Brainstorm Comics and Gaming temporarily closes, cites financial woes

Oct. 24—Brainstorm Comics and Gaming in downtown Frederick is temporarily closed as it tries to catch up on debts.

Co-owner John Frazier said the business owes the state roughly $70,000 to $75,000 in taxes and is working to set up a payment plan.

"We fell behind on our taxes, so the state told us, you know, we couldn't renew our business license until we settled that, so it was either close down or start being fined for operating without being compliant," he said.

According to the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation, Brainstorm last paid taxes in October 2019. It received extensions to file in 2021 and 2022, but not in 2020 or 2023.

The business has been forfeited since October 2021, according to the state. However, despite the forfeiture, the business was still operating.

The Maryland Office of the Comptroller told Brainstorm roughly three months ago to stop business operations and resolve its tax issues, or it would be fined, Frazier said.

Barbara Sauers, a spokeswoman for the Comptroller's Office, wrote in an email on Tuesday that the office could not comment on the situation due to "confidential taxpayer information."

Frazier said he's optimistic that Brainstorm will reopen soon. The business hired an accountant to help.

"Everything that I've heard from Maryland and from what our [certified public accountant] looked at so far ... it sounds like it is a very fixable thing. It's just getting into the position to do that," he said.

Brainstorm Comics and Gaming closed its Walkersville store in December, after taking a financial hit during the pandemic.

Frazier is working to move comic books stored in Walkersville into the Frederick location.

With a lot of comics in inventory, Frazier said, he hopes Brainstorm can sell some of it through auctions to help with its tax burden.

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the store had a sale that brought loyal customers and casual fans of comic books, graphic novels and board games.

Some customers were devastated, he said, and offered to help.

Frazier said one boy offered to let him keep the change from a $20 bill he used to buy an $8 book. Frazier said he was touched.

"if we were closing, you would just see me almost in tears," he said.

On Sunday, a steady flow of people went in and out of Brainstorm. Tight pathways were filled with people flipping through comics or perusing the books.

Tyler Bonnett and Keaton Nash went to the store a second time on Sunday, even though they already bought board games and other merchandise.

Nash described the closure as a "bummer."

There's no other store like it within a reasonable distance, they said. Bonnett lives in Frederick and Nash lives in Rockville. With the closure, they'll look online for merchandise they like.

"We'd rather buy local. We'd rather buy in-person. John is great," Nash said.

Michael Morgan has been a loyal Brainstorm customer since the late 1990s, when it was on Opossumtown Pike. He shopped on Sunday with his 6-year-old son, Jayson.

Since Michael Morgan picked up his first copy of "The Death of Superman," he fell in love with the storytelling and escapism of comic books.

"Brainstorm is a Frederick institution for comic book people, so it'll be a little sad while it's gone," he said.