nobles, are in the densest blue clusters

The CEO of Barnes & Noble says they aren't hurting indies, but in Chicagoland they're exclusively opening near independent bookstores. I threw together a map. Blue pins are indies, red pins are new B&Ns (recent and upcoming)

Map here: indiebooks.nerdychicago.com

(I'm pretty sure I've owed a few people responses for months, and why yes I do stress about that every single day. But I don't have time to go back and figure out what I missed until after Christmas)

I try to respond to everything, but emails are a much lower priority than actually running the store. And responding to the small vendors that I want to stock and GMs who want to run games is going to take priority over strangers who want to use my store to help them advertise!

People can be absolutely wild! A man seems to be melting down because I didn't respond to his email fast enough over a December weekend. When I had one of my biggest events of the year.

A wooden chest decorated as a Dungeons & Dragons-style “mimic,” with teeth, eyes, a red tongue, and a green dragon head on the front. The chest is open, showing a teeth and a hint of a tongue. Under the chest, there are shelves stocked with Narcan boxes, harm reduction supplies, and other small items.

Two boxes of Narcan nasal spray (naloxone HCl 4mg) on a shelf. The boxes contain two single-dose nasal spray devices for emergency treatment of opioid overdose.

A close-up of a basket with packets labeled “WiseBatch Harm Reduction,” containing individually wrapped test strips. Signs indicate three types: benzodiazepine, xylazine, and fentanyl single-use test strips.

Have you noticed this new friend in our Art & Community space? It's a Care Cubby stocked to help you care for yourself and your community!

Our Care Cubby was made by the @trashgoblins.bsky.social, because goblins believe in mutual aid. 💚

I'm on a little crusade today. If you want to help me yell about AI art harming real artists in a very direct way, please amplify!

Faire is actively working to grow their presence in the book market, and I think there's a good chance some pressure could get them to add some sort of AI policy.

A person in a mushroom costume holding a plush bat

Two people in costume looking at a book

A few pics from our larp, Fallen London: Ouroboros, at GenCon 🐍🪞

if you know anyone who is like “speed cameras are fine, just don’t speed” remind them that any time we give cops the ability to search us extrajudicially, they’re gonna fuckin do it

It's taking all my willpower not to spam the store's bluesky with vampire pics

A pin that says "All Vampires Are Gay" on a picture of a Nosferatu from Vampire the Masquerade

A ticket opened up for our Fangs Gallery larp tomorrow! A player is sick, and he's making the responsible decision to protect everyone's health by staying home.

More info about the game: goblinmkt.com/fangs

If I could just not be sick, that would be amazing. It's been pretty constant since Christmas, and I'm so tired.

It’s your moral duty to stop the Gestapo from grabbing people on the streets.

AND ALSO WITH YOUSE

American pope?!?!

FCBD at Laser Church!

Okay, I wasn't expecting outright fraud. What exactly was the plan here?

If you are in line to own Diamond Comics Distributors stay in line!

I wish! I couldn't make it work between Indie Bookstore Day and FCBD. That's a great view!

Right now, kids are having fun in a place that was rightfully meant for cars! And how can you ignore the plight of the poor income-less parking meters? Lincoln Ave hasn't faced a threat this grave since the great Welles Park Baseball Lights Wars.

Such a busy day, and we're so tired! Highlights later. I kept notes so I wouldn't forget!

Give these shops some love on Free Comic Book Day!

A Chicago skyline with Mothman flying over it and the words: Free Comic Book Day Comic Shop Crawl Comix Revolution Evanston Dark Tower Lincoln Square Dark Tower Logan Square First Aid Hyde Park First Aid Little Italy Howling Pages Goblin Market Third Coast Comics Saturday May 3

Free Comic Book Day Pre-Party at DMen Tap with a carved pic of Krampus

Costumes Encouraged in cursive surrounded by polaroid pictures of people in superhero costumes

Celebrate Free Comic Book Day with a citywide adventure through Chicago’s nerdiest comic shops. Snag free comics, collect stamps, and earn exclusive challenge coins (and serious bragging rights).

Here’s how to join the crawl: comiccrawl.nerdychicago.com

I'm increasingly convinced satire isn't just dead but it's dying act was to lock us all in Hell.

But every now and then someone comes out with something this good and I think it might not actually be dead.

participating in an organized boycott – not a haphazard, individual one – of a company as large as microsoft will always pose complex questions on a long enough timescale. but skipping the oblivion remaster weeks after bds declared microsoft a priority target? easy. a complete no brainer

Bro they lobotomized your aunt

Francis appointed almost 80% of the cardinal electors, so it's unlikely that it will swing too conservative. Tagle is the presumed frontrunner that I'm hoping for. Or Zuppi, but he seems less likely to me.

In a couple years, you'll get married in Goblin Market's community space and mothman will perform the ceremony. You'll get that first free comic you read together slabbed and graded for your paper anniversary. It comes back at a 4.2, a reminder that you're very good despite some moderate defects.