Today we’d like to introduce you to Kent Timm.
Kent, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have been in the comic book industry for over 30 years, buying, selling and traveling across the country being a comic vendor at conventions. When Covid shut the shows down and as I got a little older, I figured that it would be a good time to stay close to home and be near my family more. I figured, good time to ‘throw my hat in the ring” and settle down and open a store. Now, we have been open for three years and have just expanded to a bigger location in the South Port Shopping Center in West Bloomington off France Avenue and Old Shakopee Road. We love being Bloomington’s local comic book store. It brings back a fun feeling of nostalgia and belonging.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I would be lying if I said it was a perfect ride. Every small business, especially those that are family owned, have their own unique set of challenges. It’s not like we have a huge crew of people helping us. It’s just us, me, and my business partner’s family. We all have to wear a lot of “hats”, so to speak. Before, when I was doing conventions, it was as much of a hobby for me as it was a “side-hustle”, and as many can attest to, the transition from “side-hustle” to full on “brick and mortar” business isn’t always an easy one, especially when your business is also your hobby. But, that all said, these last three years have been some of my favorite years working in this business. Everyday brings new perspectives, new opportunities, and new adventures.
As you know, we’re big fans of Most Wanted Comics. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
When I opened the store, I wanted Most Wanted Comics to be more than just a place someone can go to buy a comic book. Sure I wanted the cleanest, most welcoming store in town, with clear pricing and organized boxes. I also wanted it to be a place people can go to be themselves. A place where people cannot only go and buy their weekly comics or sift through boxes of alphabetized back issues, but talk comics. For them to be somewhere that doesn’t shame them for their fandom. As we say in the store frequently, “everyone is welcome here”.
We also offer life experiences for our customers. At least once a month we have appearances by professional wrestlers, actors, professional athletes and, of course, comic book creators. There’s always an event happening at the store. I don’t know of any other store in the Twin Cities that caters to a wide ranging fandom the way we do at Most Wanted Comics.
So, I suppose that is a long winded way for me to say that not only do we pride ourselves in having the best selection of comic books in the Twin Cities, but we also specialize in supporting our community. That is arguably what we are most proud of, everything we are blessed to be able to do for those around us. For example, every fall we hold a food drive for VEAP, every year around the holidays we hold a diaper and toy drive for The Union Gospel Mission, on Veteran’s Day we individually honor those who have served our country. This is what I feel sets us apart, not only do we strive to carry the best product and supply the best inventory to our customers, but we also do everything we can to help others. That is what I want the readers to take away from this. When you support our small business, not only are you supporting a local, family owned business, you are also supporting a business that gives back.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I guess the most important lesson I’ve learned along this journey has been the importance of being able to adapt. What I envisioned the store looking like three years ago is not what it is today, and that’s a good thing. One of the things that we are becoming increasingly more known for is our selection of trading cards, both from table-top card games like Pokemon or Magic the Gathering, and from sports like football and baseball. I didn’t set out to open a card store, but our customers demanded it, so we diversified and widened that avenue for us. I always lived by a simple rule when doing business, if you can’t adapt you can’t survive, it’s that simple. The comic book industry and hobby is an ever-changing landscape, there is no set market. If you aren’t able to look beyond your own vision, your own ideals, and look at the market and industry around you, you can’t survive, and we want to survive.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mostwantedcomics.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mostwantedcomicsllc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mostwantedcomicsmn/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mostwantedcomicsmn6855
