It’s enough to bring a tear to Thor’s eye.
Fantom Comics, a tiny oasis of graphic novels in a far-flung upper corner of the Pentagon City mall, quietly closed up shop on Sunday.
Owner Matt Klokel said another business wanted Fantom’s space and was able to get it due to a clause in the store’s lease. Klokel said he would have had to pay twice his current rent to keep the space.
“To all of our [mall] customers, we at Fantom want to thank you for your patronage,” Klokel wrote on the store’s blog. “We love the spot, had a lot of fun, and had hoped to serve you there for many years to come.”
He added: “I would also like to point out that our Union Station store is still open and running strong, and we hope to see you there!”
To our knowledge, Fantom’s closure means that there are no comic book shops left in Arlington. Anybody know otherwise?