We explore the unique challenges of being the only store within walking distance of San Diego Comic-Con.
Support Your Local Comic Shop is a podcast series where we talk with rad comic book retailers about selling comics in 2025. It's published exclusively on our Patreon but unlocked and free for all. We're chatting with Aaron and Zack from Now or Never in San Diego, California this week.
Today, we're traveling across the country to San Diego, California. We've made the SoCal pilgrimage to Comic-Con every year since 2011. We've rummaged through all the shops San Diego has to offer. And, for the most part, they're all pretty darn great, but Now or Never is the San Diego shop that feels the most like our vibe. And it's the only comic book shop in Downtown San Diego, in glorious walking distance of the convention center.
Fascinatingly enough, Now or Never has been around as long as Comic Book Couples Counseling has been around. We both began in December of 2018. As you'll hear in this conversation with owner Aaron Trites and manager Zach Norris, they picked the perfect year to start a shop where they did despite the horror coming their way and everyone's way in 2020.
Come Talk Comic Shops with Now or Never
As we did last month with Erik C. Jones of Four Color Fantasies, we begin our discussion with Aaron and Zach by digging into their comic book origins. What are the first comics they remember reading? We then explore how they transformed their passion for the medium into the business of selling it. And, yeah, we investigate how their location and community helped them survive a global pandemic.
We're two months into 2025. To put it mildly, the market is shaky. Aaron and Zach tell us how they're navigating Diamond's bankruptcy, the potential business impact of tariffs, and what we can all expect from comic book shops in the future. While the topics seem grim, the discussion is lively and full of love for comics, those who read them, and those who sell them.
Being the only comic book shop in Downtown San Diego gives them a unique perspective on San Diego Comic-Con International. In the six years they've been in business, they've interacted with every kind of comic book reader and comic book maker. Aaron and Zack take it all in, absorbing their customer's desires, and we could all learn a lot from their knowledge. We are extremely grateful to them both for taking time out of their day to chat with us.
If you find yourself in San Diego at any point, make sure you visit Now or Never at 1055 F Street. Until then, you should all follow their socials: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter.
Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):
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