Bill’s Bullpen enters a new decade downtown
When Bill Mifsud Jr. and his father bought Earthquake Cards and
Comics in 1987, they never thought the shop would live up to its
name. In 1989, the San Benito Street shop was brought to the ground
in the Loma Prieta Earthquake.
Bill’s Bullpen enters a new decade downtown
When Bill Mifsud Jr. and his father bought Earthquake Cards and Comics in 1987, they never thought the shop would live up to its name. In 1989, the San Benito Street shop was brought to the ground in the Loma Prieta Earthquake.
“We were at a crossroads,” Mifsud said. “We weren’t sure if we should continue but we found a community spirit that helped us.”
At the time, multiple buildings at the corner of Fourth and San Benito streets, and other places around downtown, were in rubble along the sidewalks. His family knew someone who owned a retail space up the block on Fourth Street and they chose to reopen two weeks after the earthquake.
The shop has now been open for 20 years, with an 11 year interval when two locations were available for shoppers.
“There are so many trends and fades,” Mifsud said, naming some of the ones that have come and gone in the years, including Pogs, Beanie Babies and Yu-gi-oh cards.
The shop is covered in sports paraphernalia, comic books and other collectibles. Mifsud keeps the store stocked with items from the local Bay Area teams, but also tries to follow the trends of other national teams that are performing well. He has New England Patriots collectibles on order, in case they win the Super Bowl.
Mifsud has managed to stay afloat even with big box stores in town and the increase in Internet shopping.
“Stores like us are dinosaurs,” he said.
At the same time, the Internet has made it possible for him to find merchandise for customers who may not be comfortable shopping online. If someone requests a specific card or comic book, he tries his best to find it.
Mifsud is dedicated to customer service and it is reflected in his shop hours. The store on the corner Fourth and East streets is open seven days a week until 8 p.m.
“I gear it to them [customers],” he said. “I can help the guy who has $200 to spend or a kid with $5 in his pocket.”
One thing that is unique about the store is that it does buy or trade comics and cards so that people can get cash or store credit for their collectibles that are in good shape.
He said he enjoys seeing some of the kids who used to stop by the shop who are now grown with kids of their own.
“Holy cow. That is a generation,” Mifsud said. “I tell kids they can turn their hobby into a job. I get to talk sports all day.
Bill’s Bullpen will be offering 20 percent off during February in celebration of the 20th anniversary. The store is located at 207 Fourth St. For more information, call 636-1180.
