Comic Book Ink Avoids Closure

Comic Book Ink in Lakewood was on the verge of closing its doors, but a last-minute financial campaign launched through IndieGoGo, a leading international funding platform, has kept the business from going under.

John Munn, who owns the store, realized in June he needed to raise a total of $17,000 by Aug. 22. The store was still short in mid-August, but the campaign, which began Aug. 15, generated $4,700 and the store met its goal.

"We were literally right up to the edge," Munn said. "If that campaign wouldn't have happened, we wouldn't have moved forward."

An aggressive marketing campaign that included special events, an open letter on Facebook explaining the store's financial troubles, and other fundraising measures were taken to .

The store has also cut down on inventory, taken a harder stand with subscribers late on their payments, and reduced its volume of orders on a more tightened budget.

Ultimately, however, Munn said raising the $17,000 was due to the generosity of people who care about the shop.

"I was honestly blown away," he said.

This has been a good month for the store, Munn said, as the 52 new DC Comics titles are selling well.

While the future of Comic Book Ink remains uncertain, there is new life to keep the entertainment buiness alive. Munn and his staff will celebrate the nine-year anniversary of Comic Book Ink on Oct. 22. It originally opened on East 72nd and Portland Avenue in Tacoma and has been located next to Regal Cinemas for more than a year.