Photo of store interior The Xavierite
Out of all the comic book stores in the vicinity of an hour from Saint Xavier’s campus, my favorite is the Collector’s Kid, located in Geneva, IL. This shop might be far away from campus, but I guarantee that it’s worth the trip.
First, you can find practically anything hobby-related. The shop is best known for its large collection of Funko Pops, baseball cards, comics, and even replica props. Every week I stop there, and I can say from my own experience that there’s always going to be new items for sale.
Perhaps my greatest find, which just happens to be my most recent, was a fully authenticated autographed photo by Michael J. Fox. It was at a discounted price, and I could not resist buying it. As I did, the cashier told me that it was very recently that they began to sell autographs.
The shop is also family-friendly. With few exceptions, the employees are almost all family, and even have their dog walking around the shop. The dog always eagerly greets customers, expecting to be pet.
The employees have always been kind to myself and those I have seen enter the shop. They’re always willing to help with any questions, and even take expensive items out of display cases to show shoppers if anything is damaged.
They are also very vocal about their own collections of comics, Funko’s, and even vinyls.
With that being said, they sell something for everyone. For the younger shoppers seeking to spend their allowances, there are numerous Pokémon cards for sale. There are even rare, encapsulated cards for sale.
The store staff even attend comic cons such as C2E2 and New York Comic Con, where vendors like Funko have exclusives. They are able to get a hold of these exclusives, and eventually sell them to collectors such as myself.
Something else that makes this shop special to me is the prices on collectibles. Every single time I’ve checked out, I have been given tremendous discounts that make me want to purchase more.
Unlike other comic book stores I’ve been to, I have found incredibly rare Funko Pops, which cost more than hundreds of dollars, for sale at generous prices.
There even is a shelf filled with clearance Pops, worth five dollars each.
There’s many collections such as Marvel, DC, “Star Wars,” and even “Lord of the Rings.” There’s even a shelf full of Pops of Funko’s mascot Freddy Funko himself!
For those who are unable to make it in-person, the shop is accessible online. They can be found on WhatNot, and listed are numerous products including Funko Pops, t-shirts, and preserving cases such as binders.
Expanding on this, I did not know that they had social media accounts until recently. It is on these accounts where they post the newest items that they have gotten, either from buying someone’s collection or are selling themselves.
For those who are unwilling to purchase collectables, the shop buys collections. They have bought Legos, baseball cards, autographs, comic books, and even collectible statues by Hot Toys. It is especially helpful to me, considering that I seek to get rid of part of my own collections of Funko Pops.
Overall, the Collector’s Kid offers way more than just comics, unlike most comic book shops. The staff is incredibly down-to-Earth, and always is willing to assist customers with their needs. The Collector’s Kid can be found at 1489 E State St, Geneva, IL 60134. For more information, they can be reached directly at their website or at their email address: thecollectorskid@gmail.com.