Continuing this discussion from another thread.

According to DIAMOND COMICS, the USA's largest (and pretty much only) comic book distributor has around 3000 accounts around the country. But is this an accurate number?

It's a difficult number to truly pin down. How many physical comic hook stores truly exist in the USA?

Please feel free to vote in the poll, and add any links to back up your vote and/or your opinion and invite those to share in the discussion!

Thanks!

Now is this just strictly comics (to include gaming and other comic related material) or can it include used book stores that also carry comics? Just want to clarify.

Do not believe even Diamond would be objectionable to
keeping an account open after a B&M store is closed as
long as you never have a hiccup with your bill.
As tight as the market is on the distributor/dealer
end, dismissing business possibilites for any reason
is goofy.

What about places like Hastings and Barnes & Noble? Are they getting their books from Diamond or another distributor? I've asked at the local locations but the staff don't know... I do not consider either to be a "comic shop".
Where does Toys R Us get theirs? My local store has a fairly good sized funny book section, but they're almost a month behind on "new" stuff.

Im certain diamonds accounts include internet shops and flea market stores also.

Where I live I can drive 45-60 minutes in any direction and hit a brick and mortar comic book speciality shop that offer new issues.

There are quite a few permanent comic/collectable shops (mostly in antique shops or flea markets) in that same radius that have huge back issue stock but, do not have diamond accounts.

For the purpose of this poll, we consider a brick and mortar comic shop to be any physical comic book store which orders new comic books, games or any other product on a regular basis from Diamond Comics Distributors.

Both good questions and ones I honestly don't know the answers to. I'm almost positive that HASTINGS has a DIAMOND account because they carry the PREVIEW magazine for customers to order from...however, TRU and B&N are a different story.

the only two barnes and nobles ive been in didn't have comic books, just graphic novels which would lead me to believe they don't have a diamond account. atleast the two ive been in

when waldenbooks was around in my area they had a spin rack with comics but they all closed down.

I vote on 1984 jelly beans in the jar.

Yeah, the Hastings (actually a TradeSmart, but same thing) here even has a subscription service for customers.

Two of the B&N in the area have rather large funny book sections, most of the others have only a few titles or none at all.
I'm wondering if B&N and TRU don't get theirs from regional magazine distributors like Harrisburg News, Newport, etc.

I know that within a 20 mile radius of my house there are at least 6 Brick and Mortars:

Velocity Comics - My personal favorite. Patrick is totally awesome.

Stories - 3 locations, great selection. Nice people.

Dave's Comics - Dave is basically Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons.

Nostalgia Plus - Don't bother.

Expand that radius to 60 miles and you can add a dozen more from Fredericksburg, Charlottesville, Staunton, Roanoke, Newport News, Norfolk, Warrenton, etc.

So I'm thinking that the state of Virginia alone probably has 20-25 shops, possibly more?

I'd bet that Hastings (or anyone) who orders their own variant covers has a Diamond account. So, I'd say yes to Hastings but probably no to TRU & B&N. Even though the B&N's and TRU's around me have comics.

I choose 1800-2000 because even if there are 3000 accounts, I'd bet there are a bunch of inactive accounts and non B&M retailers out there. Heck, ComicsCastle is a non-B&M here on CCL. How many other CCL stores are online only? And that doesn't even begin to count the other internet only stores.

Wish I could say the same about NJ. It seems like at least half (possibly 75%) of the stores in Northern NJ have closed in the last 5-7 years.

You got the stash

Barnes and Nobles offer newsstand editions, so they don't have a Diamond account.

If Toys R Us are a month behind, the same is true for them.

I bet there is at least 3000 in the entire country. However up here in Maine I can only think of 5 in the entire state. But.. this is Maine.

Well theres around 15 comic book stores near me between pinellas, pasco and hernando counties here in florida

Maybe a new poll... How many of the "210,218 Users" are bots?

I would guess, "A lot" but at least we don't have to worry about that one anymore!

Let's see how things have changed in 7 years.

Stories closed two of their locations, including the best one. Dave's closed not long after he died. If Nostalgia Plus is the one in Willow Lawn, that got new owners and a new name.

One shop not on the list is Richmond Comix is on Midlothian Turnpike, almost at 288. That's my go-to shop for taking my kid to FCBD.