Barbers is rooting for the Dandy

With the Dandy facing closure, a barbers shop is doing its bit to keep the spirit of the comic book alive.

Vintage-style Jimmy Trims in Penn, Wolverhampton, is giving its customers a taste of the past, filled with dozens of comics as well as other nostalgic items including a 1960s record player.

"We're big kids, and love nostalgia – who doesn't?" said Ian Matto, 31, who owns the shop along with brothers Mimzy and Bally Khatkar.

"At Jimmy Trims we're obsessed with everything retro. The older the better. We've got loads of vintage stuff on display in the shop that we've been collecting over the years.

"Everything in Jimmy Trims has a story behind it and reflects our personalities. Our idea was to come up with a barbers shop where we could bring something cool, hip, and fresh to Wolverhampton."

Jimmy Trims' extensive collection of comics stems from a family trip Ian took at age 14 to America, where he picked up a Superman comic to pass the time. "It really clicked with me. I loved it, and couldn't put it down. Now, all these years later, I have thousands of them all piled up in a room at home. My girlfriend was always nagging me to throw them away, but now are in our shop."

The news that the Dandy will stop printing in December with a final issue marking the comic's 75th anniversary, has prompted Ian and his partners to launch a "Don't let go of our Dandy" campaign. Through social media they hope to collect 5,000 names.

* To read the full story see September's issue of Wolverhampton Magazine out today.