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Post by SModfan on Aug 10, 2018 21:07:08 GMT -5
So my first trip to The Stash was over the week of Thanksgiving (much like Frank 5 haha) a few years ago. Me and the wife ditched our family and took the whole week to ourselves and went to Jersey with the one singular reason of visiting The Stash.
While at The Stash I got to meet Marco, who was one of the nicest, most personable and encouraging people I've ever met. He sensed that we were nervous and basically just took our hand and guided us around. He introduced us to Walt and Mike and gave us tips on things to do in town, places to eat etc. Walt didn't say too much (as he does) but he was very nice to me, and after hearing I was an ant and hearing how far I can to see The Stash, he went into the back and pulled a page of original art from Cryptozoic Man and gave it to me for free! He also signed all my TESD stuff and had a little discussion with me about random TESD things.
While talking I happened to mention one of the items I always wanted but never had was the Makin Hay book. About a week after I get home I check the mail and there's a package from Walt... and it's a hardcover copy of the Makin Hay book! When I talked to him about it later, he said he literally ordered a new small run of books so he could send me one, and he'd find a way to give away the other ones later (which turned out to be the Dollah Shave callback contest).
Walt is just the greatest, and only normal person in the world.
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Post by Kim on Aug 10, 2018 22:16:18 GMT -5
I’m lucky in that I live just a few hours from the stash, so I go there pretty regularly. I love hanging out there and buying my comics there. It’s my happy place
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Post by SModfan on Aug 10, 2018 22:17:28 GMT -5
I’m lucky in that I live just a few hours from the stash, so I go there pretty regularly. I love hanging out there and buying my comics there. It’s my happy place I would love to live near the stash. If my job wasn't so specific and local I would totally move! |
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Post by Inno on Aug 13, 2018 14:09:28 GMT -5
I'm flying to New York on Wednesday/Thursday and one thing on my list is a trip to the Stash. Are there any days I should avoid if I want to see Walt? I'd love to meet the rest of the guys in the Stash as well, but really want to meet Walt  |
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Post by SModfan on Aug 13, 2018 18:51:59 GMT -5
I'm flying to New York on Wednesday/Thursday and one thing on my list is a trip to the Stash. Are there any days I should avoid if I want to see Walt? I'd love to meet the rest of the guys in the Stash as well, but really want to meet Walt I don't think he works Sundays, and I think he only works every other Saturday based on what they have said on the show. Best bet would be basically just a weekday, but I would be cautious about Wednesdays since that's new comics day and they could be busy. |
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Post by Inno on Aug 13, 2018 22:21:41 GMT -5
Good shout on that. I was gonna avoid Thursday because that was new comics day when I worked at Forbidden Planet - but of course it took an extra day to get those bad boys shipped to us in the UK  |
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Post by punkrockchemist on Aug 20, 2018 12:56:03 GMT -5
I used to go to the Stash fairly regularly in 2004-2005 when I was in college, about once a month, as just a fan of Kevin Smith. I recognized Walt from Clerks and of course as fan boy but didn't want to bother him with a bunch of stupid questions. I've only been back once post TESD in February of 2015 the day after a Tenderloins show at Count Basie. I wore my Army Ant shirt and talked to Sunday Jeff for a bit. I complimented him on his duet with Sal during the most recent Christmas episode and he gave me the antenna salute. The TESD shrine wasn't as big back then as it has grown to be and I'd love to go back someday.
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Post by jdant on Aug 20, 2018 18:29:53 GMT -5
I went last month (I think it was a Thursday). Went to Surf Taco beforehand to get my nerves in check. Didn’t work. I totally froze when I walked in. Mike was at the front, Gitem was at the other desk. I went with my husband who listens to the pod when I make him and he runs over to me and says “Walt just walked in!!!! Go say something!” Like I could just easily walk over to Walt if I could barely walk into the place. I did a drive by hello got a hello back and bought stuff. (What Walt would want anyway!) When I checked out I told Mike I was a big fan of CBM and TESD and he was super nice and gave me a piece of felt and he said his LAST Sunday Jeff tattoo! He also made sure that I listened to the next All New Sunday Jeff Show. I will need to go again now that I got my first time jitters out of the way! Then I took a trip over to quick stop and lost 20 bucks on a lottery ticket. Solid trip. So glad I went.
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Post by SModfan on Aug 20, 2018 20:13:39 GMT -5
I went last month (I think it was a Thursday). Went to Surf Taco beforehand to get my nerves in check. Didn’t work. I totally froze when I walked in. Mike was at the front, Gitem was at the other desk. I went with my husband who listens to the pod when I make him and he runs over to me and says “Walt just walked in!!!! Go say something!” Like I could just easily walk over to Walt if I could barely walk into the place. I did a drive by hello got a hello back and bought stuff. (What Walt would want anyway!) When I checked out I told Mike I was a big fan of CBM and TESD and he was super nice and gave me a piece of felt and he said his LAST Sunday Jeff tattoo! He also made sure that I listened to the next All New Sunday Jeff Show. I will need to go again now that I got my first time jitters out of the way! Then I took a trip over to quick stop and lost 20 bucks on a lottery ticket. Solid trip. So glad I went. Nice! Walt can have that affect on people haha. I would say my best advice is wearing a TESD shirt when you go so it’s right up on front street. Glad you got some swag! I wonder if they have any more of my TESD card packs left to give people or if I need to order more |
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Post by Inno on Aug 26, 2018 13:36:59 GMT -5
OK, prepare for a novel folks - this is the tale of my trip to the Stash squeezed in to my epic New York trip! I was in New York with my friend and fellow SmashCaster George. He's not an Ant, but he had his own plans for Saturday afternoon - he's into jiujitsu and had booked a 2 hour training session at one of the best gyms in the world, so he was stoked for that. I was equally stoked to head off to New Jersey to see The Stash! Horses for courses, you know? So, after a late night getting back from a Yankees game (rained out in the 7th inning so we at least got to leave early) and an early start for me - I think I had breakfast at the hotel and was out by 8.30am - I hit the subway in Brooklyn and headed to Penn Station. After some faffing about due to line closures and just TONS OF FUCKING PEOPLE ON A SATURDAY MORNING, I think I hit Penn Station about 9.30am. A quick check in with the transit peeps - the woman seemed bemused that I wanted to go to Red Bank, maybe it was my accent? - and I had my ticket. Time to kill, so into the cheesy souvenir ship to pick up a shit ton of FDNY stuff for my Dad, and some drinks for me (seriously, I needed to have something to drink on me at all times when I was outside of air conditioning... NY was humid and Scots don't cope well with heat) I hit the train and sat back to enjoy the journey. I hopped off the train at Red Bank and trooped off down towards the Stash. I had to stop in at Starbucks as... well, all those liquid has to go somewhere Then into the Stash. Walt was at the counter! Git em was doing stuff! I couldn't talk to Walt as it's WALT! But I hovered aimlessly. I did ask if it was OK to take photos, Git Em told me it was so off I went. The Stash is a great shop in it's own right, but the View Askew / TESD stuff makes it truly special. I looked through the case for a good 15-20 minutes and I still don't think I caught it all. I saw some stuff I had to grab and waited until Walt was finished talking to another Ant and took a picture with him, so nerves weren't as bad at that point. I took my purchases up and just had a perfectly normal conversation with Walt, which blows my mind! We talked about some of the stuff I bought, we talked a bit about comics and then I said it had been an honour to visit the Stash as a long time ant since episode one, and then he lit up and said thanks. He got Git Em to finish my transaction and went off to get some stuff, and came back with a felt card and a poster, and even signed my CBM poster that I got Bry, Ming and Mike to sign in Edinburgh last year. A quick snap with Walt and I left him to his business, I didn't want to take up too much of his time. One last quick look around the Stash, and I went outside to sit on the bench and relax... and claim the Stash pokestop as well I headed back up for the train, but had a look in at Yestercades first (no time to play but the place looks amazing) and then stopped into The Walt St. Pub (well, you have to right?) and then the train back to New York, got back into Penn about 3pm and had an AMAZING trip. I'd recommend it to any Ant, it's about 80mins on the train from New York, and a 10 min walk from the station and well worth it. |
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