The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Comic book stores set to close after ‘slipping through Covid cracks’
Acomic book store owner with shops in Perth and Dundee said he is “devastated” to announce the closure of both branches.
Stuart Kane, owner of Big Dog Books, said his business “slipped through the cracks” during the coronavirus pandemic.
The 39-year-old said he fought desperately to keep his two shops afloat but feels non-hospitality businesses were not given enough support.
Even after restrictions eased, Stuart said the rising cost of living and physical products moving to digital platforms made survival impossible.
The Scott Street, Perth, and Exchange Street, Dundee, shops will close on Friday May 27, after seven years in business.
Stuart said: “I really fought to keep the lights on. Any pivot that would have helped us cost more than we had.
“I’m absolutely devastated. It has been really tough.”
Big Dog Books is one of many city centre casualties in recent times, including Campus Sports in Perth and Debenhams in both cities.
Stuart said: “We simply ran out of money and didn’t really get the help we needed.
“I felt like we slipped through the cracks with getting help. We were left behind, really.
“I struggled to get the Covid support grants because of the type of business we are.
“There have also been huge changes in the industry, so finding stock and getting it in store quickly was a massive challenge.
“By the time we could get stock on our shelves, customers had already bought the items online.”
As well as selling comics and board games, Big Dog
Books hosted events inviting people to play games together.
Stuart said: “I started the company initially because I love comics and games; I really had felt like there was a gap in the market.
“This was once a meeting place for people to play games together, we built this community from the ground up and it’s really sad.
“I really want to keep this community that we have created alive. I want to still try and host games nights locally. It sounds a cliché but it’s about the friends you make, and that’s important to keep going with in the future.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said it is committed to helping businesses recover from the pandemic.
They said: “The Scottish Government has provided more than £4.7 billion in support since the beginning of the pandemic, including around £1.6bn in rates relief which includes a continuation of 50% retail, hospitality, and leisure rates relief for the first three months of 2022-23, capped at £27,500 per rate payer.
“We have also maintained the UK’S most generous Small Business Bonus Scheme which takes over 111,000 properties out of rates altogether (as at June 1 2021).”