Forty years of stories flooded the That’s Entertainment Facebook page Wednesday morning as it marked the store’s 40th anniversary.

One person remembered the school bus dropping him off near the comic book store since his mother worked nearby. He spent all his allowance waiting for her to finish work.

Another grew up a few blocks away and when his parents allowed him to walk out of his neighborhood for the first time, he went to That’s Entertainment.

Dozens of other memories involved items purchased, from signed Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle merchandise to Rolling Stones tickets from a show at the Worcester Auditorium.

The planned celebration was supposed to include a visit from its founder Paul Howley, who now resides in North Carolina. The event was canceled last month due to the coronavirus pandemic. But the virus couldn’t completely prevent the celebration.

“I’m a very positive person in my outlook anyway,” company manager Ken Carson said. “But hearing messages like that really feeds that positivity for me.”

Along with the online memories, Cara Brindisi, who was scheduled to perform in Worcester, will now have a live stream show from home to commemorate the anniversary.

That’s Entertainment opened on April 15, 1980. For more than a year, the store has been advising customers to save the date of April 15, 2020, to celebrate the day Howley first opened the doors. Two locations now exist on Park Avenue in Worcester and John Fitch Highway in Fitchburg.

That's Entertainment in Worcester first opened 40 years ago.

Howley planned to make the trip to Worcester for the anniversary along with a meet-and-greet with the public that’s packed his store for decades. Instead, the introductions occurred through Facebook as customers shared their stories.

“It’s a big day for him. It’s the 40th anniversary of his business,” Carson said. “I really wanted him to see that kind of appreciation that people have for the store to make his day a little easier. He’s just really enjoying seeing these comments.”

Like many businesses around the country, That’s Entertainment was forced to close as a non-essential business. Initially, the comic book store limited only 10 customers inside at a time. For a short time, they offered curbside pickup. Eventually, with the non-essential businesses closing, employees were laid off.

“The decision had to be made fairly quickly,” Carson said. “It does not reflect how we feel about the employees. We expect when we resume business, we’re going to need most if not all of them back. Whether we can reopen fully or under some initial restrictions could be a big factor in that.”

Discussions to potentially allow businesses to reopen have started at the state and federal levels. Earlier this week, Massachusetts joined a coalition of states in the northeast that will coordinate with each other as businesses reopen.

No definite timeline has been released.

Whenever That’s Entertainment reopens, Carson compared it to a sports car sitting in a driveway. As soon as the key hits the ignition, it’ll be ready to go.

He also used another metaphor comparing the store to a mature tree, with roots digging into the ground of a community for 40 years.

“When there is a drought, you need to have very deep roots,” Carson said. “And we do have very deep roots in the community. And we’ll be fine because of that. I think you see that on Facebook. The number of people who are reaching out with words of encouragement is just very gratifying.”

The messages Wednesday contained memories, but normally they include questions of how customers can help the store.

Carson has mailed scores of hand-written gift certificates to people who have purchased them during the pandemic.

“The money is good,” Carson said. “It’s nice to have some money coming in, but even more than that, it’s just nice to know that people, with all the things going on and all the problems they’re facing in their own lives, all their concerns, they take a moment to go to our website and buy a gift certificate. It’s just the thought and the effort, it’s amazing to me.”

Each hand-written certificate includes a postcard of That’s Entertainment. The envelope is illustrated like many of the graphic novels within the store. A batman stamp is affixed to the right corner.

Forty years and counting, memories continue to be made.

“I’m conscious of the effort that somebody has gone through to ask for one,” Carson said. “I really want it to arrive and to look like something fun for them.”

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