ROANOKE, Va. – For over four years, comic book enjoyers have been going to Big Lick Comics to pick up comics ranging from Spider-Man to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
However, the store made an announcement on Facebook saying they would be moving from their current location on 3424 Orange Avenue to 7547 Williamson Road.
Comics have been a major part of the lifestyle of co-owners and brothers JD and Adam Sutphin, reflected by the rows of comic books they have on display and the annual comic con at the Berglund Center.
“We both went to art classes and school and stuff like that to do this,” Adam Sutphin said. “But now we’re blessed enough to actually push on and forward these stories and these artwork to other people that might not have seen them yet.”
Their love of comics resulted in this very store, where customers can come in and pick up their favorite comic book and talk shop with other fans.
“Those superhero characters in comics and on TV shows and movies, those were my friends,” JD Sutphin said. For us to create a space that you feel safe and you feel like you belong, it’s important to us and it really fills the cup for lack of a better description.”
While it was tough to leave the current location, the new location has family ties.
“I’d been there before because my grandfather’s last antique shop was across the street from this location,” JD Sutphin said. “He was friends with this guy. He got his haircut next door. My grandfather was my hero, so it was one those things where you got to listen to the universe sometimes.”
A grand opening date hasn’t been set yet, but they hope to have an announcement in a few weeks.