By Josh Usmani
In our ongoing effort to highlight the many opportunities to shop local this holiday season, we’ve decided to highlight some of Cleveland’s best local, independent shops. There seems to be a theme in town of “Old is New Again,” and these businesses reflect the interests of their socially-conscious clientele.
STAR POP vintage + modern is a dream come true for kids of all ages. This unique toy store is located in the historic Waterloo Arts & Entertainment District – about ten miles east of Downtown. Owner Troy Schwartz opened the shop in the summer of 2009, during the annual Waterloo Arts Fest.
“It has been a great journey as the district continues to grow,” says Schwartz. “I love it here in Cleveland’s North Shores Collinwood so much that I personally moved north from Cleveland Heights to be closer to the Waterloo Arts & Entertainment District, Euclid Beach Park (which recently became part of the Cleveland Metroparks) and of course I-90 which makes enjoying my other favorite Cleveland haunts, east and west, so much easier.”
STAR POP buys and sells new and old toys, vintage clothing (typically ’60s – ’90s), classic video games, records, movies, books, art and other pop culture collectibles for kids and collectors of all ages.
“The store is really about sustainability, and helping connect people with cool secondhand items that otherwise might end up in a landfill or lost in an attic forever,” explains Schwartz. “Virtually everything in the store comes from local families just like your own. We’re constantly buying new items that people bring in to the store and then working to find them happy, new owners.
“As the ‘vintage + modern’ portion of our name indicates, not everything in the store is vintage; the focus is really more on what’s cool,” continues Schwartz. “I love seeing kids who are really passionate about toys from movies and TV shows that were out when their parents were kids, like Ghostbusters or Jurassic Park, because then the parents are excited to relive an old favorite Hanukkah or Christmas memory with their kids.
“So many of the iconic toys of the last thirty-plus years are still popular today, so for toy lines like Transformers, Star Wars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Barbie, and My Little Pony we have items that came out thirty years ago right next to ones that may have been new on the shelves a month ago. While some rare or collectible items can be a little more expensive, in many cases our prices are no more than a comparable piece would be new and frequently they are even less.”
For this month’s first Friday Walk All Over Waterloo event, the store will offer a special “Customer Appreciation Sale” – special savings, prizes and treats throughout the night (Fri 12/6 from 6-10pm).
Located in Tremont, A Separate Reality is a newly-opened vintage boutique specializing in used records and vintage collectibles. The shop is packed with unique and unusual treasures, including psychedelic oddities and mid-century, modern items.
“My husband (Augustus) and I are both stuck in the ‘60s and wanted to re-create Haight-Ashbury in Tremont,” says owner Amy Payne.
The shop hosts special events for each of Tremont’s Art Walks. For December, the store will have live music and Santa’s Helpers. Looking to make a little extra cash for the holidays? They purchase vinyl records, vintage clothing, oddities, taxidermy and more! Stop by soon, and often – as they are constantly adding new items.
A Guide to Kulchur is Gordon Square’s newest resident – the brainchild of Lyz Bly, PhD and local artist/curator/musician/writer RA Washington. A Guide to Kulchur specializes in books, magazines and other periodicals, including multilingual editions of selected publications, a used book section featuring iconic covers and definitive editions, as well as an array of periodicals on diverse topics with alternative viewpoints.
“There will always be folks that want to read in the physical,” explains Washington. “The issue is whether we can get these printed materials into their hands, into their field of vision. I think that the e-book has seen its rebuttal, for more and more people are printing, looking for ways to print, to fine print. If you can make it something that new writers and readers covet, then we can have a communal success. Small press have advantage over the big ones, but only if folks like you build alternative media outlets to help them get the word out.
“We consider readers to be taste-makers, and we understand that if not for the love of book as object, our store, and independents like it, would not exist in the age of the Nook, and other E-Readers,” he continues. “Our new books/publications center on texts from small presses who are publishing the newest voices in literature, history, critical theory, philosophy, and identity politics.
“Key objectives of our mission are to give special consideration to new and young writers, publishers, and publications that are centered on alternative perspectives and intellectual pursuits and to connect our patrons with authors and thinkers that they would not find on the shelves of corporate booksellers like Barnes and Noble. Shelves are not simply stocked, they are curated and organized around art and literary movements, philosophical and theoretical concepts, and the stories and histories of groups and individuals who counter dominant ideas, trends, and political agendas.”
The location doubles as a co-op workshop for local writers, fanzines (zines), small publications, hand-made books and other printed media. “In addition to the physical space and in collaboration with venues across the city, we host writers, artists, public and academic intellectuals to discuss zines, cooperative creative processes and spaces, art books, and the theories/new innovations emerging around the evolution and revolution of the printed word,” elaborates Washington.
The store only opened this summer, but with their ambition and unique approach, A Guide to Kulchur is primed to make a big impact on the region’s cultural and literary landscape. By shopping at a business like this, you’re investing in the culture of your community. This isn’t just another bookstore, it’s a cultural resource for the region’s emerging writers, editors and publishers. Their potential is only limited by the community’s support, so stop by today!
Most boys (and a lot of girls) remember the first time they stepped foot in a comic book shop. The atmosphere of a space dedicated to superheroes and childhood icons is a special place for kids of any age. However, Carol & John’s Comics isn’t just any comic book shop.
The store has become an active member of the community – engaging readers and artists. The shop hosts and sponsors various comic, pop culture and art-related events throughout the year celebrating Cleveland’s role in comics and our local creators. Cleveland has a number of talented comic creators and artists whose styles are clearly influenced by comics/graphic novels. Carol & John’s have been supportive of their shows and projects for years. They’re not just a local business – they’re great members of our community.
“We’re the last comic book shop in the city of Cleveland proper” says owner John Dudas. “In a world where print media is dying, comics have actually seen a resurgence in popularity and sales nationally this past year. This is partially the result of comic shops acting as a comfortable gathering place to talk about Pop Culture. Cleveland responds very well to providing not just a place to shop, but a place to go to be active in the comic book community.”
“We’ve had a really great year being involved in both the Captain America filming and Superman’s 75th Anniversary” continues Dudas. “We’re proud to be Cleveland’s go-to spot when they want to expand their knowledge base on comic book characters. We live to put the right comic book in the right person’s hands.”
The shop has been around for 23 years. The name refers to its owner John Dudas and his mom Carol (who is now happily retired). They hope to keep the business in the family for many years to come through John’s 2 ½ year old daughter, Zoe. Dudas recently created “Zoe’s Comic Book Shop” to help her learn the in’s and out’s of the comic book business. With this kind of enthusiasm, it’s clear that Cleveland’s comic fans are in good hands for a long time to come.
The shop’s next big event is Saturday, December 21st from 8-11pm. They will host an art exhibition to benefit the Cleveland Food Bank. Local artists will create holiday-themed comic book covers. Bring a non-perishable, canned food item and you’ll get a raffle ticket for a chance to win this original artwork!
Cleveland’s entrepreneurs are a big part of our current renaissance. Obviously, we couldn’t possibly showcase them all, but we encourage you to explore as many local businesses as possible this holiday season.
Check out our ShopLOCAL Guide for more info.
Josh Usmani is a 27 year old local artist, curator and writer. Since 2008, his work has been featured in over 50 local and regional exhibitions.
Cleveland, OH 44110
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