Just one of the four floors that sells used comics, records, and merchandize. It is the first thing customers see when entering the store.
Greg Eide’s gigantic emporium has been in business for 44 years and it is for good reason. Eide is the premier leader of comic, movie, and record sales in Pittsburgh. His business has taken several moves, survived the hundreds of different market flexes, and has come out on top of the competition as a way of preserving a piece of history, one comic at a time.
Edie had a humble beginning, first collecting comic books until finally getting together a large enough collection of duplicates to open his own one-man store in Etna. The location was located directly across from the Record-Rama, and eventually led to the store becoming successful through the use of trading, and re-selling duplicate issues to new incoming collectors.
“We were able to form a club,” Eide’s said jokingly.
Eventually Eide’s would take his business to several different addresses on Penn Avenue before finally coming to rest at 1121 Penn Avenue where the Strip District, the Internet, and the ever-changing area of Pittsburgh would lead to his success and the respect of buyers, sellers, and collectors everywhere.
Longtime fan and current collector of vinyl records, Rachel Juristy is a college student going to La Roche who goes to Eide’s anytime she can to pick up the hottest new material, or some old classics.
“Eide’s really is the best store for me. I mean it really is just the best record store I’ve ever been to,” she said.
Eide’s explained, “Our business really took off when we created the e-Bay page.”
The e-Bay page Eide’s described has a feedback score of 4,999 which, means the e-Bay store alone has 4,999 positive ratings.
“We might not have a million dollar comic or anything in the $100,000 range but how may brick and mortar shops do,” Eide stated.
The store always manages to give fair and equal pricing, as Eide’s Entertainment will never try to sell something for the “Convention Price.” While Eide’s may not have a million dollar issue or record, the e-Bay store is selling a “Mad #1 CGC 9.0” for the fine price of $5,420.
The Basement of the store contains thousands of comics with hundreds more graphic novels and statues.
During Eide’s career, one could only imagine the types of collections and material he has seen over the years.
“We stumbled or amassed a collection of ‘Timely Comics’, which was the pre-cursor to Marvel Comics,” he said.
This type of find was a one a kind and unfortunately there was some damage due to the previous owner having cats around the house. However, the collection could still be sold even if not in the best condition.
Greg Eide has no plans of slowing down or leaving the Strip District, as he owns the building where the massive four-floor storefront is located.
“We can never be kicked out, and we don’t really have to listen to anyone’s rules either,” he said.
As long as Pittsburgh and the mass world of collectors have a love for entertainment, Eide’s will always be there.
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