Arizona Edition
Small businesses throughout Yuma County continue to adapt to the evolving coronavirus pandemic and Fan-Quest Games, Yuma's only gaming shop that features comic books, has managed to power through the crisis.
Fan-Quest has been around since the '90s. Store Owner, Diane Hillegass, spoke with KAWC's Lou Gum on this week's Arizona Edition. Hillegass remembers opening the business with thrown together shop fixtures and tells us about her recent attempts to tap into relief programs offered by state and federal government during the coronavirus pandemic.
Hillegass started Fan-Quest in a 600 square-foot shop with her brother more than 30 years ago. They had little start-up money. Now running the business alone, Hillegass says her loyal customer base, a revival in table-top gaming, and blockbuster movies based on comic books have led to good financial years for Fan-Quest. But the shop's good sales and daily game nights ended quickly after Arizona Governor Doug Ducey's Executive Order to close non-essential businesses.
While navigating financial relief programs and the daily closure of her business, Hillegass is moving forward following bittersweet news that a loyal customer donated a decades old collection of comic books to the store after falling ill. Hear more on Arizona Edition.
