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ONE-STOP NERD SHOP By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — While comic book and hobby shops have sprung up in Metro Atlanta in recent years, Kapow Comics focuses on the interests of its customers in a unique way. “Atlanta area is probably the mecca of the nerd world,” store owner Andy Diehl said. “And if you do research and look it up, you'll see how many stores fail, open and closed, that are like this ... And at the end of the day, it's the ones who take care of their customers that keep their stores open.” After a career in retail, Diehl said he realized he disliked working for others, which spurred his decision to expand his collection from the home into his own business. Kapow, located in the Westlake Terrace plaza off Lake Center Parkway in Cumming, offers comic books, manga, figurines and an open space for trading card and tabletop games.
See KAPOW, Page 8
Kapow Comics brings collectors to Cumming
Developer unveils plans for 100-acre social venue FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A North Georgia businessman has announced plans for a 100-acre mixed-use entertainment, dining and social venue. Plans for The Gathering at South Forsyth, a proposed entertainment hub at Union Hill Road and Ronald Reagan Boulevard, were on tap for discussion at an April 25 work session of the Forsyth County Commission. Public hearings on the project are scheduled for May. County Commission Chairman Alfred John said The Gathering at South Forsyth will generate thousands of jobs and serve as an economic driver. “It will enhance what our county currently offers with an added focal point for world-class events, shopping and dining,” John said. “And it will generate thousands of jobs both during, and after construction.” The 100-acre project is the dream of Vernon Krause, CEO of Krause Auto Group, which operates a collection of family-owned dealerships across four states in the Southeast. Forsyth County Commissioner Laura Semanson said road projects in the area, like the widening of McGinnis Ferry Road, the Ga. 400 McGinnis Ferry interchange and the Ronald Reagan Boulevard extension will mitigate traffic impacts from the new development. “This project will be of a similar caliber to other successfully executed mixed-use developments like Avalon and Halcyon,” Semanson said. “Finally, it will provide the county with significant added tax revenue that will benefit every resident with long-term economic viability.” The development plan includes 1.6 million square feet of commercial and retail space, an arena, a community center, a fire station, 450 hotel rooms with meeting spaces and residential units. — Shelby Israel
PHOTOS BY SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA
Top, Kapow Comics owner Andy Diehl, far right, and employees stand by the counter. Kapow Comics offers an array of merchandise and games for hobbyists and fans.
THE GATHERING AT SOUTH FORSYTH/PROVIDED
This rendering shows The Gathering at South Forsyth, a mixed-use and walkable entertainment hub on 100 acres at Union Hill Road and Ronald Reagan Boulevard.