The Dragon to open new location
Guelph’s local comic book store The Dragon will be opening a new location on the corner of Gordon Street and Kortright Road in addition to their main downtown location in Old Quebec Street Mall.
The Dragon is a self-described “community hub” a space where people can come together for activities, gaming tournaments, and events with comic creators.
In an email interview with The Ontarion about the new store, Jennifer Haines, U of G alumna and owner of The Dragon, said, “People living south of Stone Road hardly ever travel north of it, and there are many people that avoid downtown. We really wanted to bring our store to more parts of Guelph, that have maybe never experienced it, or don’t know it exists! We want to spread our message that comics and games are for everyone!”
The Dragon opened in 1998 on the upper end of Wyndham Street. Then in 1999, it moved down Wyndham next to the Cornerstone before settling into its present location six years ago. One of its greatest claims-to-fame is its Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award. The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, are prizes given for creative achievement in comics. The Eisners are essentially the comic book industry’s equivalent of the Academy Awards.
The downtown store has seen continuous expansion. In the last year, the location acquired the storefront next door that was previously the LCBO in the Old Quebec Street Mall. They now use part of that space as a pop-up gaming space where people can play card games, like Pokémon or Magic: The Gathering, or other tabletop games like X-Wing or Warmachine.
Regarding the new location, Haines said, “There will be a bit less of an emphasis on gaming events, as we have a smaller games space than at the downtown store. But, we’re really excited to be offering board game rentals at the new location!”
The Dragon strives to be an inclusive store. In response to what she feels is her favourite part about the store, Haines said, “It’s the fact that our community is so diverse. There are kids in the store almost all the time, and our events are well-attended by not only men and women, but kids too! I’m also really proud of the fact that we have several transgender members of our gaming community. It means a lot to me that they feel like this is a place they belong. ”
The south end location is set to open early next week and will have its grand opening event in the new year.
Photo by Heather Gilmore.