Our Free Comic Book Day grand opening as a big hit. Lots of old friends came out to see us and we saw a lot of new faces as well. Here are some pictures of our store, our FCBD fun and the mini-convention we had going on in the back. 

Thanks very much for your support, please tell your friends about our place. Live music starts again soon.

Coming up on this last weekend in downtown I can't help but get a little nostalgic about all of the things that have happened at our beloved little shithole. For most of you the spot at 577 S. Market Street is The Art Boutiki, that little weird outpost of comics and music at the furthest reaches of downtown San Jose.

But for us Market Street was so much more. It was really a second home, maybe even a primary home in some ways, As the warehouse of my publishing company SLG Publishing Market Street was the place we spent the longest time in one spot. 

The one thing we at Art Boutiki are going to miss the most about being in downtown San Jose is being part of perhaps the coolest event downtown has to offer; the South First Friday Art Walk.

We have been a part of this grand event for over three years, but it only took us one month to figure out that there was something special about SoFF. People really seemed into what we were doing here at Art Boutiki and the vibe of the art walk was such that it was not always about one place or the other being like THE place, but everyone kind of chipping in and all making their spots a destination for people of varied tastes.

It's nice to see that a downtown event can be free, fun and a positive part of the downtown scene. You don't see merchants complaining about the kinds of crowds First Friday brings, people are not coming out to get loaded or cause problems. Lots of families come out and truly it is one of the few things that people can do in this city with their entire family that is not a) expensive as hell and b) lame.

So, thanks to Brian and Cherri, the good folks at Anno Domini gallery who brought us into the fold and supported us when we opened our doors. These people what we here call "people who get it" and there just aren't enough of them.

If you can make it out on Friday please stop by our spot and day hi and bye. It will be a sad night for us because, as excited as we might be about our new space, not having our monthly gathering of the tribes in our spot i going to suck. Try as we might to do something similar somewhere else (fourth Friday, Second Saturday Third whatever-the-hell) it can only aspire to be the holy event that is South First Friday.

As I've said before, the First Friday of every month is always a nice night. it's never too cold in the winter, never too hot in the summer and I honestly cannot remember a First Friday when it rained. The universe knows how cool South First Friday as, and we thank it for allowing us to be a part of it for a short time.

Friday March 1
Come draw and say goodbye.

Here is a look at our new home at 44 Race Street in San Jose. We have been hard at work trying to get this place up to speed for your comics, music and art viewing pleasures.

It's noy been easy or simple  work, but I hope you will agree  that it will all have been worth it once you see the finished product.