After 25 years, Meltdown Comics, Los Angeles' treasured comic book store, live events space, and cultural hub on Sunset Boulevard is closing its doors for the last time on March 30.
Since opening in 1993, young and old grew their love for comics and geek culture at Meltdown. The store was also home to a major comedy scene. As Variety reports, the NerdMelt Showroom, a Meltdown collaboration with Nerdist, "provided a launchpad for alternative comedy."
Kumail Nanjiani, Emily V. Gordona and Jonah Ray's show “The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail,” shot at the Meltdown, became a part of the Comedy Central lineup from 2014-2016.
“It has been my personal privilege to welcome so many incredibly talented minds through our doors giving them and their work a home in this great city of ours,” founder Gaston Dominguez-Letelier said in a statement.
“No business is easy, least of all one rooted in paper surrounded by brick and mortar," Dominguez-Letelier continued in the statement. "Yet against all odds we survived just long enough to host, share, and celebrate some of the most creative and imaginative artists in the world.”
Actors, comedians and fans are heartbroken and have taken to social media to mourn.
#Meltdown cultivated my love of comics throughout my childhood. These guys were the first I told when I booked jughead on Riverdale. I interned here before college, they ushered me into photography, and clapped when I went back into acting. I’ll miss melt https://t.co/MrK98L1pIN
— Cole M. Sprouse (@colesprouse) March 22, 2018
Thanks @MeltdownComics @NerdMelt for being the first to make me feel welcome in LA. I always looked forward to doing shows their as I knew I’d be surrounded by friends. I’ll miss you.
— Ronald Funches (@RonFunches) March 21, 2018
