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By GEORGE WILKENS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 22, 2007

Updated: 12/20/2007 05:55 pm

PEBBLE CREEK - Comic books have long been part of Scott Sahle's life. He has read them, cherished them, collected them and - when need dictated - sold them.

Now, the 41-year-old Meadow Pointe resident owns and operates a small store with an unusual name that sells comics and a slew of related items and collectibles.

Yummy Geek, which opened Dec. 1 in the Pebble Creek Collection shopping center, sells current issues of DC and Marvel, plus some vintage editions by those leading comic book publishers, home to Superman, Spider-Man, X-Men and other pulp heroes.

"I've always been a fan," Sahle said. "And I used to manage two comic shops in Buffalo," owned by a friend and fellow aficionado.

That was a decade ago, and Sahle's interest in comics hasn't waned. Over the years, however, his personal collections have suffered setbacks.

"I sold off my collection during my college days" in Fredonia, N.Y., an era when quick cash for food and shelter superseded the need to horde 2,500 comics, former trifles that had achieved unexpected value, he said.

Still, Sahle continued to accumulate comics and soon had enough to again qualify as a collection.

"I sold a major chunk of that collection before I moved down here," this time the motive being to lighten the load before abandoning Buffalo for warmer climes. "I kept my favorites, but not necessarily the pricey ones," he said. "I kick myself on a fairly regular basis."

Like so many Northerners who migrate to Florida, Sahle was drawn by the comparatively warm winter weather, something discovered years earlier by his father, who resettled in Daytona Beach.

Sahle packed his bags for a Daytona vacation, a respite from the harsh Buffalo winter that sold him on the Sunshine State. As he puts it: "Came for a visit and said, 'I'm staying.' "

When Sahle's data processing job in the Palm Coast area was eliminated, he and his wife, Michelle, a registered nurse, targeted greener pastures in the Tampa Bay area.

After working as a medical bill coder and later as a team leader in the electrical department at Lowe's, Sahle yielded to his enduring love of comics.

"This is my first venture as the owner" of a comic shop, he said proudly.

The unique name for the 500-square-foot storefront, a former insurance office, seemed to fit, Sahle said.

"Geek is pretty much our clientele," he said. And he plans to expand the store's line of snack foods, so, "Yummy" fit the equation. "It sounded funny and friendly, and my wife liked it," so it passed the sniff test, he said.

Yummy Geek carries many allied items, from comic book price guides and magazines about collecting to Superman T-shirts.

The store also sells collectible figures, including the HeroClix line, designed to appeal to comic book fans, who assemble teams of heroes and villains to battle on a grid mat.

And the store stocks various popular collectible card games, including Magic: The Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh!

To better cater to card collectors, Yummy Geek remains open late to participate in Friday Night Magic. A growing number of players participate in the weekly event that features prizes at participating locations.

"It's a nationwide tradition for close to 10 years," Sahle said of the gatherings, known among card collectors as FNM.

Sahle is concentrating on alerting potential customers to his new venture.

"It's a nice niche business," he said.

Recalling his days managing the Buffalo comic shops, he said, "If you're willing to wait out the slow times, it does well."

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Yummy Geek

WHERE: 19651 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Unit E-1 (Pebble Creek Collection)

WHEN: Open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, noon to 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday

INFORMATION: Call (813) 991-7700, visit www.yummy geek.com or e-mail yummy geek@earthlink.net.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 865-4847 or gwilkens@tampatrib.com.

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