Rumour Mill Update : The Third Place has been sold and will close on Feb 29th

pokerjoker

A friend of mine from Dublin said he got an email from john in The Third Place saying their closing down, does anybody else know anything about this? hope its not true.

MarkHall

I know the fourth dimesion is alright
not sure about the comic shop.

Fysh

What's the Fourth Dimension? Is it the gaming shop (or at least, what I assume is a gaming shop) that's downstairs?

the Shades

Haven't heard a thing about the 3rd Place closing down and I'm one of their regular customers, they've had a couple of delivery problems but I wouldn't start ringing any death knells yet.

J Hendrick

Yeah, I've not sent any mails to anyone saying such a thing.

I've been away for 2 weeks looking after my other business but there's been no emails sent from me or my accounts anywhere stating such a thing.

I'd be interested to actually know who this is that I'm talking to here and who actually said this.

As I really doubt PokerJoker's your actual name.

But if it is fair play to your folks.

So in answer, no.

I'm not out of a job.

Fysh

Thanks for clearing that up, John - it sounded rather dodgy, but always best to get confirmation or refutation straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak. I've changed the thread title accordingly.

pokerjoker

I'm glad to hear the Third Place is not closing down. Sorry if I caused any grief but the post was out of concern not malice. I will be back in Dublin in a few weeks and I will drop in for my new comics and introduce myself.

J Hendrick

Fyse,

Cheers I appreciate it. But, I hope the following post clears EVERYTHING up. I couldn't get into specifics at the time but now that everything is signed sealed and delivered to the solicitors I hope this helps.

I just couldn't say too much at the time.

Here's the e-mail I sent out today.

Hey folks,

It's with two minds I write this e-mail to you all. As most of you who'd frequent the shop regularly might have noticed, I've not been around in the store as much lately. There's been a few reasons for this some of which I can't explain yet, recently I've become more involved in other aspects of the comic industry and I've also got a new project starting up later in the year completely unrelated to comics. But the main reason in particular is that I sold the premises today for an offer I just couldn't refuse. Coupled with the fact that the comic market has changed so much in recent years with the advent of online shopping where we were being so massively undercut by sites such as Amazon. It's just the right time to make this change. There was really no way I could refuse the offer that was put on the table. I hadn't anticipated that this would have all happened so quickly and it's put us under a lot of pressure now as the negotiations for a new premises are only in their very early stages. This leaves us as your retailer and you as our customers in a bit of a predicament. You guys mean the world to us but I'm sorry to say that I have to announce the following.

We're winding down the business and will be closing the doors of the shop for the final time on the 29th of February. I really wish we could have bridged the gap better but there's just no way we can do it.

Like I said, we really hadn't anticipated that all of this would have happened the way it has or how quickly it did. But, I'm confident that this is the right thing to do in the long run for the business. We're hoping to be re-opening later in the year in a larger location and we're still going to be running The Dublin City Comic Con's as well. That's one thing that will definitely be getting bigger as it's really close to my heart and I'm really proud of what the con has achieved for comics and the talent behind them here in Ireland.

We will update you with more information as soon as we can, and we'll accommodate you as best we can in the next week.

As for new comics, I can't in good conscience recommend the other comic stores in Dublin as their prices are shockingly high compared to our own, and there's really no reason for it. So what I'd recommend you do is contact mrbarney@gmail.com and he'll look after you as well if not better than we have. He's the only person I know in this city that deals in new comics with a price structure similar to our own. Also, here's a link to his myspace site which you can contact him on too. http://www.myspace.com/coneyislandwhitefish

For anyone who needs to collect their orders please give us a shout here in the store on 01-6336964, or email us at info@irishcomicshop.com or hendrick.john@gmail.com.

I really also want to thank the following folks for their hard work since the beginning all those years ago. Peter Marry, Dave Williams, Ciaran Downey, Adam Murray, Gavin Cassels, Dave O'Brien, Mark Hall, Peter Noble, Mark Millar who has always been a great friend and a huge supporter of the store the con and all of our endeavours. The crew from www.millarworld.tv that helped me out so much at this years and last years con. A big thank you especially to Bruno Batista who despite having to put up with me as a boss he still speaks to me. To my family, especially my brother Dave, who has been my biggest supporter and motivator through out my tenure here. Dave's been the biggest back up I've had here and I really appreciate everything throughout the last number of years.

And last but not least, a huge thank you to all of you our customers. I truly feel saddened that I won't see you all week in week out like I'm used to. But as they say, onwards and upwards. Thanks again for everything over the last seven years, we really, really appreciate all your help and support.

You're not going to believe what will be happening next.

But for now, you'll just have to be patient I'm afraid.

Thanks again,

All the best.

John Hendrick.

So there's the deal all, I'm out of the game and I've sold out.

But I'm still in comics.

And I always will be.

All the best,

John.

the Shades

Well that was confusing...

Thanks for the heads up John. Now I just have to decide whether or not to just give up reading comics again for a while.

padimus

Cheers John.

when you guys reopen in the new store (hopefully soon!) i'll be there.

Jack B. Badd

J Hendrick wrote: »

So in answer, no.

So in answer, yes?

As for new comics, I can't in good conscience recommend the other comic stores in Dublin as their prices are shockingly high compared to our own, and there's really no reason for it.

lmao @ the pettiness. Perhaps it's the "shockingly high" prices that allow them to stay in business... :rolleyes:

Saruwatari

Shame to hear that, but all the same can't wait for the new store to open up. Whatcha' gonna do with your current stock in store, as I'd really like to pick a few volumes of the Cyborg 009 manga (since they're OOP)...

the Shades

Jack B. Badd wrote: »

So in answer, yes?



lmao @ the pettiness. Perhaps it's the "shockingly high" prices that allow them to stay in business... :rolleyes:

Except it wasn't a lack of customers or profits that led John to close the store, merely a change in circumstances before going ahead with plans he already had for moving to a larger premisis. Maybe the pettiness is all in how you read it? Or maybe in not really knowing much about the situation in the first place? Hardly helpful or relevant comments.

spooydermot

that's a pity, but I really hope the new premises works out, and all your new plans aswell.
All the best John!

Fysh

the Shades wrote: »

Except it wasn't a lack of customers or profits that led John to close the store, merely a change in circumstances before going ahead with plans he already had for moving to a larger premisis. Maybe the pettiness is all in how you read it? Or maybe in not really knowing much about the situation in the first place? Hardly helpful or relevant comments.

I don't know anything about the circumstances of the shop closure other than what's in this thread, but the stated plan to move to larger premises doesn't match the notion of being massively undercut by the likes of Amazon. And Jack B Badd isn't the only person to have perceived some parts of John's mail above to be petty or self-aggrandizing, so I don't see why it shouldn't be pointed out. After all, this isn't the 3rd Place Candle-Lit Vigil thread :P

The comics scene in general is small enough that the loss of any comic shop is a shame, but at the same time I find it hard to believe that every comics fan in Dublin is going to be wearing black for the next year and walking around with ash on their forehead as a result of this, particularly when the loudest wailing and gnashing of teeth about the "impact on the scene" on the millarworld thread seems to be from employees rather than customers. That being said, I think I've only been in there once or twice so I don't know - maybe there is a strong social community built up around the place, and if that's the case then it's a shame.

I do hope the planned move to larger premises works out as intended, and that the financial side of things remains in the black after the move. I still think that the impact on the local community would be more severe in somewhere like Cork or Galway where there's only 1 comic shop though...

the Shades

You know the more I read these boards and post on these threads the less I feel like coming back.

John's comments about the other shops is pretty much just repeating what everyone else says and what anyone who can do a simple currency conversion can work out for themselves. Fine it might be seen as below the belt to his competitors but it was originally intended for his customers not the general public and should probably have been edited rather than posted in full. However, I find it more petty and immature to start insinuating that the reason the shop is closing is because they're poor businessmen. I've been to all three shops, I've had standing orders with all three shops and John and Bruno were the friendliest, most professional and offered the best service. That's what I'll miss and I'm sure that's what their other customers will miss as well.

I don't think I'll miss this board.

bombidol

Agreed. Any arrogence people perceive from Johns mail out is at least matched or outdone from certain members of this board. Theres also representatives of other Dublin comic stores posting here stirring ****e.
I have shopped in every comic store Dublins had to offer for the last 15 years and without a doubt the service the 3rd place offered was unmatched. Try and get Forbidden planet to email you each week with whats due in. Doesnt happen. I had a gang of artists from Italy and Germany over a few weeks back and one evening I brought them too all the stores around. The stores were closed but they were going to come back in the morning and check them all out.
The ONLY place any of them bought anything was in the 3rd place. Every one of them agreed it was the most friendly of all the stores.
I for one am saddened by the fact the place is closing but life goes on. Something else will happen.

ztoical

O for the love of....*face palm* Are we all five? I'm sorry the 3rd place is closing, but seeing as I get to Dublin once in a blue moon these days and buy 80% of my comics online its not really going to worry me and I think John's email made it pretty clear he wasn't dieing or anything so at most you'll have to suffer shopping elsewhere for a couple of months or take a break, save the money and go on a massive spree when their new shop opens.

If we're going to start posting stories about how great shop A is, I can post the same saying well shop B is pretty great too. I've had good and bad service in all the comic shops in Dublin over the years. Christ I'm still upset Wow closed down, and I hate the new FP shop I want them back on Dawson street where the floorboards make a noise, not to mention all the great little book shops around the city that have closed too.

This thread is a mess and confusing - is it closing? no its not, o wait yes it is Of course people were going to comment. As for the comments about the other comic shops in Dublin - fine I accept that was part of an email meant to go just to the shop mailing list and in hindsight should have been edited out of the post here - it wasn't, people commented thats the whole point of a message bored. I admire peoples loyalty to the store but remember there can be people posting on here who feel that same loyalty to one of the other stores and might be just as pissed as you to see them being slagged. Hell If I buy Graphic Novels in a shop in Ireland I will go to Easons before I go to any other shop because I use to work for them back when I was a student in Dublin and they always treated me very bloody well and I repay that with some loyalty to them.

The only people working/connected to comic shops I've seen on here are Rob who to the best of my knowledge hasn't posted on this thread [nor posted anything negative about other stores in Ireland] and staff from the 3rd place - if there are other staff from any comic store posting and stirring sh!t they've wasted their time cus I for one didn't notice.

Murra your not drawing comics anymore, your not going to post here anymore - fine then stop otherwise I'm going to think your just looking for attention.

Fysh

...

Oh, hooray, here we go again.

I don't think anyone has outright said "John & co. are poor businessmen", nor do I think that would be a justifiable statement to make given what's been posted in this thread. I do think that making a statement about being undercut by Amazon (which presumably slims down profit margins and makes it harder to stay in business) in the same breath as stating that your competitors prices are unjustifiably high is a bit odd. John is 100% entitled to make that statement to anyone and everyone, but as a statement that was made public everyone who reads it is entitled to comment on it.

This thread is about the rumoured and now confirmed closure of the 3rd place. For anyone who regularly shops there, it's a shame. It will have an impact on the comic scene in Dublin. I maintain that this impact will be less than, for example, the closure of Other Realms in Cork, simply because there are 2 other comic shops within about 5 minutes of the 3rd Place. Whether they provide the same service or not is for other people to decide; I'm not familiar enough with the 3rd place and haven't met enough of the staff past or present to make any kind of a judgement on that.

It is worth pointing out that, low-traffic though this forum is (especially when compared to the likes of MillarWorld) it's not the Dublin Comics hangout, nor is it the 3rd Place Fan Club hangout, nor any other geograpically-specific or commercially-specific forum. It's just a comics forum. Everyone's entitled to say what they like, and that includes commenting on things like an email that's been made public. If that leads to drama, histrionics and posturing, well, my opinion is that it'll get in the way of actually having any kind of interesting discussion. But if that's how you feel you can best contribute then hey, have fun with it

Jack B. Badd

the Shades wrote: »

Except it wasn't a lack of customers or profits that led John to close the store, merely a change in circumstances before going ahead with plans he already had for moving to a larger premisis. Maybe the pettiness is all in how you read it? Or maybe in not really knowing much about the situation in the first place? Hardly helpful or relevant comments.

Since this isn't a PI I'm not obliged to be helpful and imo it is relevant since I posted in response to Hendrick's quoted email.
Firstly, Hendrick posted stating in response to the OP stating that

J Hendrick wrote: »

So in answer, no.

I'm not out of a job.

which strongly implies that the store was not closing and that the OP was incorrect. He didn't need to post this, he could have kept quiet for a few days or just posted stating that he hadn't sent the email. Instead, he posted something which was designed to be interpreted as there being no plans to close the store and that it would remain open. Then, not a week later, he posts saying that in fact he's selling the premises and closing the store. This is a complete 180 on his first statement and something that I thought was worthy of comment as relevant to the thread.
Both of these statements were posted in a public forum, so comments from the general public are to be expected.


You're absolutely right though about me not knowing much about the situation. I don't know any of the people working in The 3rd Place, I'm not affiliated with any of other Dublin comic stores, I don't live in The Pale, don't know the specifics of the "comic scene" there and I'm not involved with the sale of the The 3rd Place's premises. I'm about as close to an unbiased member of the public as you can get and as such I took Hendrick's posts in this thread at face value. At face value, the email which he posted here comes across as a smarmy piece of politicking and self promotion. My issue, however, was with the charming snipe at his competitors that he snuck into the middle of the email. Whether or not Hendrick is a good businessman, I found this statement to be extremely unprofessional and downright petty. Even if is "just repeating what everyone else says" there is a significant difference between holding a personal opinion about something like this and, as a businessman, publicly vocalising it about rival businesses. As a potential customer (I'm aware that this potential is weak as I don't go to Dublin to shop for mainstream comics), I find myself disinclined to purchase anything from a retailer who makes such "below the belt" comments on a public forum. If nothing else, it makes me wonder what would happen if I did purchase something from him and then made a legitimate complaint about poor service or a sub-standard product. Would I too be put down in public? Would I be subjected to petty snipes and underhand comments? I'm sure I'm not the only person who becomes less confident in a retailer when they express such sentiments.

As for the reasons for the closure of The 3rd Place, maybe it isn't due to lack of customers or profits. However, something doesn't smell right about the above quoted email stating that a retailer really didn't want to close an apparently profitable business, but was forced into it by someone making him an "offer he couldn't refuse" and that it was "just the right time to make this change". I call bullsh*t!
The statement of being "so massively undercut by sites such as Amazon", not to mention the snipe about "shockingly high prices" in the other Dublin stores a few paragraphs later, implies that there was some financial hardship contributing to the decision to sell.

constitutionus

yeah, nothing at all to do with the fact he's bang on.

call his comments petty if you want but 3rd place were the cheapest place to buy comics in dublin and thats all i care about. thats why i went there. im sad theyre going but now that they are i have to ask the question whether i'll bother buying monthlies at all anymore

i buy trades on play.com and it works out at circa half the price of the individual issues in the shops. the need for a monthly fix combined with a relatively cheap price was what kept me coming back. no fecking way am i doing that if the alternative is have to shop at the forbiden planet. the place is a fecking gouge fest and its not just on the comics .

on the bright side its happend with only one issue left in the monthly series im collecting for it to be collected and at the very start of another one which i havent bought yet thanks to a shipping problem so once i get the former i can just bide my time for the trades.

still have to admit it'll be weird not buying comics in a store anymore

J Hendrick

Wow...

Apologies to the mods here over this. I feel like anytime we post here there's a massive s&*t storm just waiting to happen and I just don't get it really. I just stopped by today to see what was being said and I really am on the run today so can't really reply the way I'd like to. But I'll try and get back on as soon as possible and hopefully respond to some peoples comments and queries.

Hopefully that'll be professional enough of me.

Cheers J.

1408

I want to say that while I am shocked and saddened to hear of the closure of your store I wish you all the best in the future and hope that another premises opens soon where the comics are just as cheap. I have been a late bloomer to comics but have enjoyed everything I have read and you have helped every little bit in that way.

SGTdewdew

Sad to see ANY small 'culture' supplier closing down, shame about 3rd place. I will miss it.
I buy mostly online, but there's nothing like walking between shelves and racks of comics of a little store
- as opposed to FP - just shelves and racks of FAR TOO expensive things.
RIP 3RD PLACE...

Anyone use 'mrbarney' yet?
I'll still buy comics regardless of who sells them.. ;D

bryan philips

Yeah I had a look at his myspace, there are no comics on there just statues?

Ah well its not like the country is void of comic shops. Life goes on.

Declan O'Shea

Wow some of you people read a little bit too much between the lines...

Just got in contact with this MrBarney guy though, hes do'in comics too. Mail order which is kinda handy and kinda cheep apparently.

LilPeachPie

What is with the onslaught people? As far as I can see John has been as honest as he can be each step of the way which is more than a lot of people in his position would be. There is a social community attached to the store which is a reflection on John and the store itself and that is the very reason I'm sure that he posted the closure announcement here. The only pettiness I can get from this thread is that of typical negative begrudgers and irrespective of what the outcome would be I'm sure you negative nellies would find something to complain about.:rolleyes:

Good luck in the future John

Spastafarian

Declan O'Shea wrote: »

Wow some of you people read a little bit too much between the lines...

Just got in contact with this MrBarney guy though, hes do'in comics too. Mail order which is kinda handy and kinda cheep apparently.

Just like amazon!

Fysh

Spastafarian wrote: »

Just like amazon!

I believe the expression is something along the lines of "Don't mention the war!"

chopperbyrne

Always preferred Sub City, but still sad to see an independent close down.

Uncle Spunk

Okay time to come clean, me and John are finally going into business together. We're planning on having a chain of abortion clinics open by June.