There was a time, not that long ago, when nerd (or geek, if you prefer) culture was an underground culture. Comic book stores were full of sweatpants-wearing computer programmers. Groups of teenaged boys huddled around small tables in basements to play Dungeons and Dragons. It was a time between Batman famously battling sharks with shark repellant bat-spray and Tim Burton’s melancholic Dark Knight battling a sinister Joker. Year-by-year nerd culture emerged out of the shadows and, by the turn of the millennium, it was slowly becoming mainstream. Now, television shows such as The Big Bang Theory celebrate nerd culture, and with a long string of comic book movies planned for the next decade, nerd culture is here to stay.
Janis Smith of Nerd-Vana remembers when “being a geek or nerd meant you were stuffed in lockers. But times have changed. Now we’re proud to show our nerdy side. Cosplay (or costume-play) is immensely popular. Comic expos are huge and tickets are often sold out in a matter of days. And the community is such a welcoming community. You get to be yourself.”
Nerd-Vana is currently a pop-up shop in downtown Creston, open until Christmas. “I had experience in retail and I wanted to open my own shop. I’m a total nerd and I wanted to celebrate that culture. I opened in time for the Santa Parade, and it was a frantic day of getting everything ready. But I’ve had a lots of people come in and take a look around, ask questions, and the support so far has been great,” says Smith. “If it goes well, I’ll be doing other pop-up stores, but the long-term plan is to set up shop in Alice Siding for summer 2017. I’ll have lots of room both in the shop and outside, and I’ll be able to offer market space for home crafters. I can sell bigger items that I can’t easily fit inside a little store.”
Featuring ‘nerdy’ collectibles such as figurines, mugs, colouring books, stickers and themed cookie cutters and ice cube trays, Smith is also asking customers to request their favourite things. “This is just a sampling of what I can bring in, and it’s hard to know what people in Creston are into,” says Smith, “so I’m asking for a lot of input. So far there has been a lot of requests for Dr. Who, Supernatural, Walking Dead, Guardians of the Galaxy and Dr. Strange. I’ve had girls looking for unique gifts for their boyfriends and I’ve had boys looking for unique gifts for their girlfriends. I’ve also had lots of grandparents come in looking for something for the grandchildren.”
The theme of Nerd-Vana is two-fold. While the store celebrates nerd culture, it also features spiritual-themed gifts as well. “It’s a bit like two waves crashing together, but I think it works,” says Smith. “I have some tarot cards, Celtic art, dragon-themed items, little Buddhas and prayer flags, Moroccan lamps, and sarongs to either wear or to use as decoration in the house and office. I’m happy to be offering a wide price range of items. Whether shopping for yourself or for someone else, I think there’s something for everyone – something to make a dull day more vibrant.”
While Smith is looking for ways to expand her stock of geek-inspired items, she is also looking for ways to expand her stock of spiritual items. “I’ve been looking at a number of Canadian incense producers – there’s a great company out of Quebec, and I’ve been in contact with one in Kaslo. I’m trying to stay as local as possible, and support Canadian producers whenever I can. My hope is that as I expand I can make more connections and link up with more local producers.”
Nerd-Vana is on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. The storefront is located at 1025B Canyon Street and is open Monday to Saturday. (Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.)