Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael and Kelly Medeiros.
Michael and Kelly, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
We have a great deal of retail experience for previous jobs, which prepared us for the field at its basic level. One evening while working as an Assistant for Wal-Mart I (Michael) decided that it was time for a change and jokingly decided I was going to open a comic shop.
Our first unit was a little over 1100 sqft and we had just over 7 thousand comics. There were some turbulent times but Kelly and I always focused on presentation and customer service no matter what. As we rooted ourselves in Ocala and word of mouth started to spread we began to see the fruits of our labor and determination. Today we have over 120,000 back issues on the salesfloor, as well as 5,000 sqft of retail space full of video games, board games, toys and so much more. Even with all the growth, we continue to focus on our customer’s needs as well as reinventing ourselves by adding new lines and items weekly.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Some of our biggest struggles come from having so much local competition. At one point, there were six shops inside of 15 miles all doing something similar. It was difficult to grow. We just stayed to course and made sure to be true to our core beliefs. The competition is still there but we are still growing and adding more and more customers week in and week out.
Bearded Browncoat Comics and Games – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We are a Comic and Gaming store. To say we specialize in a traditional sense would fall short of really describing what we do. Customers use the term “Nerdvana.” Truthfully we look at ourselves as a full-service nostalgia shop offering everything that reminds us of our youth and fun times. Whether it’s comics, video games, board games, figures, movies or even supplies for your collectables there is a great chance we have it, and if we don’t we are on the hunt for you. It’s this drive to take care of our customers that truly sets us apart. Loving the culture like we do, we understand why these items are so important to our customers, which makes it our number one priority as well.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
We really use our customers as a gauge of success. Their feedback drives us whether it’s good or bad. We take bad reviews and use it as a way to improve. Good reviews and feedback are what let us know we are doing the right thing. Seeing people walk in, look left, look right and physically say “wow” is the most rewarding thing we could as for.
Contact Info:
- Address: 500 SW 10th St Suite 200 Ocala FL 34473
- Phone: 3524332249
- Email: beardedbrowncoat@gmail.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/beardedbrowncoat
Image Credit:
Kelly Medeiros
Suggest a story: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
