I have been a loyal customer at OK Comics for over a decade.
Before I could even drive a car, I remember saving up my chore money for a once-a-month trip to the comic shop. It was a big deal back then, but I am happy to say it is still a big deal now! I do tend to go once a week instead of once a month, and every time I go I spend an hour or more just digging through the old comics looking for treasures. For two weeks in a row OK Comics has been closed due to a faulty HVAC system. I wouldn’t think that the air conditioning being out was cause enough to close the whole store for so long, but what do I know? I did some research, just to understand, and realized that the store owner was not worried about the AC, or the customers comfort, he was worried about his inventory. Around here it is hot and humid through most of the year, so the comic books require pretty routine climate control to stay in mint condition. This is why the AC was always turned down to 65 degrees at the comic shop, just to maintain the best possible conditions for the books. In fact, if OK comics didn’t get the HVAC system sorted out quickly, the owner would probably start moving all his inventory into a climate controlled storage unit to keep them safe. It makes me wonder if I need to get a new air conditioner to preserve my comics, or if my current one is good enough.