One of life's joys is discovering a great family run business…read more We stopped here after getting caffeinated at Dunkin Donuts across the parking lot. Another positive experience. Comic Stronghold is a son Gavin, and a Mom Trish and Pop operation. They carry all the current comics, from Patrick Horvath's Beneath the Trees, to all the new Marvel & DC titles. They even have a comfy reading area. Gavin knows his titles and is great with service and offering value to the buyer. For instance, his Ashcans are free and he has set up a table with free posters. Wow. Nice.

I'm going to start by saying I'm a comic book store snob. I go to a lot of shops and Comics…read moreStronghold has really grown on me. It's VERY welcoming and clean for new readers, kids, or comic curious individuals. For example, I dropped in after the new Superman movie came out and there was lively conversation. The owner was directing first time readers to All Star Superman which made me happy. Flash forward to this past weekend and went on Free Comic Book day(first Saturday in May) and the owner was working out of his mind to make it an amazing experience for all which warmed my Captain Cold frozen heart. Big discounts and people dressed up! I'm guaranteed to come back now that SoCal Comics has closed which ran one of the best Free Comic Book Days. RIP Uncle Ben & SoCal Comics. The Comics Stronghold is building a back issue presence and have discount bins and bundle packs which I love. I did not think this store would last when it opened, but they have endured and seem like they have regulars! Thank the Beyonder! I'm curious if they will really lean into the diversification and have Game/Comedy nights. The competition is tough being so close to Ninja Exchange and Comics-N-Stuff(DONT GO THERE). If I wasn't broke I would start a pull list from them because would like to see this shop succeed! Excelsior!

COOLEST PLACE IN TOWN! Finally a place where both my…read morecomic-enthusiast-boyfriend and I can both shop at! What makes this shop unique is how it's both an antique store and comic shop! While the two genres have their own designated areas, the structure of it merges them perfectly for a cohesive vibe! I found this shop to have the best finds at great prices! I loved how clean and organized the shop is, making it comfortable and easy to shop. Also, the shop owners were so welcoming and happy to help! Easily my new favorite antique AND comic shop; talk about best of both worlds!

A wide variety of vintage items! The store has Clothing, video games, comics, Pokémon and toy…read morecollectibles.

Gashapon Bandai Official Store has opened in Temecula Promenade Mall and it brings small trinkets…read morefrom Japan. The Gashapon is a machine that provides the excitement and joy of a blind box, where a random toy of the advertised series pops out. As a person who frequents Japan, the conversion here was pretty steep. Usually it costs 300-400 yen (~$2-3) for something similar but here you are paying 3-4 tokens which are $9-12. The coin machine also only charges $21 for 7 tokens, so you will be spending that much as a minimum. Despite this, I think its cool that this store is officially owned by Bandai and brings Japanese toys to SoCal. A small price to pay if it saves you a plane ticket to Japan. Gashapon Bandai has some neat toys and the store was very organized. Definitely work a look if you're at the mall.

Literally no worker in sight and the kiosk took like $5 from me and didn't give me any tokens and…read morenobody is here to help me

Randomly in the vintage district is a new friendly gaming store. As part of another store it's easy…read moreto miss them if you're not looking. Once inside you know you're in a place for gaming. Up front is random games and comics. It's nice looking for what was once a sort of army paraphernalia room of an antique store. Now more of a Starbase like its name. In the back they have tables to play card or board games. They have a big selection of snacks and drinks to fill you up when gaming. Service was friendly and was ready to answer any question.

Great selection, amazingly helpful and enthusiastic staff! They had answers to all my questions and…read morehave wonderful suggestions. I've loved every game I've bought here (all based on recommendations from Danny)! I go out to Palm Springs (from LA) just to go to this store! I also love that they have a lot of the games open for you to try out/look out. The prices are about the same as other stores and online.

The owner was very friendly and helpful. I went in there to see if they sold pokémon cards and…read moreended up buying a few graphic novels for my sister.

I have a bulk supply of comics I need to sell, and I called all my local spots, including this one…read more The older gentleman that answered the phone was so quick to help me understand my market value even though he couldn't assist in purchasing my supply. He offered a lot of expertise and great insight and I truly appreciate him for it! God bless!

Went here recently and by far the best customer service I was ever offered at a LCS. I chatted with…read morethe owner, he offered to re-order some comics I missed out on AND they constantly helped me find what I was looking for. I left with 20 books and a comic box with a big smile on my face knowing I was treated with upmost gratitude and finding the missing issues I needed at a great price! This is a place deserving of the drive for sure! I highly recommended Comic Asylum

Nice enough looking store but no prices on back issues. Not worth shopping if I have to ask them…read moreprice on each item and they look it up on eBay. Too bad because I could spend but not wasting my time. Edit: I appreciate the response from the owner and that's their call. Personally I'm not wasting time pulling up books just to wait while they price off eBay. Second and last visit there.

Visiting this store for the first time, I was greeted by super friendly staff who asked if I was…read morelooking for anything specific or if I needed help. The selection was pretty solid--easy to find comic books by brand or superhero, plus books and other collectibles too. I don't track comic book pricing so I couldn't tell you if their pricing is reasonable or above average. Regardless it was a fun experience.

So Ryan sold his business to Illinois based Graham Crackers back in 2019 during the pandemic. We…read moreknew Graham Crackers from there and was al as impressed. There are four, or five Comic book/ Hobby stores in the greater Temecula Valley area. The former Ryan's or Graham Crackers as it is also known, is an honest, to goodness Comic Book store. The others specialize in one area, or another, but mostly cards like Magic, D& D, Warhammer gamers. I came in to get card cardboard organizers. The prices seem very fair and everyone was nice and friendly. I know that might sound trite, but this type of business seems to attract egos. None here at Graham Crackers! Five stars.

I've been shopping here for years. The owner is very personable, and the staff is very friendly and…read morehelpful. The one downside I've encountered is that they have been inconsistent with making sure my comics get into my pull list (which I love that they have this as an option). Too many times to count comics have not made it in and then I have to go back and ask for them. It just happened to me again! I've been tempted to pull my business and go elsewhere, but I've built a relationship with this store. I am really hoping the owner reads this and makes the needed changes so that this doesn't keep happening.

They have great customer service. The shop was well stocked with comics and figures, especially…read morewith transformers. The prices were reasonable and the staff was very knowledgeable. Definitely will be back when in the area.

Tucked away and sort of hidden in a business park in San Marcos Knowhere Games and Comics is a true…read morehidden gem. So much variety from tons of comics, Pop Funko, games, and even candy. The staff was very helpful and super friendly. Prices were great. We went to see a friend at an event and it just happened to be Comic Book day. There were a few tables filled with a variety of comics you could choose up to three from. An odd location but it was pretty packed. Overall awesome people and a really neat store.

Hubs found another "happy place" in SD County!…read more Knowhere G&C is located in an industrial area of San Marcos, near an antique mall, several home furnishings stores and next to San Marcos Deli. This seems an ideal location, with plenty of free parking and, judging by the flow of pedestrian traffic in and out of this shop on a "Comic Book Wednesday" many customers agree. Hubs declared a large selection of comics, games and collectibles. He proudly emerged over an hour after parking with a smile on his cute nerdy face and a bag filled with reading materials in his hand. He was very surprised and happy that his purchase amount ~$80TL awarded him with a cool graphic novel. Happiness shortly turned to a bit of confusion when he took a moment to peruse his receipt and discovered he had been charged about 4x the amount he should have been for a comic. He checked online to make sure he didn't grab a ltd edition, or special release, and determined he hadn't. I waited while he returned inside. About 10 minutes he reemerged - HAPPY AGAIN! Seems the clerk, Daniel (guessing from the receipt ), didn't catch it and agreed it had been incorrectly priced. He further apologized saying he usually catches the comics over $20 and confirms the customer is aware when they are purchasing a more expensive issue. So Daniel was sorry he missed that completely. Hubs confirmed that he was still ok receiving the free graphic novel and was assured, yes, his purchase amount still qualified for the free novel. The over charge was returned to Hubs and he was happy with the store, Daniel and his customer service. Knowhere G&C has been bookmarked for our future SD road trips. Cheers! "CC"

Spindles is an interesting old vinyl record and Cassette Tape store. But I found it to be more of…read morea "Way-back Machine" * When you come here, it's like traveling back in time. Mind you, it's tiny inside. But it's chock full of goodies from yesteryear. Prices are fair and the folks who work here are helpful. The only downside was the plexiglass separating some of the employees. "Not Cool, dude. Totally not!" *Mr Peabody & Elroy

This little shop had so much to offer. A tremendous selection and variety of great music across all…read moregenres, at reasonable prices. Helpful and friendly cashier and great customer service. This shop had no A/C running and it was extremely warm and stuffy inside. So maybe an early morning visit is probably best when temperatures reach over 85.