Want To Own A Comic Book Store? Owner Is Giving It Away Free

OAK LAWN, IL -- An Oak Lawn business owner is giving away one of his comic book stores for nothin’. Carmelo Chimera, owner of Chimera Comics, wants to make someone’s dream of owning his or her own comic book store come true. It’s like Willy Wonka, except for that there are no golden tickets, oompa loompas, or gluttonous, bratty kids falling into a chocolate river.

For eight years, the 29-year-old entrepreneur has owned a chain of comic book stores in the south suburbs. His mother ship store in LaGrange gained notoriety in 2011, when a customer walked in with an Amazing Fantasy #15 comic book featuring the very first appearance of Spiderman. The comic book the customer bought for a dime in the 1962 sold for over $12,000.

Now Chimera is holding a contest to give away his Chimera’s Comics shop at 4915 W. 95th St. in Oak Lawn -- for FREE.

“I believe people can do extraordinary things, but life gets them down,” Chimera said. “People make decisions based on fear. And I want to take that fear away.”

If you’re sick and tired of working for the Man, you can enter the giveaway by answering the question in 500 words or less: "What makes a great comic book store?" Applications will be taken through Feb. 28, or until Chimera receives a minimum of 500 responses (he’s shooting for 2,000).

“That’s something a lot of people have asked about,” Chimera said. “I’m keeping the responses at a minimum of 500 to encourage sharing. I don’t want a competitor stacking the deck with employees applying for the store if I only had one or 10 people apply.”

There is a $25 application fee, which will go toward Chimera’s legal costs to transfer the store over to the new lucky owner -- lock, stock and barrel. You don’t have to live in Illinois, but it will make your life easier if you do since you’ll be overseeing and/or running the store.

“The store has open accounts payable that need to be closed,” Chimera said. “I’m not gifting someone debt or financial problems. I’m giving them a head start to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars.”

The ideal candidate will have a passion for comics and pop culture, drive and creativity to make the store excellent. Chimera said the decision to give away his Oak Lawn store wasn’t easy.

“I’ve been spreading myself too thin for years,” said Chimera, who owns two stores, has a full-time job, and has recently started publishing comics.

His first graphic novel, a superhero coming-of-age story called “Magnificent,” was released earlier this year after raising nearly $8,000 on the crowdfunding website Kickstarter. His next project, a horror graphic novel called “Cellar Door,” will be released later this spring after raising over $12,000. He’s also a co-founder of the international comic industry event Buy Indie Comics Day, and he’s planning his own Chicago comic convention. He says he will keep his La Grange shop open at 15 ½ S. La Grange Road.

“I just couldn’t give the Oak Lawn store the attention it deserved.” he said. “Writing and publishing is my passion. I don’t want to be a comic book store that publishes graphic novels, I want to be a publishing company with a comic book store.”

Chimera’s offer has sparked quite a bit of controversy in the comic book industry since he made his announcement on Facebook Live. He’s had offers to do interviews as far away as Germany. Nine out of ten people have told him that his free store giveaway is amazing, inspirational and even life changing. One of ten regards him with fear or suspicion.

“I’ve even gotten hate mail because of this,” he added. “People have asked me if this is a big sham because I won’t get 500 applications. I’ve been accused by random commenters who think I’m doing it for the publicity and will keep the store. I’m done one way or the other.”

If you think you have what it takes to run a successful comic book shop, fill out the application on Chimera’s Comics. At 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5, Chimera will be fielding questions live about the free store giveaway on Chimera Comics’ Facebook page and Youtube channel.

Chimera says the winner won’t be announced right away because it’s going to take a while for him to read all the responses.

“This is not a raffle, a drawing, or a gamble in any way,” he said. “It’s entirely merit based. I will choose the winner based on their essay responses. And I will read every response.”

Patch Photo | Lorraine Swanson