This is in regards to the roseville location specifically.
I have recently moved to the area from another city, and myself and my fiance have come in and looked around in the store about a total of three or four times.
As others have previously mentioned, this store has a lotta cool junk in it. That being said, you can get most, if not all, of this stuff online or in other stores for a much lower price, and you won't have to deal with the incompetent team of idiots who are tasked with running the place. The shop's true downfall is not in its content or wares, but in its poor customer service, and general attitude of the staff.
Firstly, none of the staff seem to be paying attention or giving much thought to the average customer. Furthermore, on each separate visit, I was in one way or another quite displeased by the service. For example, the girl with dark hair and black rimmed glasses "working" the front register area, initially gave me absolutely no acknowledgment the entire time I was in the store or wished to ask a question. This individual spent the majority of the time I was in the store, either playing with her hair, texting on her cell phone, or playing on the internet. I find that totally unprofessional and unacceptable.
What's worse is the lower-middle management running the place. The "gentleman" in his forties with the greasy black hair and dago mustache, who identified himself as the assistant manager was in fact the most startling of the staff members. Literally each time I came into the store, this man was either angrily (and loudly) complaining or spouting off about something that wasn't the way he wanted it. Furthermore, his customer service skills really only seem to be any good when he's helping a pretty young female customer. Basically, if you want his help with something, you either need to be annoyingly persistent in asking for it, or you need to bring in a hot babe for him to even notice you. On top of that, I was personally ignored by this man for a number of minutes while he finished up his heated discussion about World of Warcraft (surprise surprise).The general attitude and demeanor of this man, is far from indicative of a professional retail worker, let alone an assistant manager. The man has no business managing others based on my observations.
While I realize this is in fact a comic book store, and I should be prepared to deal with lazy, ineffectual, condescending social pariahs, A-1 comics does not have enough positive attributes to outweigh it's serious and critical flaws. My final assessment of this establishment, is simply one of disappointment. My best advice for any potential consumers, is to just go online for such specialty items, or shop around for a better store run by actual professionals. Unless of course you're like one of the many obnoxious card players running rampant in the store, then you'll fit right into this place. read more