Photo by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.
Seth Cosby and Ben Traylor, owners of Sasquatch Toys & Comics, hold a Star Wars diorama.
The storefront at 145 Citation Court is unassuming — nothing that would stand out in the warehouse district of West Homewood.
But looks can be deceiving. The placid appearance hides a not-so-secret identity, somewhat like a comic book superhero shielding his identity behind a mild-mannered persona.
Sasquatch Toys & Comics is a virtual multiverse of comic book and cartoon genres. The 2,400-square-foot store specializes in vintage toys and comic books, with an inventory that includes GI Joe, Star Wars, Masters of the Universe, Star Trek and more.
“There’s not anything like this one,” Ben Traylor said of the store he opened with longtime friend Seth Cosby. “I’ll hear there are some places with comics, maybe some Funko Pops. But nothing that ties it all together, at least not in this state.”
And just weeks after Sasquatch’s grand opening, fans of vintage comic books and classic toys have found their lair.
“We’ve got such a good amount of folks,” Traylor said. “We got swamped. And with only one of us here, it’s literally a full-time job. We’ve got people bringing in so much to sell.”
As Traylor spoke, a customer was proving his point, having driven two hours from Hamilton, Alabama. He was looking to sell the mint condition Funko Pops he brought with him.
But the customer wasn’t seeking a one-way deal, as he perused the various toys and comic books on the walls and in assorted bins.
Sasquatch is a place where women and men can relive their childhood. Traylor and Cosby are among the people having the time of their lives.
“These are not Walmart toys and these aren’t flea market stuff,” Traylor said. “This is expensive vintage, plus modern collectibles. So much more than toys.”
A peek behind the front counter provides plenty of evidence that this is no simple toy or comic book store. There are comic books in protective plastic cases priced in the hundreds of dollars.
“The whole collecting community, we’re our own little group. The great thing is we’re just a bunch of really, just passionate people that just love toys,” Cosby said.
Cosby frequently travels to shows and exhibitions, looking for unique products to add to their inventory.
“If you think about it, a collector of anything, in theory, they’re reliving their childhood,” Cosby said. “You have great memories playing with stuff in the ‘80s and ‘70s. It just kind of brings you back to that, a better time in life, other than growing up.”
Traylor, 54, and Cosby, 49, had separate business ventures before launching Sasquatch. The former is a lawyer and the latter operates Ed’s Pet World, another Homewood company, founded by his father.
The two previously talked about opening a store for comic books and toys but didn’t act on the idea.
“I’d always laugh with him and say, ‘Man, we’ve got to start a store,’” Traylor said. “We need to start a store. You know how that goes. We’d laugh about it, but we didn’t take it seriously.”
Then Traylor had a June 2021 bout with COVID-19 that put him in a hospital for three months. That virtually wiped out his law practice.
“I didn’t have any clients for three months. No contact,” he said. “People need to move on. It’s always very humbling, too, the people that can live without you. You come back six months later and get in touch with somebody, and they didn’t even know you were gone.”
But clients weren’t the only thing missing. So too was the lawyer’s passion for the profession.
“It used to be a lot of fun,” Traylor said. “I used to love it. I still enjoy helping people, and I still like helping change lives.”
The attorney said he was happy with his family — Donya, his wife of 12 years, and four children — but he was unfulfilled in his career.
“Two years later, I ran into Seth,” recalled Traylor, who is wrapping up his law practice. “He said, ‘Hey, let’s start a store,’ and I said, ‘We should.’”
Only this time, they did.
The same day, they walked over to the future site of Sasquatch, which was near Traylor’s storage space.
“A guy was renting this, and I knew it was coming up for rent. We came in, looked around and said, ‘This is it,’” Traylor said.
