As an English teacher raising a young boy who loved Nintendo and computer games, Nina Fowell wracked her brains to try and figure out how to get her son Trevor interested in reading. Comic books proved to be the bridge between his love of fantasy stories and her love of reading. And when Trevor became an adult, his love of comics, super heroes and fantasy games such as Dungeons & Dragons and Magic the Gathering spurred the mother-son duo to open their very own comic book and novelty store in Maple Ridge.
Today, Sector 2814 sells a wide variety of comic books, graphic novels and collectibles as well as specialty items and toys such as Walking Dead Monopoly and lightsabers. The entertainment industry is exploding with comic-book-based movies and television shows and that keeps customers interested in what Sector 2814 has to offer. “The superheroes are really big right now with all the movies out and on TV — that’s been good for us,” Trevor explains.
For many fans, comic books and graphic novels are works of art; some collectors are even more interested in the visual appeal of the books than the actual storylines lines. “I get a lot of customers who buy comics not for the story but for the art,” Trevor says. “Some of them will buy comics based on who the artist is — it doesn’t matter what the story is.”
When Sector 2814 first opened, the shop attracted a predominantly male clientele. But over the years, the customer base has diversified, Nina says, and she now sees fathers and daughters and whole families visiting the store to buy comics and related merchandise.
