Games and comics store, Gateway, opens

Open for Business

PULLMAN — Gateway, a games and comics store, recently opened in the Adams Mall at Pullman.

The business is owned by Ryan Roth, an on-air board operator at KWSU-TV, and two Washington State University communications students, Peter Gade and Douglas Brouillard.

Brouillard is the former manager of the Comic Stand in downtown Pullman, where Roth and Gade also worked. Roth said they had a falling out with the owner, a University of Washington student, and decided to open their own store.

They want to cater to the tastes and interests of WSU students, Roth said.

Gateway carries comic books, card games, board games, role-playing games and accessories, paperback books and posters.

Baseball cards and Nintendo video game rentals will be added soon.

Roth claims Gateway has the best Dungeon and Dragon selection on the Palouse. He plans to form a club and schedule weekly games.

Roth said Dungeon and Dragon and other role-playing games continue to be popular with the college-age group. Comic books recently have grown in popularity: “ ‘Batman’ (the movie) really exploded the comic scene lately. Now everybody’s kind of burned out on Batman, but interest is still growing on other types of comics.’’

“Also, comic books aren’t written for kids anymore. Most of them are written for the 18- to 25-year-old range,’’ he said. He added that several books are too graphically violent for children and he restricts sales of those books.

Gateway’s hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. The store is closed Sunday.

This story was published in the Feb. 11, 1990, edition of the Lewiston Tribune.