Our
30th anniversary party is coming up Saturday October 13... but the
actual anniversary of the day Flying Colors first opened for business is
October 3.
I'm out of profound words of wisdom about this occasion. I'm honestly a bit shocked we got this far since I knew little to nothing about running a business way back when... and I still feel the longer I go, the less I know. But here we are. Phew!
Even without having much in the way of real world business acumen at the time, I can tell you one thing: When my family joined me in this crazy dream to have our own business, we had a plan--- almost a dream--- really.
We summed it up in this line: "Flying Colors is the one comic shop for the whole family."
Our goal is still that no matter who you are, if you like to read, if you enjoy art... Flying Colors is the shop for you, for us... for all of us! That mission statement still guides us after all these years.
Back on Monday October 3, 1988, it was a quiet day. We did all of $63
business for the eight hours we were open. Those early days we operated
on the razor's edge, often wondering if we'd make it to our one year
anniversary, let alone 30!
Along the way, I have been one very blessed shop owner! In 30 years, we've had just 51 employees--- our fabulous FlyCo Retailing Brigade! Special thanks to Mike Eriksson and Marty Messner for their combined 29 years of service here!! And to Anna and Casey for being the right women for the job over these last three years! Along the way, our FlyCo Retailing Brigade members have become part of our family and we are very grateful to all 51 of you!
Libby and our three daughters, Michelle, Jenny & Cindy, have all worked in the business in one capacity or another. And wherever they travel in this world, they always take in other comics shops to get new ideas, to keep up with their favorite art & stories and to brag about their Free Comic Book Day founder dad.
;)
Libby is the one who deserves heaping helpings of thanks for everything! Especially for going along with the crazy idea to open... a comic book store!?!
Little known fact, if it wasn't for Libby, we likely would not have gotten a lease in Oak grove Plaza. Our original landlord here was reticent to give a lease to what he thought was a low-brow no-good business... a comic shop. But once he met Libby, then met our three young daughters, he caved in! How could he not?
Libby, as everyone knows, is the sweetest person on the face of the planet! She is the glue behind the scenes of the success of Flying Colors. I'm in awe of her in so many ways... and always grateful to her for understanding that crazy dreams can lead to a business like this, which is a *community* as much as it is a thriving enterprise.
Finally, we THANK YOU, all of you who are or have been a part of our 30 years history, all of you who give us your business month in and month out. Please, more than ever, we need you to continue to hang in there with us as we head into our 31st year of "Slinging Comics to Concord, Contra Costa County & the Cosmos."
And one last plug: We'd really like to see you at our party on Saturday October 13. I'm hoping a good number of our past Retailing Brigade members will be here.
We'll be cutting the cake at 3PM... and it's going to be 30 years worth of sweet!
Peace & love & comics!
--- Joe "FlyCoJoe" Field
(PS: If you have any photos from Flying Colors events or any stories you'd like to share about Flying Colors, please share them on our Facebook 30th Anniversary Event Page or Twitter or Instagram and please tag me "@flycojoe". We will also give you the opportunity to sign, write, draw in our scrapbook on October 13... and we hope you will!)
I'm out of profound words of wisdom about this occasion. I'm honestly a bit shocked we got this far since I knew little to nothing about running a business way back when... and I still feel the longer I go, the less I know. But here we are. Phew!
Even without having much in the way of real world business acumen at the time, I can tell you one thing: When my family joined me in this crazy dream to have our own business, we had a plan--- almost a dream--- really.
We summed it up in this line: "Flying Colors is the one comic shop for the whole family."
Our goal is still that no matter who you are, if you like to read, if you enjoy art... Flying Colors is the shop for you, for us... for all of us! That mission statement still guides us after all these years.
Along the way, I have been one very blessed shop owner! In 30 years, we've had just 51 employees--- our fabulous FlyCo Retailing Brigade! Special thanks to Mike Eriksson and Marty Messner for their combined 29 years of service here!! And to Anna and Casey for being the right women for the job over these last three years! Along the way, our FlyCo Retailing Brigade members have become part of our family and we are very grateful to all 51 of you!
Libby and our three daughters, Michelle, Jenny & Cindy, have all worked in the business in one capacity or another. And wherever they travel in this world, they always take in other comics shops to get new ideas, to keep up with their favorite art & stories and to brag about their Free Comic Book Day founder dad.
;)Libby is the one who deserves heaping helpings of thanks for everything! Especially for going along with the crazy idea to open... a comic book store!?!
Little known fact, if it wasn't for Libby, we likely would not have gotten a lease in Oak grove Plaza. Our original landlord here was reticent to give a lease to what he thought was a low-brow no-good business... a comic shop. But once he met Libby, then met our three young daughters, he caved in! How could he not?
Libby, as everyone knows, is the sweetest person on the face of the planet! She is the glue behind the scenes of the success of Flying Colors. I'm in awe of her in so many ways... and always grateful to her for understanding that crazy dreams can lead to a business like this, which is a *community* as much as it is a thriving enterprise.
Finally, we THANK YOU, all of you who are or have been a part of our 30 years history, all of you who give us your business month in and month out. Please, more than ever, we need you to continue to hang in there with us as we head into our 31st year of "Slinging Comics to Concord, Contra Costa County & the Cosmos."
And one last plug: We'd really like to see you at our party on Saturday October 13. I'm hoping a good number of our past Retailing Brigade members will be here.
We'll be cutting the cake at 3PM... and it's going to be 30 years worth of sweet!
Peace & love & comics!
--- Joe "FlyCoJoe" Field
(PS: If you have any photos from Flying Colors events or any stories you'd like to share about Flying Colors, please share them on our Facebook 30th Anniversary Event Page or Twitter or Instagram and please tag me "@flycojoe". We will also give you the opportunity to sign, write, draw in our scrapbook on October 13... and we hope you will!)
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