One still-thriving comic book store specializing in baseball and sports cards for almost two decades is celebrating this holiday season with a special offer through the Community Newspaper Group.
Cosmo’s Comics, located in Westchester Square at 1420 Williamsbridge Road, is one of CNG’s Shop ‘n’ Win official participants this holiday season.
Anyone who spends $50 at the store between now and December 21 can receive free pairs of tickets to great shows and events like Stomp, Rock of the Ages, Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey, Sports Museum of America, Disney on Ice, Broadway Theater, and Rock of the Ages.
Just fill out the coupon in any CNG paper and enclose your store receipt by December 29, and you will receive a pair of tickets to one of these events by February.
Cosmo’s Comics has been in Westchester Square since it the store first opened on November 10, 1990 after a former Department of Parks and Recreation worker and his wife, Cosmo and Mary Cassetta, saw how much joy comic book and sports cards collecting created for their now-grown son.
“We were moving and my son had a small collection from the 1970s,” Cosmo said. “My wife wanted to throw it away, but I thought they had some value and so we kept them. When I retired from the Parks department, we thought this would be a good business.”
A steady stream of customers comes through the store and head straight for the comic book racks which line one wall.
According to Cosmo, the most popular titles are the Amazing Spider-Man, special issues of a series called “Secret Invasion” from Marvel, Wolverine, X-Men, and the DC comics’ superheroes: Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Also immensely popular are action figures of the icons, as well as official T-shirts which sell for $17 to $22.
“Comic books today use better paper, and they pay their artists and writers more –resulting in better quality.” Cosmo said. “Our average customer is 30-years-old or older. Those are guys who read comic books when they were kids and come back every week to find out what their favorite characters are going to do next.”
The shop has many regular customers, and both Cosmo and Mary frequently fill the lists of avid collectors by putting aside their weekly purchases of favorite heroes’ exploits, along with comic book supplies.
“Grown collectors will frequently come into the store and ask if I remember them from when they were kids,” Mary said. “Sometimes I do, and sometimes they change so much I don’t remember them – but it is that kind of business.”
The shop is one of the last of its kind in the immediate area, where there were once about five, including Atlas Comics on Castle Hill Avenue and Captain Comics on E. Tremont Avenue near Lehman High School.
“We have customers who have been here ever since the opening of the shop, especially Louie who helped me out a lot in the first few years,” Cosmo said. “It has been a good journey for 17 years.”
Cosmo’s Comics can be reached at (718) 597 – 0668. The store is open from noon to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from noon to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday’s.
