Binc was recently contacted by the owners of a family-run comic book shop. They have been working mightily to keep their business afloat during the pandemic through a combination of in-store safety measures, online sales, and reducing expenses. As with many small shops, the store’s revenue pays both business and household bills. With the addition of side jobs, when possible, and significant reductions in personal expenses the household was managing on a very tight budget.
All it took was the addition of a medical emergency to upset this delicate balance. One of the owners contracted the COVID virus, necessitating the closure of the store to quarantine and recover. Thankfully, the illness did not require hospitalization, but their recovery took several weeks. The related loss of income caused the family to be unable to meet their home rent payment.
Because these comic shop owners had read about Binc on the Diamond Comic Distributors website, they reached out to see if help was available. Binc was able to step in and bring the family current on their rent, allowing them to focus on staying healthy and keep their store open without the worry of being evicted from their home.
Partners like Diamond and our generous donors across the book and comic industries work together to ensure that shop owners and employees know there is a safety net in place to help them continue running their stores and serving their communities.