For some reason, my mom never liked going to Lexington that much when I was very young. The first trip that I can remember, my mom got lost trying to find a new mall (probably the Fayette Mall, but I can't be sure), and we wound up having to ask someone at a general store for directions. I'm thinking we had actually entered another county, most likely Jessamine. Anyway, I got Dr. Seuss's The Sleep Book at a bookstore that had actual wooden shelves, but I don't think they had comics. It was my only Dr. Seuss I ever had. When I went back to the Fayette Mall much later, it did not match my earlier memory, so I can't be entirely sure where we went that first time. Anyway, I should warn everyone that some of these entries are much vaguer than previous ones, as I was so young and not paying too much attention where I was going. Even now, I am still unfamiliar with some areas, and that is with going to Lexington at least twice a year. I just don't visit some parts of the city frequently enough. Entries in black are for places that are, most likely, no longer in business. Blue entries are for places that still sell comics, of some type. Although not really relevant again this week, red would be for places that no longer have any sort of comics, but are still open. Checks indicate that I actually bought comics there, as opposed to just seeing them. Comments includes secondary entries that I am unsure about or that I feel are not important enough for a main listing. Let us begin.
- Unnamed supermarket, Lexington: Back in the early 80s, we were going to Lexington to visit a cousin of mine (whose father would later become my second dentist in Paintsville, {see, everything is connected}), and then we were going to King's Island the following day. On that first day, we had pizza at a place with games and animatronic animals preforming. We then went to a department store where The Making of Micheal Jackson's 'Thriller' was on television. We also stopped at this huge supermarket, bigger than any I had ever been in, on the northeast side of town. While I don't remember seeing comics that first time, when I went again years later, they did have some, right by their magazines. Unfortunately, the last time we went, a guest cousin convinced my mom that we should leave, before I could even look around. She did the same thing when we tried to go to the mall attached to the supermarket, probably Turfland Mall. The store, and even the entire mall, would close. I think it was bought out by a megachurch, but I'm not sure.
- Random 7-eleven, Lexington: Driving around town used up a lot of fuel. So, we stopped at this 7-eleven somewhere. My cousin and I went inside to wait, while the adults got the gas. There was a magazine stand with a few comics mixed in, including an annual for Legion of Superheroes. I knew of the team from other comics, and I almost got this one. I didn't though, and it would be years later when a new volume of the comic started before I began collecting the series. However, I have pretty much bought every iteration of the team since. We would later reach Fayette Mall so my mom could buy a vacuum cleaner. Whatever. Even if they still had comics, there is absolutely no way I could ever find this 7-eleven ever again. It might not even be open any more, and that is why it is listed as closed.
- Unknown book store, Lexington, ✓ (maybe, read on): Well, still that same trip to Lexington as the previous two entries, my mom reneged on the King's Island trip, saying I would be too hot, although I have a feeling there ulterior motives. As consolation, we did some more shopping around the city before going back home, including at one of the stops from the previous day (I'll come back to this later). One stop we made was to a bookstore somehow connected to a bunch of other stores withing Rupp Arena, although I might be wrong on that. There, I found comics. However, I can't remember buying one that day. On the one hand, my mom wanted us to hurry to get out of town, and I already had 'store loyalty' to Osborne drug store. On the other hand, I really wanted a comic book. Anyway, we left town before I realized it, and I still had one of my cousin's toys with me. It would be weeks, if not months before he came back to eastern Kentucky so I could return it to him. I believe all the store's connected to Rupp closed, if this was one of them. Regardless, I doubt I could ever find it again, even if it managed to stay open and keep comics.
- Hobbytown USA, Regency Center, Lexington: Back in the late 90s, when I started back with making regular trips to town, I wanted to explore the city. One such instance was in my love of RPGs. I wanted to get as many supplements as I could to fill up my collection. I had limited computer access then, but I found out about some places that sold them online. This place was the easiest one to get to. While they did have some books, the selection wasn't that great, with the best one being a book that wasn't that highly rated. I almost wish I had gotten now. The store also had a small comic section. While I know I looked at it, I can't be sure that I bought anything, as I am all but certain I was getting almost everything through Page 3 by this point. I would've have gone back, but that location was closing, either moving or merging with another Hobbytown USA in town. I have yet to look for it again. [The main anchor of this center is Kroger. It is fairly large, although the rather narrow aisles make it feel cramped and smaller. It really needs a remodel to compete with the newer, larger Krogers in the city. I think it my have had comics, at least 'Archie' digests, back in the 90s. As of my last visit, it still had a small magazine section, but no comics.]
- Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Mall at Lexington Green, Lexington, ✓: My mom had been here on her way back from business training. She had warned me that it was big when we finally visited in the early 90s. I was overwhelmed. It was so huge. There was a magazine rack much longer than anything I had ever seen, filled with so many things that I was all but lost. I barely found the comic books mixed in. I had to limit myself to just a few other sections, or I would have been lost in there. Also, I had limited time to search. Then, the store expanded to the next unit over for a new children's section. They later moved to their current location in the center of the mall, replacing a number of smaller shops. We visited some of those shops when we arrived to mall early, and mom had to use the restroom before Joseph-Beth opened. I would wind up buying many magazines, books, RPGs, and comics here. By the 2010s, the store would stop carrying regular comics, although they still have graphic novels and manga. There still might be comics of a sort in the downstairs kids' section, but I rarely go down to check. Things have changed there so much. The magazine selection for my favorite categories have shrunk faster than others. Sections keep moving, making it hard to find things I could get at my store. The last time I went, last fall, was the only time I didn't buy a single thing there. I just hope it manages to stay afloat. [Between this mall and the Fayette Mall is a Target. While they currently might have a selection of manga, maybe even the occasional 'Archie' digest, I really wouldn't call this place as having ever had comic books, at least since I started going here regularly in the 2000s. I may be wrong.]
- Waldenbooks, Fayette Mall, Lexington, ✓: Even after the overwhelming selection over at Joseph-Beth, I would still find products here. Once, in the mid-90s, I even bought a selection of magazines and books connected to a trading card game I like that the other store didn't have, or I couldn't find in all of the 'largeness' of the place. In fact, the was a stretch of visits where I seemed to get a comic that Page 3 had overlooked or an RPG each time. Things improved for me a little after Waldenbooks moved next to the Apple store, although I was still to intimidated to actually go in. There was even a Walden Software store that had computer and video game software and magazines. Unfortunately, things would change after 2004, and the store closed. It happened between my visits to the mall, so I never got the chance to buy one last item. Currently, the only places left in the mall that have comic-related materials are few. First, the fye/ For Your Entertainment. They have had pop culture related magazines, and possibly some manga as well. I wouldn't call this enough to warrant it a comics place, especially with the downgrading with some of its merchandise over the past few years. Second, there are two outlets of CK Gaming. They have a selection of both video games and more traditional ones (board games, card games, RPGs, etc.). I have seen some graphic novels based on some of these games, but, again, it is not enough to call either location a comics place, although still interesting on their own. [There have been a few other places that may have had comics at the Mall. First, there was once a Roses department store. I only went once or twice before it closed, but it may have had comics. I just never really looked there for them. The spot is now a J C Penny. Next, there was once a kiosk that had trading cards. I don't think it had comics, but it could have had a few at one time or another. Something else has taken it place, probably many times over. Next, there was a video game store that may have had a small selection of comics. I only went in there a few times, so I can't fully remember it. It was in the newer section of the mall. I think it closed by the early 2000s. Finally, there may have been an actual comic book shop here for a visit, or I might be confusing it with the Huntington Mall. Either way, it focused more on older collections rather than new stuff. I was deeply tied to Page 3 by then, so I didn't look to closely. It wasn't there long. It didn't even do much remodeling from the store that was there before it, and I felt it was a little shabby compared to the decor of the rest of the Mall.]
- Unknown supermarket, Lexington: This store was south of the Fayette Mall. I don't know where I found out about it. We went there just once. We took a very brief look around, as there was someone left in the car who didn't want to go in. They had comics, I think, but I didn't really give them much of a look. Probably late 90s. Only time there. I think they were bought out by Kroger, but it may be something else entirely different now. Maybe even the new high-end shopping district where Apple moved to. Just not sure, as I haven't been there yet. [Two last places I visited in the 90s before they closed were K-Mart and Toys-R-Us. The former was just for a few minutes, so I can't remember any comics. I think there were comics at the latter, but I was in my early twenties, and I didn't want to look too creepy by checking out the comics. I was just there for the video games and game magazines. It was the only time I ever went into one of the stores.]
With this, I have finished my comic book journey. However, I still have many comic books unaccounted for. Where did they come from? Find out next week for the thrilling conclusion of this series!
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