The Source
By Lys Fulda
July 2007

I have heard its name whispered for years. The way people smile when they say it comes from their toes. Its name is said jubilantly, stoically, reverently, and with great peace. Its name to me has much been akin to some sort of geek Mecca. That's right, brothers and sisters; I made my pilgrimage to the Holy Land. During a visit to Minnesota for a wedding, I hit the biggest comic and game store in the Midwest. I went to The Source Comics and Games in Falcon Heights.

From the moment I entered the door, the 15-minute drive from downtown Minneapolis was well worth it. The store simply goes on and on. The thing that really amazes me the most about their product selection is how strong they are in EVERY category. Most large stores do one thing really well and everything else is OK but not great. That's not the case here at all, folks. Every category (action figures, games, DVDs, comics, the list goes on) has items that I had only heard about, or had never even heard about at all.

And the store was really well organized. I have seen stores half their size looking like a tornado blew through. Everything at the Source is shelved, and you can see everything on a shelf without having to dig. You are literally overwhelmed with selection.

So here was the other really cool thing: They have really good service. Yes, I wanted to say hello to Gerry, Bob and Nick, the powers-that-be behind the store, but their staff had no way of knowing who I was or that I knew the management. They still were totally pleasant and helpful, BEFORE people came out and gave me hugs!

Now, this wasn't a surprise, as the Source won the Eisner Spirit of Retailing award in 2002. But you know the difference when you see a band put on a show, and they can be a great band but it's all just a well-performed show — and then you see a band that is a great bunch of guys who not only are amazing musicians but get on stage and HAVE FUN! They obviously enjoy what they do and the people they do it with. That's the Source Comics and Games.

If you are in the area, definitely drop by. If you are looking for a mail-order source, they do it the good old-fashioned way . . . by phone! They recently adopted a second store called Uncle Sven's. The contact information is listed below.

The Source Comics and Games
1601 W. Larpenteur Ave
Falcon Heights, MN 55113
www.sourcecandg.com
bobsource@aol.com
Ph: 651-645-0386

Uncle Sven's
1838 St. Claire Ave
St. Paul, MN 55105
Ph: 651-688-3409