N.D. (KFYR) – Cafe Realms closed Saturday, but not for good. A partnership with Comic Realms comic bookstore will bring the return of the superhero themed cafe
Comic Realms is owned by Lesley and Beau Frohlich and has been operating in L.J. Anderson Building for 10 years. Their daughter Britney Frohlich runs Cafe Realms.
“It’s nice that people can come in here and they can get a drink, a treat while they’re picking up their comic books. For a lot of people, it becomes part of their routine. They come in Wednesday, they pick up their new comics and they get an energy drink or a coffee or whatever you have it,” said Comic Realms Manager Wes Anderson
The community of stores in the building serves as a place for superhero fans, Lego masters, cafe goers and music lovers to stay connected.
These businesses include BisMan Bricks, Comic Realms, Cafe Realms, and Rhythm Records. The Antique Mall on the main level also adds to the charm of the community.
“Yeah, we’re a tight-knit bunch. Most people that come down here are also going over to Rhythm Records or Biz Man Bricks, as well as the cafe in here. I mean, it, a lot of it overlaps. You find a lot of the same people enjoy these, all four of these things,” said Anderson.
With the many new coffee shops that have come to Bismarck, being located in a basement and not having a drive thru is proving to be more inconvenient for customers.
“It’s a scary situation and not one you necessarily want to be in when people at Comic Realms, their livelihoods depend on it. So, if a new landlord decides to kick us out next week, they could do that,” said Cafe Realms Assistant Manager Connor Traynor.
Although the future of the business’s locations is unknown, both realms see this as an opportunity to integrate into one.
“Cafe will be back. We’re going to do it better next time. Again, have it more implemented into the comic shop so it’s not, it doesn’t feel separate. We don’t want that feeling of one or the other. We want it to be united into one single store where you can get everything with ease,” said Anderson.
Comic Realms reportedly aims to move before May of 2027, as Free Comic Book Day comes. Cafe Realms hopes to reopen in Comic Realms’ new location that they hope has a drive thru.
Currently, no one has bought the building and Comic Realms will stay in the building.
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