For comic fans, gamers, collectors and curious newcomers alike, Galactic Comics & Games has become a familiar fixture in downtown Statesboro. Over the past two decades, the shop has grown into more than a retail store. It is a place where friendships form, tournaments unfold and fans share the stories and games they love.

For owner Keith Brown, the path to building that community began long before Galactic opened its doors in 2006, with its roots tracing back to Gallops Comics & Games, owned by Ted Gallop. The original store began in 1990 as a small section inside Gallops Gun & Pawn, which was operated by Ted’s father.

By the early 2000s, Ted was considering relocating or selling the business. Several options were explored before he approached Keith with a question: Would he be interested in purchasing the shop and keeping it in Statesboro?

At the time, Keith was navigating a transitional period in his life.

After serving in the U.S. Navy in the late 1990s, he had returned to the area to attend Georgia Southern University. Around that time, he was involved in a workplace accident that significantly altered his plans for the future.

During his recovery, doctors encouraged him to stay active — advice that led him to begin spending time at Gallops Comics & Games. His visits became more frequent, and soon he found himself helping out around the shop, vacuuming, organizing merchandise and straightening shelves.

“Ted would always remind me that I didn’t work there,” Keith said. “And I would always remind him my doctors suggested that I remain active.”

Eventually Ted offered him a job, and the two later reached an agreement for Keith to purchase the business. After taking ownership in 2006, he renamed the shop Galactic Comics & Games — while keeping the familiar “G” logo — and moved the store to its current location downtown.

“One of the main factors in buying the store was the community aspect,” Keith said. “Maintaining a place where gamers and fans could gather and play was the single most important thing.”

That sense of community remains at the heart of the store today. While Galactic sells comics, games, collectibles and manga, it also serves as a social hub where locals connect through shared interests.

“I’ve often said Galactic is the ‘Cheers’ of Statesboro,” Keith said, referencing the television sitcom where “everybody knows your name.”

When Galactic first opened, the shop was less than half its current size, with a much smaller selection of games, comics and collectibles. In the years since, as the popularity of comic and gaming culture has expanded, so has the store.

Much of that growth reflects the rise of fandom culture in mainstream entertainment. Comic book heroes, tabletop games and anime have moved from niche hobbies into widely popular forms of entertainment, drawing new audiences to comic shops across the country. Anime, in particular, has exploded in popularity.

“At Gallops, fans used to rent anime, and there were very few manga books available,” he said. “Now, anime has entire streaming channels, and we have shelves full of manga and anime products.”

Even as the industry has changed, Keith believes what truly sets Galactic apart cannot be found online or at a big box store: a place for fans and gamers to hang out, make friends and have a good time.

Regular events and tournaments bring players together for Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon, Dungeons & Dragons and other popular games. For many customers, these weekly gatherings become social traditions. In fact, some of those connections have grown into lifelong relationships.

“We’ve had people meet each other here, get married, and now have kids,” Keith said. “We’ve hosted wedding receptions, photo shoots for important life events, and remembrances for those we’ve lost.”

In addition to its many longtime local patrons, the shop’s connection to Georgia Southern University has also helped shape its customer base. When students leave town for school breaks, business slows slightly. But each semester brings a new group of fans discovering the store for the first time.

Some eventually return years later.

“We’ve had kids who were born during our first years come back with their own kids,” Keith said.

Moments like those are among the most rewarding parts of running the shop.

One of his favorite memories took place during a Magic: The Gathering tournament, when a young girl sat quietly at the end of the table, reading a Supergirl comic while listening to music with headphones.

The room was quiet as players focused intensely on their matches — until she suddenly broke the silence, shouting, “You go girl!”

The startled players froze and stared, but the young reader remained completely absorbed in her comic.

“She never looked up,” Keith said. “Just pure joy in her favorite superhero.”

One of Galactic’s biggest annual traditions is Free Comic Book Day, held since the early days of Gallops Comics & Games. On the first Saturday in May each year, thousands of comics are given away, while local artists and creators visit the shop to celebrate the art and storytelling behind comics.

Reaching the shop’s 20-year milestone is something Keith says still feels surreal, and he admits that the last two decades have not been without challenges, among them long hours, shifting trends and competition from online retailers. While it’s a “constant battle to keep up with trends,” some favorites have remained steady, including Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, Batman and Spider-Man.

Keith credits Galactic’s success and longevity to its mission from the start, to introduce new readers while bringing longtime fans together. The store has never been just about selling, but about building a community.

And for anyone who hasn’t yet visited the shop on East Vine Street, Keith offers an open invitation.

“Galactic is a very welcoming space,” he said. “There’s no simple definition of who shops or hangs out here. Everyone is welcome.”