Entry No. 36 — the Memphis file — filed under: comics
Comics & Collectibles
In business since 1986 and still calling itself the Mid-South's largest, this is the shop other Memphis shops date themselves against. The stock spans new floppies, back issues from majors and independents, manga, hardcovers and trades, plus a genuine vintage-toy trade — buy, sell and trade is posted policy, so the used action figure bins refill from whatever walked in that week. It's also an authorized Sideshow and Hot Toys retailer, which means glass-case statues from Gentle Giant and Iron Studios sitting a few feet from Gundam kits, Chessex dice and Magic singles. The staff run in the same circles as Memphis Comic Expo, which is where the store's guest-signing energy comes from. One catch worth repeating: the storefront does not face Poplar.
→ Three more vintage, record & maker shops in Memphis — never the same twice
The story
Comics & Collectibles has been open since 1986 and puts the claim straight into its own site tagline — "Mid-South's Largest Comic Book Store Since 1986" — which makes it the shop other Memphis shops date themselves against. The single most useful thing to know before driving over is spelled out in capital letters on its own location page: the storefront sits behind Pickering Boxwood and the Schlotzsky's Deli, and it does not face Poplar. People circle the block.
Inside, the range runs well past the name. New releases, vintage and back issues from the majors and the independents, graphic novels, hardcovers, trades and manga make up the spine, and buy-sell-trade is posted policy for comic books and vintage toys alike — which is why the used action-figure stock refills from whatever somebody carried in that week. It is also an authorized Sideshow Collectibles and Hot Toys retailer, so glass-case statues and busts from Gentle Giant, Iron Studios, Diamond Select and Bandai stand a few feet from Gundam model kits, 24-by-36 wall posters, Dungeons & Dragons rulebooks and pre-painted miniatures, Magic singles, Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh boxes, and dice from Chessex, Sirius, MDG and Halfsies.
The shop's own posts read like a running ledger of what came through the door — a staffer working down a fresh haul of toys to price, a whole table of Kiss acquisitions, a new wall of cards. Its site links out to Memphis Comic Expo, and it spends the run-up to that show promoting guest signings by artists like Mark Bagley, Larry Hama and Mitch Gerads, which is where the store's convention energy comes from. Sunday is the short day: noon to three, and then it's gone.
What it's like
Budget five minutes for the parking lot. The address is 4730 Poplar Avenue, Suite 2, but the door is around behind Pickering Boxwood and the Schlotzsky's, and there is nothing to see from the boulevard. Once you're in, it's Monday through Saturday 10 to 6 and Sunday noon to 3 — three hours on a Sunday, so don't build the day around it. The floor sorts itself quickly: new releases and trades near the front, longboxes and back issues to work through standing up, glass cases holding the Sideshow and Hot Toys pieces, and bins of loose and used figures that turn over constantly. Staff will pull things down and talk pricing without a hard sell. If you're bringing a collection in to sell or trade, come early in the day rather than at closing, and call (901) 683-7171 first.
The move: Come on a weeknight before six, split up at the longboxes and give yourselves fifteen minutes each to find the other person a single issue for five dollars or less that explains something about your childhood. Buy both, no negotiating. Read them to each other over dinner somewhere on Poplar and defend your pick.
📍 Before you go Monday–Saturday 10am–6pm, Sunday noon–3pm. The entrance is behind Pickering Boxwood and the Schlotzsky's Deli and does not face Poplar — drive around the back or you will circle the block. Bring cash sense for the graded and back-issue side, and if you're selling or trading, come early rather than at closing.
- 📍 Memphis
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 4730 Poplar Avenue, Suite 2, Memphis, TN 38117
Hours: Added 2026-08-26 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Crystal Shrine Grotto — Keep going east on Poplar about two miles to walk into a 60-foot concrete-and-quartz cave built inside a working cemetery — both places you can drive past for years without ever seeing.
- Gibson's Donuts — A mile south on Mt Moriah and open until midnight, which solves the problem of a comic shop that closes at six.
- Barons Bar + Barbershop (speakeasy) — Under a mile away on Mendenhall, another East Memphis door you have to be told about: a two-way mirror in a working barbershop that opens onto a 40-seat bar at 4 p.m.
More weird in Memphis
Good to know
I'm on Poplar and can't see the store. Where is the entrance?
It's at 4730 Poplar Avenue, Suite 2, but the storefront is located behind Pickering Boxwood and the Schlotzsky's Deli and does not face Poplar. Drive around to the back. Phone (901) 683-7171 if you're still circling.
What are the hours?
Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday noon to 3 p.m. The Sunday window is only three hours.
Can I sell or trade my own comics and toys there?
Yes — buy, sell and trade is posted policy for comic books and vintage toys. Come earlier in the day rather than near closing so staff have time to go through what you've brought.
Is there anything for someone who doesn't read comics?
Plenty. It's an authorized Sideshow Collectibles and Hot Toys retailer, with statues and busts from Gentle Giant, Iron Studios, Diamond Select and Bandai, plus Gundam kits, D&D books and pre-painted miniatures, Magic singles, Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh cards, dice and posters.
Do they run a pull list or subscription service?
The store's site keeps a Subscription Box page under its policies, so ask at the counter for current terms rather than assuming — it's a small shop and the details are handled in person.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site
last checked: 2026-08-26