Nostalgia Ink

Nostalgia Ink is the best comic book store in the Cincinnati area. There, I said it, let the haters thumb down my review they all know I’m speaking the truth. Kevin, the owner, is one of the most knowledgeable people on the subject of comics I have ever met, and he doesn’t mind spending time to talk with you about your favorite titles. At the same time he is extremely nice (unlike some other comic store owners I could mention), and is always helpful. They have a huge selection of comics, everything from the New 52 to offbeat titles that I’d never even heard of. They also have a good selection of older silver age titles, although their selection of back issues is small since they are a relatively new store. Nostalgia Ink also has a decent selection of cards, board games, and miniatures, and they usually have open gaming on the weekends. I haven’t had a chance to really partake in the gaming side of things, but all their regulars seem like nice people. If you are looking for a dingy, poorly lit, odd smelling hole in the wall comic store that you’d be ashamed to take your family into, don’t go to Nostalgia Ink. If you want great selection and the best service in the city, check this place out.

Starting with the bad because the good outweighs it, and the bad might keep potential customers away — this place is difficult to find! You can’t see it or signs pointing towards it from the street, and that is a shame because this is a really nice gaming/​comics shop. Basically, if you can find the BW3’s on Tylersville, you can find Nostalgia Ink. Just be aware that it is on the backside of a smallish strip mall.
If I lived closer, this might even be my local comic shop, but I have that covered elsewhere. That said, I do occasionally cheat on my LCS with Nostalgia Ink, when I happen to be in the area. I was recommended an interesting title based on my other comic selections, and it was spot on. I also prefer to buy my comics storage supplies here, which I feel good about, spreading the love around to two local shops.
When I do go to Nostalgia Ink, I prefer to go for the games. You can actually save a little money by buying them here (as opposed to, say, Amazon), and you get the instant gratification of taking the game home with you immediately. They have a great selection, and seem to do game nights, which would interest me more if I lived close by.

My wife and I visited Nostalgia Ink on TableTop Day (March 30). It was our first visit, but we’ll definitely be going back. This comic, card, and game store has a huge selection of tabletop games — both popular games like Ticket to Ride, Munchkin, etc., as well as newer, older, and lesser known games. They also have a good selection of role-​playing games, cards, dice, and other gaming accessories, as well as a respectable selection of comics.
I was there for tabletop, and I was not disappointed. Nearly half the store is devoted to tabletop games. (The other near-​half is comics, with smaller areas for cards, RPGs, and accessories.) All of my favorites were there, as well as several I have been wanting to pick up. And for TableTop Day, they offered 25% off of all games and gaming accessories in the store. They were also hosting games at the three long sets of tables in the back. I played Smallworld with one of the owners (Mark?) and a few other folks, and had a great time.
The owners of the place are welcoming and engaging, without being pushy. I talked to Tom at the counter for several minutes about games, but never felt like I was being «sold to.» Also, both owners were very welcoming to my wife and the other women in the store. I’ve been in several other comics and games stores where this is not the case; the men behind the counters were sullen and sometimes outright nasty to any «girl» who dared enter their boys-​only club. Again, the guys running Nostalgia Ink are NOT that way at all. Ladies, you are welcome here!
The store itself is laid out well, clean, bright, and well-​organized. It’s a little hard to find, though, as it is hidden around the back of the block of shops in which it’s located. If you’re having trouble finding it, just look for the BW3 in Mason and it’s around back of the shops that share BW3’s parking lot.
TL;DR: Great store, nice staff, fantastic tabletop selection, lots of comics and cards, and even a few RPGS. I’ll definitely be going back!