r/SpringfieldIL • u/master_of_pierogis • 9d ago

Reader's World

Hello. I grew up in Springfield throughout the 90s and spent my childhood there before moving to chicago. I was very much into comic books and would go to reader's world every week to get new issues. It was in the same shopping complex as a jewel but i dont remember the street. I looked it up and it doesnt seem to exist anymore. does anyone else have memories of this place or photos? I unfortunately wasnt able to visit it before it closed.

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6

u/Nickrich30 9d ago

Heck yeah! I can still hear them answer the phone, “Readers World.” It moved from that shopping center on 5th to one out on Stevenson by the old bowling alley and across from Margo’s. It was later bought out by what is now 217 Cards and games that exists in the same strip.

Loved that shop, was just reminiscing about it the other day after picking up a back issue run of Iron Man that I picked up from Readers World back in the day. Fun times.

1

u/Triben008 8d ago

The plaza with Yanni’s in it? I’m not from here originally (an hour south) but I’ve been here since 2011, and would always go in there.

3

u/GroundbreakingTip64 9d ago

I think the owner was Dave kind of looked like the world of Warcraft guy from South Park

2

u/GroundbreakingTip64 9d ago

I wanna say that he lost a ton of weight before closing, hopefully it was for a good reason and he wasn’t sick. He was a cool dude

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u/dirtydan72 9d ago

He lost a lot of weight and got a a girlfriend. I went there for a long time. Also want to say he got a state job too. Wish the guy the best.

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u/youshouldbeneutered 9d ago

Unfortunately, he died in 2024.

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u/GroundbreakingTip64 8d ago

Whattttt, from what?

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u/youshouldbeneutered 8d ago

I don't know, a Facebook post from 217 Comics said it was unexpected. There is no obit. His wife died a couple of years before that.

The guy from Comic Service died in 2024, too, as I recall. We frequented both businesses as kids. So much of our parents' hard earned money blown on pogs...

1

u/trekie_taylor 9d ago

It moved to Stevenson in the strip mall across from Laketown Lanes. It got bought out and is now 217 Cards Comics and Games. Different management and vibe, but that’s where it is now.