Rambling along with 204Comics

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/10/2021 (599 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

So, I have to admit I had never heard of 204Comics; however, it sounded just like the type of establishment I love to frequent. Or used to before my health failed me and COVID-19 made things even more complicated.

Ashley van Oeveren and his wife run the store and I sent my intro blurb in an email and the rest is journalism history…

So Ashley answered my email and some questions for me so, take it away Ashley:

“My wife and I are the owners of 204Comics; we have been at our current location (5-1549 St. Mary’s Rd.) for (six) months. We have one employee, Bobby, whose main role is developing our website/online store .”

I inquired whether any other family members were involved in the business and there aren’t. When I asked if this was their first location and if they had any other locations, Ashley said:

“This is our first location. Previous to this I had been buying and selling comics out of my home for 15 years as a side hustle/hobby.”

Do you have any other employees and do you have any plans to hire/re-hire post-pandemic if you had to lay off employees?

“We currently have one, Bobby, as mentioned previously, who has been with us for roughly a month or so. We are very fortunate to be in a situation where the pandemic was very positive for business. A lot of people have rekindled their relationship with comic books during this period, and it’s nice to have something positive to reflect on during this time.”

How did you come up with the name 204Comics?

“We just wanted to have a connection to the area, so using the 204 area code seemed like a great way to do this. Having lived here my whole life, it seemed to make sense to offer this ‘homage’ if you will.”

You offer a wide range of merchandise. Did this just evolve over the years?

“Comics have always been a big part of my life. It has evolved from reading and collecting, into a full-blown retail venture/passion project.”

Would you like to add any other interesting tidbits?

“I would just like to express gratitude by saying thank you to the area of St. Vital and the comic book community of Winnipeg. We have grown exponentially in a short amount of time, through an otherwise difficult situation in the pandemic, and our success is a direct result of the community coming out and supporting small businesses. It is an incredibly rewarding experience seeing young people getting into comic books; and, we are truly thankful for the people who have made 204Comics their local comic store.”

With that said, I get the sneaking feeling that I will be rambling off to 204Comics in the very near future…

Until then, I will be visiting them online at www.204comics.com

Weldon Rinn lives, writes, and enjoys living in St. Vital. He can be reached at weldonrinn2@gmail.com