That's Entertainment (comic shop)
Encyclopedia
That's Entertainment is an Eisner Award
-winning comics
and collectibles store in Worcester, Massachusetts
. Michael Warshaw concisely referred to the store in a Worcester Magazine article on 5/5/05 as "the pop culture emporium located in the ancient former auto dealership at 244 Park Ave." The store has also been called the "purveyors of pop culture in Worcester, specializing in the philosophy of the underground... you’ll uncover comics, graphic novels, music, ‘zines, games, t-shirts and other arbitrary items that bring joy to those who hold the ethos of a particular generation dear to their consumer hearts."
The store was first opened by Paul Howley
in 1980 at a 2000 sq ft (185.8 m²) location on Chandler Street in Worcester. In 1989, he added a second location with the purchase of a comic shop in Fitchburg, Massachusetts
. In 1992, the original That's Entertainment store was moved to its present location, a 20000 sq ft (1,858.1 m²) building on Park Ave. in Worcester, and a 10000 sq ft (929 m²) retail and events space was created. The store stocks comic books, including alternative comics
and new indy titles, trade paperbacks, and related items. The store also carries other trading cards, including sports cards and Magic, The Gathering, along with anime
, role-playing games, vintage video games and systems, and other toys and collectibles.
In 1997, That's Entertainment was one of three stores that received a "Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award" from Comic-Con International: San Diego
. The award, named for comic book creator Will Eisner
, recognizes "an individual retailer who has done an outstanding job of supporting the comics art medium both in the community and within the industry at large".
That's Entertainment's "reluctant acceptance of life after the on-line auction" was the subject of a six-page article in the May 2000 issue of the national magazine Inc.
The article, by writer Anne Marie Borrego, was titled "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and (Almost) Love eBay
." Borrego examined how That's Entertainment specifically, as a traditional brick and mortar
collectibles retailer, was contending with the sudden growth of on-line competition in the collectibles market.
On July 18, 1998, Harvey Ball
, the earliest known designer of the Smiley
, appeared at That's Entertainment to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the design's inception. Ball met fans and signed Smiley pins and art, as well as some copies of the Watchmen
comic.
Television pioneer Rex Trailer
appeared in 2006 to mark the 50th anniversary of Boomtown
by meeting his fans, singing songs, and signing autographs. A video report on that event is posted to the Worcester Telegram website. That's Entertainment has participated in the annual, world-wide Free Comic Book Day
every year since the event was launched. In 2009, the store presented a "Pro-Am Comic Jam", inviting "aspiring artists of all ages" to meet with a group of professional artists to compare perspectives on comic art. It was the fourth occurrence of this event since 1996.
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
-winning comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
and collectibles store in Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. Michael Warshaw concisely referred to the store in a Worcester Magazine article on 5/5/05 as "the pop culture emporium located in the ancient former auto dealership at 244 Park Ave." The store has also been called the "purveyors of pop culture in Worcester, specializing in the philosophy of the underground... you’ll uncover comics, graphic novels, music, ‘zines, games, t-shirts and other arbitrary items that bring joy to those who hold the ethos of a particular generation dear to their consumer hearts."
The store was first opened by Paul Howley
Paul Howley
Paul Howley is the founder and owner of the "That's Entertainment" comics and collectibles store in Worcester MA, established in 1980, and "Entertainment Publishing"....
in 1980 at a 2000 sq ft (185.8 m²) location on Chandler Street in Worcester. In 1989, he added a second location with the purchase of a comic shop in Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg is the third largest city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,318 at the 2010 census. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State University as well as 17 public and private elementary and high schools.- History :...
. In 1992, the original That's Entertainment store was moved to its present location, a 20000 sq ft (1,858.1 m²) building on Park Ave. in Worcester, and a 10000 sq ft (929 m²) retail and events space was created. The store stocks comic books, including alternative comics
Alternative comics
Alternative comics defines a range of American comics that have appeared since the 1980s, following the underground comix movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Alternative comics present an alternative to "mainstream" superhero comics which in the past have dominated the US comic book industry...
and new indy titles, trade paperbacks, and related items. The store also carries other trading cards, including sports cards and Magic, The Gathering, along with anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, role-playing games, vintage video games and systems, and other toys and collectibles.
In 1997, That's Entertainment was one of three stores that received a "Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award" from Comic-Con International: San Diego
Comic-Con International
San Diego Comic-Con International, also known as Comic-Con International: San Diego , and commonly known as Comic-Con or the San Diego Comic-Con, was founded as the Golden State Comic Book Convention and later the San Diego Comic Book Convention in 1970 by Shel Dorf and a group of San Diegans...
. The award, named for comic book creator Will Eisner
Will Eisner
William Erwin "Will" Eisner was an American comics writer, artist and entrepreneur. He is considered one of the most important contributors to the development of the medium and is known for the cartooning studio he founded; for his highly influential series The Spirit; for his use of comics as an...
, recognizes "an individual retailer who has done an outstanding job of supporting the comics art medium both in the community and within the industry at large".
That's Entertainment's "reluctant acceptance of life after the on-line auction" was the subject of a six-page article in the May 2000 issue of the national magazine Inc.
Inc. (magazine)
Inc. magazine, founded in 1979 and based in New York City, is a monthly publication focused on growing companies. The magazine publishes an annual list of the 500 fastest-growing private companies in the U.S., the "Inc...
The article, by writer Anne Marie Borrego, was titled "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and (Almost) Love eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
." Borrego examined how That's Entertainment specifically, as a traditional brick and mortar
Brick and mortar
Brick and mortar in its most simplest usage is used to describe the physical presence of a building or other structure...
collectibles retailer, was contending with the sudden growth of on-line competition in the collectibles market.
On July 18, 1998, Harvey Ball
Harvey Ball
Harvey Ross Ball was an American commercial artist. He is recognized as the earliest known designer of the smiley, which became an enduring and notable international icon. Ball was born and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts...
, the earliest known designer of the Smiley
Smiley
A smiley, smiley face, or happy face, is a stylized representation of a smiling human face, commonly occurring in popular culture. It is commonly represented as a yellow circle with two black dots representing eyes and a black arc representing the mouth...
, appeared at That's Entertainment to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the design's inception. Ball met fans and signed Smiley pins and art, as well as some copies of the Watchmen
Watchmen
Watchmen is a twelve-issue comic book limited series created by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colourist John Higgins. The series was published by DC Comics during 1986 and 1987, and has been subsequently reprinted in collected form...
comic.
Television pioneer Rex Trailer
Rex Trailer
Rex Trailer is a Boston, Massachusetts based television personality, broadcast pioneer, and Country and Western recording artist. He is best known as the host of the children's show Boomtown.-Early life:...
appeared in 2006 to mark the 50th anniversary of Boomtown
Boomtown (1956 TV series)
Boomtown was a weekend children's show on WBZ-TV in Boston, Massachusetts that ran from 1956 through 1974. Boomtown was hosted by Rex Trailer, a singing cowboy...
by meeting his fans, singing songs, and signing autographs. A video report on that event is posted to the Worcester Telegram website. That's Entertainment has participated in the annual, world-wide Free Comic Book Day
Free Comic Book Day
Free Comic Book Day is an annual promotional effort by the North American comic book industry to help bring new readers into independent comic book stores. Retailer Joe Field of in Concord, CA brainstormed the event in his "Big Picture" column in the August 2001 issue of Comics & Games Retailer...
every year since the event was launched. In 2009, the store presented a "Pro-Am Comic Jam", inviting "aspiring artists of all ages" to meet with a group of professional artists to compare perspectives on comic art. It was the fourth occurrence of this event since 1996.