A tribute to Silver Snail
Hello CTG readers,
This is a sad time for me. Stephen and I got a heartbreaking email announcing the closing of our comic shop in Ottawa, Silver Snail Comics. This store brought so much joy to buying comics for us and I wanted to tell everyone about the kind of place Silver Snail was.
When I started reading comics I went to a store called the ComicBookShoppe because I didn’t know about Silver Snail. I went out to buy back issues of Daredevil once, which the Shoppe didn’t have. So I walked down a few blocks with my friend Zach to visit the other store that we assumed would be a lesser store. It wasn’t as conspicuous as the Shoppe and didn’t advertise itself that much. Man, were we surprised when we walked in. A very nice girl greeted us with a big smile as we marveled at the diverse selection of comics and GREAT prices. We could get 20% off US cover price? We weren’t charged for US conversion? We were blown away by how many comics we could afford. Just at first glance we loved Silver Snail but it just got better as we explored it for the first time. They had every issue of Daredevil I was looking for and even more. I got to the cash, was treated very well with Helen even trying to spark up a conversation about the comics I was buying. I walked out of the Snail with Zach and we both just knew that would be our new comic book store.
I would still go from the Shoppe from time to time but visiting the Snail always felt like a better experience. The first time I bought my weeklies there, I was so surprised by the price that I ran back to the racks and got 3 more issues. But that’s only what drew me to the snail, it’s not what kept me going back.
I honestly didn’t have a great first impression of the manager Kin Jee. He kind of intimidated me. But this was just on first impression because that’s just not who Kin is. Once my friends and I started going to the Snail regularly, Kin told us about his reservation service and we joined and started to develop a friendship with Kin. When I stopped being scared of him and started getting to know him, I knew there was something special about this man.
He told me that before the Snail opened, the owner asked him to manage the store and said he wouldn’t open it if Kin didn’t accept. That guy really knew what he was doing.
Kin is not only the best store manager I’ve ever met, he’s also of the best human beings I’ve ever met. He mistakenly told my friend’s mom there was free parking in the market and when she got a ticket, he paid for it. He offered to drive my friend home only because was carrying too many boxes. He taught us valuable life lessons about kindness and fairness. He tolerated having a bunch of stupid teenagers in his store hanging out and doing absolutely nothing. He gave me a bunch of screening passes to movies because he knew how happy it made me. Kin Jee is the reason I am writing on this site right now.
In May of 2014 I asked Kin if I could post comic reviews for the Snail and he happily accepted. This was like a dream come true to me. He gave me the opportunity to write about comics and have it be posted where people would actually read. Kin could’ve said no. He had to edit and post my reviews and that was a lot of work. I think Kin knew how much I would love writing about comics and he said yes. I will be forever grateful for that.
That’s how Stephen from Comics: The Gathering found me. A website read my reviews and asked me to work for them. I was 16 at the time and that was just baffling. Comics: The Gathering has been one of the best parts of my life since September of 2014 and I have many people to thank for that but without Kin, it never would’ve happened.
My friends and I loved Kin and the staff of Silver Snail so much that Bank Street became our new hangout spot, with the Snail at the centre of everything. We would be sitting at in someone’s home bored out of our minds and just decide to go to the Snail. We didn’t have any comics to buy, we just wanted to hang out with Kin and Rebecca or Helen or anyone who was working that day.
These people gave such an incredible atmosphere to the store. It was filled with passion and love for comics. Of course it’s a business so the main point is making money but you could tell there was more to it than that. Kin dedicated most of his life to this store because he loves comics and he loves his customers. Despite recent events I think it paid off.
Last year, my friend Zach told me the only reason he still bought comics was Kin and Rebecca. He said that if they didn’t work at the Snail he would stop reading comics. Zach always looked up to Kin as did we all but when he said that I was mind-blown. He spent money on comics he hardly wanted just to see Kin and to go to the Snail.
I’m not surprised people are thinking about dropping comics all together because the Snail is closing. That’s how special of a store it became.
The Silver Snail was the best comic store of all time and Kin Jee is the best manager of all time. Rebecca, Helen, Heater, Sarah, Devon and everyone who worked there once is the best staff of all time.
I’m going to miss the living hell out of Silver Snail Comics. I’m going to miss hanging out on Bank Street and staying in the Snail for hours talking to whoever was working that day. I’m going to miss listening to Kin’s awesome stories about his life. I’m going to miss picking up movie passes and thanking Kin for all that he does for us. I’m going to miss Kin closing the door on people he doesn’t want coming into the store. I’m going to miss buying comics at a place that I love. I’m sure every regular has a list of things they’re going to miss about Silver Snail. A large part of their lives has been removed.
Thank you, Silver Snail. Thank you so much for everything you have done for the Ottawa geek community. We’re truly going to miss you.
Kalem Lalonde
This is a sad time for me. Stephen and I got a heartbreaking email announcing the closing of our comic shop in Ottawa, Silver Snail Comics. This store brought so much joy to buying comics for us and I wanted to tell everyone about the kind of place Silver Snail was.
When I started reading comics I went to a store called the ComicBookShoppe because I didn’t know about Silver Snail. I went out to buy back issues of Daredevil once, which the Shoppe didn’t have. So I walked down a few blocks with my friend Zach to visit the other store that we assumed would be a lesser store. It wasn’t as conspicuous as the Shoppe and didn’t advertise itself that much. Man, were we surprised when we walked in. A very nice girl greeted us with a big smile as we marveled at the diverse selection of comics and GREAT prices. We could get 20% off US cover price? We weren’t charged for US conversion? We were blown away by how many comics we could afford. Just at first glance we loved Silver Snail but it just got better as we explored it for the first time. They had every issue of Daredevil I was looking for and even more. I got to the cash, was treated very well with Helen even trying to spark up a conversation about the comics I was buying. I walked out of the Snail with Zach and we both just knew that would be our new comic book store.
I would still go from the Shoppe from time to time but visiting the Snail always felt like a better experience. The first time I bought my weeklies there, I was so surprised by the price that I ran back to the racks and got 3 more issues. But that’s only what drew me to the snail, it’s not what kept me going back.
I honestly didn’t have a great first impression of the manager Kin Jee. He kind of intimidated me. But this was just on first impression because that’s just not who Kin is. Once my friends and I started going to the Snail regularly, Kin told us about his reservation service and we joined and started to develop a friendship with Kin. When I stopped being scared of him and started getting to know him, I knew there was something special about this man.
He told me that before the Snail opened, the owner asked him to manage the store and said he wouldn’t open it if Kin didn’t accept. That guy really knew what he was doing.
Kin is not only the best store manager I’ve ever met, he’s also of the best human beings I’ve ever met. He mistakenly told my friend’s mom there was free parking in the market and when she got a ticket, he paid for it. He offered to drive my friend home only because was carrying too many boxes. He taught us valuable life lessons about kindness and fairness. He tolerated having a bunch of stupid teenagers in his store hanging out and doing absolutely nothing. He gave me a bunch of screening passes to movies because he knew how happy it made me. Kin Jee is the reason I am writing on this site right now.
In May of 2014 I asked Kin if I could post comic reviews for the Snail and he happily accepted. This was like a dream come true to me. He gave me the opportunity to write about comics and have it be posted where people would actually read. Kin could’ve said no. He had to edit and post my reviews and that was a lot of work. I think Kin knew how much I would love writing about comics and he said yes. I will be forever grateful for that.
That’s how Stephen from Comics: The Gathering found me. A website read my reviews and asked me to work for them. I was 16 at the time and that was just baffling. Comics: The Gathering has been one of the best parts of my life since September of 2014 and I have many people to thank for that but without Kin, it never would’ve happened.
My friends and I loved Kin and the staff of Silver Snail so much that Bank Street became our new hangout spot, with the Snail at the centre of everything. We would be sitting at in someone’s home bored out of our minds and just decide to go to the Snail. We didn’t have any comics to buy, we just wanted to hang out with Kin and Rebecca or Helen or anyone who was working that day.
These people gave such an incredible atmosphere to the store. It was filled with passion and love for comics. Of course it’s a business so the main point is making money but you could tell there was more to it than that. Kin dedicated most of his life to this store because he loves comics and he loves his customers. Despite recent events I think it paid off.
Last year, my friend Zach told me the only reason he still bought comics was Kin and Rebecca. He said that if they didn’t work at the Snail he would stop reading comics. Zach always looked up to Kin as did we all but when he said that I was mind-blown. He spent money on comics he hardly wanted just to see Kin and to go to the Snail.
I’m not surprised people are thinking about dropping comics all together because the Snail is closing. That’s how special of a store it became.
The Silver Snail was the best comic store of all time and Kin Jee is the best manager of all time. Rebecca, Helen, Heater, Sarah, Devon and everyone who worked there once is the best staff of all time.
I’m going to miss the living hell out of Silver Snail Comics. I’m going to miss hanging out on Bank Street and staying in the Snail for hours talking to whoever was working that day. I’m going to miss listening to Kin’s awesome stories about his life. I’m going to miss picking up movie passes and thanking Kin for all that he does for us. I’m going to miss Kin closing the door on people he doesn’t want coming into the store. I’m going to miss buying comics at a place that I love. I’m sure every regular has a list of things they’re going to miss about Silver Snail. A large part of their lives has been removed.
Thank you, Silver Snail. Thank you so much for everything you have done for the Ottawa geek community. We’re truly going to miss you.
Kalem Lalonde