Burglary at Cowabunga Comics in Green Cove Springs and other Comic Shops in North Florida

    So, it finally happened. A little over three years into owning our brick-and-mortar local comic shop in Green Cove Springs, Cowabunga Comics and Art Gallery was broken into during the early morning hours on Monday, January 6, 2025.

   We appear to be the sixth victim in the local area since September, a side-effect of stocking dope shit. Four of us were hit within a week of one another. It seems this scumbag is becoming emboldened by his success rate and is escalating (two stores were hit on Monday alone).

   Break-ins at a local comic shop or card shop hit differently than, say, an office supply store. There is nothing corporate about a card or comic shop. These shops are almost always owned by fans and enthusiasts who operate on low margins, driven by a love for the medium. These shops are extensions of our personalities, and when we walk into our businesses and find that we have been burglarized, it's like having our home invaded. It's hard not to take it personally.

Here are the shops that were hit:

Then, this past week:

    Along with the many graded books that were stolen, some easily recognizable jam pieces were taken as well. These will surface, one way or another. Keep your eyes peeled for these for us, and please reach out if you see them pop up somewhere.

    Despite everything, I find myself grateful in this strange time. Grateful that I don't have to steal to make ends meet. Grateful that I don't have an addiction that leads me to burglary. Grateful that our shop is in a quiet town where this type of crime is an outlier. Grateful that I've built a business capable of sustaining a hit like this and continuing strong. Grateful for the support of the community, who always seem to have our backs as local comic shop owners. I'm grateful that this happened to me at 46 and not 26.

    To the multitude of folks who reached out, offered support, a shoulder to lean on and an indignant roar: We appreciate you. We certainly feel the tidal wave of support. 

    To the fella who broke in and stole from us: Enjoy it while it lasts. You're a habitual offender now, so when we finally catch you, you will serve your time day-for-day, no time off for good behavior. I hope it will all have been worth it when you're sitting in your little cell. 

    Our week will be spent speaking with investigators and our fellow shop owners, doing interviews with local media outlets, making a manifest of stolen goods, submitting insurance claims, cleaning the store and upgrading our security. If you would like to show your support, you can stop by the shop and give us a high five. If you aren't local, you can keep tabs on us on social media or by checking out our website cowabungacomics.com

 

Cowabunga dudes,

-Kyle 

 

2 comments

  • Sending good thoughts from Tucson, AZ. So sorry to hear about this, I pray you can recover all your stolen items.

    Pat Billings
  • So sorry to hear this happened to your shop. I hope you are able to recover your property.

    Kristina Strong

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