Wearing a white T-shirt emblazoned with characters from the Marvel comic strip universe, jeans and white sneakers, Ron Norton pushes his glasses back up his nose as he surveys the ComicShop he's owned on Fourth Avenue for 31 years.

A recent rent increase has made it impossible for Norton to remain in the space, frequented by so many regulars and destination customers he keeps boxes behind the till to hold their special requests and finds until they can make it in to the shop.

"The neighbourhood has changed a lot," said Norton, reminiscing about the past three decades the ComicShop has operated at 2089 West Fourth Ave. "The street used to be lined with houses and people sitting on their front porches and Volkswagen vans, but now it's full of condos and BMWs."

But the shop is also moving close to the very location where in 1974 Norton and fellow comic aficionado Ken Witcher first opened the ComicShop's doors before they eventually moved east. Norton, who bought Witcher out in 1989, said the new/old neighbourhood on West Fourth near Dunbar has more of the funky feel Kits had 30 years ago.

"I went for a walk through the [current] neighbourhood the other day and all I saw were high-end stores selling $600 sneakers, maternity shops and yoga studios," he said.

So Norton and his staff are packing boxes in preparation for the move. Norton has offered deep discounts on many items, which he says have been flying off the shelves, though it's hard to tell because the shop is still stacked with old and new comics, graphic novels and busts and models of fictional characters including Spider Girl and Earth X Venom.

While packing, Norton's discovered buried treasure hidden deep in the recesses of the shop, including a copy of Superman's Secret Code Card, which has a blurry ink signature on the top and is dated 1940. Other finds include a copy of Captain George's Penny Dreadful, part of a series of self-made comics from the 1960s, and copies of the ComicShop's earliest monthly newsletters, first printed in June 1985.

Norton said as sad as it is to leave, the area at Dunbar and West Fourth is closer to the spirit of 1970s Kitsilano with laid-back shops such as Banyen Books, the Aphrodite Café and Pie Shop and a nearby pizza parlour.

But Arbutus and West Fourth has changed. "Now we've got companies like Roots moving into the neighbourhood," said Norton. "And I know that's not because they need the money. They just want a corporate presence on the street and that's driving the mom and pop businesses away."

Emmanuel Dikeakos, manager of neighbouring Sophie's Cosmic Café, agreed the neighbourhood has changed dramatically in the 24 years he's lived in Kits.

"All of the mom and pops are going and it's the bigger chains moving in," said Dikeakos, who's mom Sophie Dikeakos opened the café 22 years ago.

Dikeakos added the ComicShop is going to be much missed in the neighbourhood.

"They have a real loyal following, but I know they needed easier rent," said Dikeakos.

sthomas@vancourier.com