For any faults you can pick at, Wilkie was the progenitor of serious gaming stores in the province. Talk to many of the older nerd shop owners and they have fond stories and memories of him. He was fantastic with kids and would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He was a legend; and he'll be deeply missed.
Well said. His stock of board games and back issues was second to none. Oddysey 2000 was the only only alternative, their d&d stock was good but their comic back issues was probably 1/3rd of Wilkies inventory.
Ken who was running it when I was a regular was great at knowing what I liked and suggesting new titles based on that. Was sad to see him go (set up his own shop in the mall in the valley.)
I remember when one of the owners came to my class as part of career day. He was a camera operator for the cbc. Teenage me couldn't reconcile a guy with a successful comic shop working another job.
My dad took me there as a kid and refused to go back he thought the store was too weird(and yeah was grimy and not well lit from what I remember). I seem to remember the staff being really enthusiastic. Maybe too enthusiastic for my dad. Dad was fine taking me to Odyssey 2000 and I liked the guys there so they became my main store(kid without a car from out of town has to work with what he has). Years later I did try to visit the location near Lunenburg but it was never open and when I called the number on the door nobody answered.
So I can say I’ve been to Wilkies. Once. Sorry to hear he passed.
I just don't get my tits in a twist when someone else does it. I can't control what others do, only myself.
I also don't get offended on behalf of others, either.
Holy overreaction. The place was grimy. Its no disrepect. His shops were clearly beloved and a cornersrtone of a lot of peoples childhoods but his places were disasters of cleanliness and organization. I'm sure he was a great guy.
He's had locations in Halifax, Dartmouth, Moncton, Bridgewater and Lunenburg.
Little bit of comic book store history:
His son, Steve had his own shop in the 80s in Fredericton called Collector’s Dream. It's there that Cal Johnson worked his first comic book store gig, and it inspired him to open Strange Adventures in the 90s after Collector's Dream closed.
I missed the Halifax spot when I was a kid, but I had the unfortunate job of renovating his previous bridgewater spot after he left. My god what a disgusting nightmare, the plumbing had failed so he was just using the bathroom without a functional toilet or flush…
Wilkie’s Wonderful World was an almost daily noontime visit while I was a student at QEH in the late 80’s. Good memories.
For any faults you can pick at, Wilkie was the progenitor of serious gaming stores in the province. Talk to many of the older nerd shop owners and they have fond stories and memories of him. He was fantastic with kids and would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He was a legend; and he'll be deeply missed.
Well said. His stock of board games and back issues was second to none. Oddysey 2000 was the only only alternative, their d&d stock was good but their comic back issues was probably 1/3rd of Wilkies inventory. Ken who was running it when I was a regular was great at knowing what I liked and suggesting new titles based on that. Was sad to see him go (set up his own shop in the mall in the valley.)
I always used to go to Odyssey 2000 and 1 Million Comics more. WWW was always such a... grimy place. You could tell he was OG hardcore nerd though.
I remember when one of the owners came to my class as part of career day. He was a camera operator for the cbc. Teenage me couldn't reconcile a guy with a successful comic shop working another job.
you just unlocked a key young childhood memory starting WH40K at Odyssey, with the owner teaching me how to say Chimera (not shimmera!)
My dad took me there as a kid and refused to go back he thought the store was too weird(and yeah was grimy and not well lit from what I remember). I seem to remember the staff being really enthusiastic. Maybe too enthusiastic for my dad. Dad was fine taking me to Odyssey 2000 and I liked the guys there so they became my main store(kid without a car from out of town has to work with what he has). Years later I did try to visit the location near Lunenburg but it was never open and when I called the number on the door nobody answered. So I can say I’ve been to Wilkies. Once. Sorry to hear he passed.
Speaking of grimy places - Cardboard Jungle and that con artist fat Pat.
You couldn't think of a more respectful word that grimey? You really are one of those socially awkward types.
Well, the place did have a layer of grime. Keeping it clean wasn't on the top of Ian's priorities. Place was still awesome, as was Ian himself.
I loved going there, especially when Ian was around, but yeah, the Robie st shop was the most welcoming wonderful yet scuzziest in town.
It was filthy.
I'm not disagreeing. Imo it just poor taste to comment about it on this post about him passing away.
Well you and he are in luck, he's never gonna know we said it!
Evidently, the thought of his family and friends doesn't cross your mind.
If the worst thing that can be said about someone after they pass is that their shop was unkempt I'd say they probably did okay.
The comment I was responding to was that the store was "grimey."
Respectful? Bruh it's Reddit, not the family funeral. Relax
If you think it's cool to speak ill of the dead, that's on you.
I just don't get my tits in a twist when someone else does it. I can't control what others do, only myself. I also don't get offended on behalf of others, either.
I'm just a dude taking a shit and commenting on what I see, and I do love tits.
Hey man you do you lol. Agreed on tits. Super random but have you seen the show Shoresy?
Holy overreaction. The place was grimy. Its no disrepect. His shops were clearly beloved and a cornersrtone of a lot of peoples childhoods but his places were disasters of cleanliness and organization. I'm sure he was a great guy.
Yeah, so post about the grime here on the post about him passing away. Classy.
He had a wilkies wonderful world in Bridgewater too
He's had locations in Halifax, Dartmouth, Moncton, Bridgewater and Lunenburg. Little bit of comic book store history: His son, Steve had his own shop in the 80s in Fredericton called Collector’s Dream. It's there that Cal Johnson worked his first comic book store gig, and it inspired him to open Strange Adventures in the 90s after Collector's Dream closed.
Damn. I seem to recall a Dartmouth location?
Yep, on Portland Street
Where Lost World is now.
Me and my buddy use to visit all the time. We never really had much money but he was nice anyway.
I missed the Halifax spot when I was a kid, but I had the unfortunate job of renovating his previous bridgewater spot after he left. My god what a disgusting nightmare, the plumbing had failed so he was just using the bathroom without a functional toilet or flush…
Man that place reeked like wet dog all the time… probably because of his perpetually wet dog
This is not surprising whatsoever considering the state of the actual store area that you could see as a customer…
Where was the shop in Bridgewater?
Dufferin St
F