Hoffmans Music and Comics

Hoffmans Music and Comics in Wilkes-Barre brings together records, comics, guitars, and the collectors who care about them. In this interview, Bill Hoffman discusses hybrid retail, collection buying, and the practical realities of building an independent shop.

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Interview with Hoffmans Music and Comics

Bill, "Hoffmans Music and Comics" is a specific combination — most shops pick one or the other. How did music and comics end up under the same roof, and does one side pull more of the customers through the door, or is it genuinely both?

My main interests are music (I’m a professional working musician/music instructor and have always collected music in some form) I’ve collected comic books since I was a young kid I realized going in that multiple sources of income/sales would support each other when one is lax. It’s pretty even “most” days but not always.

Wilkes-Barre and the NEPA region has its own scene that's largely off the radar of the Philly-and-New-York conversations. What role does Hoffmans play locally, and who's coming through the door — collectors, kids getting into comics, folks who just come to talk?

I’d say I get mostly serious collectors. I like to think that our customers realize we are ourselves very passionate and serious collectors of the very items we sell. We try to be and are very honest//opinionated/transparent. it’s an awesome thing when young kids just getting in to the hobbies so we do get a lot of that as well. And also friends/fellow collectors who like to come talk shop

When a seller walks in with a box of records — or comics — what makes a collection an easy yes for you in the first thirty seconds, and what tells you it's going to be a pass?

usually in a collection of music (for example CDs-vinyl) genre is the most important thing. We mostly deal in metal/rock/jazz. We don’t carry (typically) pop (Taylor Swift) or modern country etc… With comic books it’s condition first then age and type of comic. With instruments we are first and foremost a guitar store as far as what we look for.

Music and comics are two very different resale worlds, with different pricing culture, different condition standards, and different customer expectations. Do you approach buying them the same way, or does each side have its own rules?

When we purchase collections of music and/or comics we definitely have our own guidelines of how we buy them. This depends on condition/what we need in our inventory and also trying to make the seller happy with selling to us and having them want to tell others about selling to us

Northeast Pennsylvania has real weather — humid summers, cold winters, and a lot of basements. What condition damage do you see most in local collections, and what would you tell a seller to do differently going forward?

NEPA weather is all I know so I’d guess the main thing is keep collectibles away from moisture and also extreme heat. Properly storing away items in bins and or sturdy cardboard boxes and not just haphazardly piled on top of each other. Each collectible (comic books/vinyl/guitars) has their own handling needs

Plenty of people inherit a parent's records or a grandparent's comics and walk in hopeful. What's the honest picture from what comes through Hoffmans — how often does an inherited collection turn out to have real value, and what's usually in it when it does?

Inherited collections I feel should be treated differently. I believe they should be handled with careful concern and remember that this was possibly a close or important family member that passed away. Respect should be considered. Also letting them know that these collections will be “re-loved” and will find their new homes with the right collector generally. There is usually atleast “one Diamond with the dirt”

When you're pricing a mixed collection in front of a seller — vinyl worth a couple dollars alongside pieces worth much more — how do you walk them through the reasoning so they leave feeling the number was fair?

On mixed collections I try to explain that I’m paying up for key comics/more rare records and treating the rest of the collection being more common bulk. I prefer to buy the whole collection and not cherry pick but will always give them options so they are satisfied with the outcome

Opening a hybrid music-and-comics shop in a city the size of Wilkes-Barre is a specific bet. How did Hoffmans actually come together, and for someone thinking about a similar hybrid shop in a mid-size or small city, what would you tell them about the first year or two?

The shop initially came together literally as an epiphany. I was teaching guitar and bass out of a music store and paying rent on each student I had and it simply made sense to do my own thing. (I had close to 60 students a week then) As far as combining everything (comics/music media/guitars) it was just what I needed to do. I knew I would make it work. There wasn’t another thought on it. As far as what to tell someone about the first 1-2 years? Hang on tight/don’t be delusional about making money right out the gate/continually evolve and roll with the punches/think outside the box and don’t give a single f#%k if no one else believes in you. Focus on progress not small trip ups AND learn from any and all mistakes.

Last updated: 2026-09-20

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