The Secret Lair Comics

Harrisonburg's only dedicated comic shop doubles as a Pokemon League Cup host, buying TCG cards by appointment and stocking Pokemon and Magic sealed.

The Secret Lair Comics is best known as the only dedicated comic book store in Harrisonburg, but collectors who write it off as comics-only miss a real trading card operation. The shop sits in the strip at 1854 East Market Street near Harbor Freight, and behind the wall of new releases and dollar boxes is a counter that moves Pokemon and Magic: The Gathering product every week.

Pokemon is the headline. The Secret Lair hosts sanctioned Pokemon League Cups, full-scale events with deck checks and judges, and its February Cup sold out. Pokemon Day events bring in younger players, and Magic events fill the calendar between them. If you are looking for competitive Pokemon cards in Harrisonburg, this is currently the venue where the Cup-level tournaments actually happen. Sealed product is stocked around release dates, and the shop takes pre-orders on both comics and TCG boxes so you can lock in allocation before it sells through.

The buying side is worth knowing about. The Secret Lair purchases comics and trading card collections, but by appointment only, so call 540-908-3990 before hauling in a binder. Trade-ins earn a discount on everything, which reviewers single out as a reason to bring cards here instead of listing them online. For comics, expect current books, back issues, dollar boxes, key issues, and graded slabs, with the same trade-in policy applying.

Hours run noon to 8 PM on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, noon to 9 PM on Friday, 11 AM to 6 PM Saturday, and 11 AM to 5 PM Sunday. The store is closed every Tuesday, which trips up first-time visitors. Wednesday is new-comic day and gets busy in the afternoon; weekday evenings are the calmest time to talk cards with staff. Curbside pickup is available if you pre-order. Parking is in the shared lot out front, and the location is a short drive from both I-81 and downtown.