WHAT A SHOCKING FUTURE...

Over on the hugely entertaining and informative SOME FANTASTIC PLACE blog, the host (DOUGIE) mentions a comics shop which used to trade under the name of PHOTON BOOKS in Woodlands Road
in Glasgow back in the early 1980s. It later changed its name to FUTURESHOCK and is still trading today, but here's an interesting
little bit of background info.

Originally, the shop was run by BOB SHAW and NEIL CRAIG (who now runs Futureshock by himself), until they had a falling out over matters which I don't happen to be privy to. Later, in attempt to annoy his erstwhile business parter, Bob opened a shop just along the road from Neil, which, because it sold books (and comics) and developed photographs (that side of the business was run by a gentleman by the name of ALAN MITCHELL, I think), went by the name of BOOKS 'N' PHOTOS.

Well, truth to tell, the OFFICIAL names of the two businesses trading from the same premises were SECOND FOUNDATION and SPECIALIST PRINTS, but these titles took second place to the prominence given to what was essentially a bald description of what the shop actually sold - namely, 'books 'n' photos'. This was purely to wind-up Neil, by using a name as close to Photon Books as possible.

Because I had once been a signwriter, I was called upon to do the sign for above the shop, done on two plywood boards in the comfort of my own home. I was really quite proud of it because, although it was a painted sign, it looked for all the world like it was made of perspex. Unfortunately, I only had a HANIMEX 110mm camera at the time, so the accompanying photos aren't too sharp. The top photo was taken by myself on the day the sign was placed above the shop, sometime back in '83 or '84. Look - you can see Alan, Bob and me in the reflection on the shop window next door. The other two were taken outside the door of my house before the sign was transported into Glasgow.

I'm not sure it's clear in the photos, but the large white lettering had a thin red outline around it. Sure takes a steady hand for that sort of detail, I can tell you.