Amalgam Comics, the first comics shop owned by a Black woman on the East Coast, announces it is closing this fall

Amalgam Comics & Coffeehouse, known for being the first Black female-owned comic book store on the East Coast, announced it will close its Kensington storefront Oct. 15.

The shop’s owner, Ariell R. Johnson, announced the decision to close after nearly seven years of business via Amalgam’s Instagram page.

“Amalgam is the kind of place I wished for when I was younger,” Johnson wrote. “It was built with intention and love — in the hope of providing fellow nerds with the kind of place I never had.”

Johnson said the strain brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic was insurmountable.

“The cumulative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic dealt a serious blow to the business, and, despite our best efforts to fight our way back, I must come to terms with our current reality,” she wrote.

Johnson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“It’s hard not to notice that this beautiful comic shop, the first one owned by a Black woman [on the East Coast], is shutting its doors while gentrification thrives in Philadelphia,” said comic book artist and cartoonist Ben Passmore, who has held two book tour stops at Amalgam. “Black bookstores have been a launch pad and a safe haven for curious Black people for decades, this is a loss for real.”

Johnson, who opened Amalgam in December 2015, worked to highlight inclusivity and diversity in comic books and other forms of nerd culture. The shop became known as a hub for Black creatives, and Johnson made a point of carrying books written by and for women and people of color.

“When young girls come in here and know that a woman owns the shop, a black woman owns the shop, and they can see titles where girls are the heroes and not just the love interests or the sidekick … when they see women and girls taking the lead in things, that’s really powerful,” Johnson told The Inquirer in 2017.

The shop has also played host to a number of high-profile guests over the years, including the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis, author Ta-Nehisi Coates, actress Yetide Badaki, and poet and activist Ursula Rucker. Amalgam also made national headlines in media outlets like the New York Times and CNN, and was featured in popular videos from micro-documentary maker Great Big Story and insurance provider Allstate.

While the shop is set to close this fall, Johnson said she hasn’t written off bringing it back sometime in the future if the opportunity presents itself.

“I hope to bring it back because I believe spaces like Amalgam need to exist; spaces of joy and renewal, spaces of community and rest,” Johnson wrote. “A sincere thanks to all of you for your love and support in all of its many forms.”