Lawyer Finds Truth, Justice in Owning a Comic Book Shop

What’s a lawyer to do when his ideals are crushed, and his faith in the legal system has soured? He buys a nostalgia shop and closes his independent law firm post haste.

In a nutshell, that’s the story of Ari Sudilovski, owner of North Coast Nostalgia, 5120 Mayfield Rd., Lyndhurst.

He’d been practicing law since 1990, and in his experience "the prosecutors were more interested in convictions than getting justice and serving the citizens," he said. "Justice was irrelevant."

After two years of mulling over his possibilities, he was pushed into action. As Sudilovski recalled, he was on a shopping trip when the previous owner said, "Well, Ari, you’re going to have to find somewhere else to shop."

Sudilovski took ownership six months ago, which is exactly when he last slept.

He’s an avid collector of everything – "key chains, shot glasses, anything" – but comics are his favorite, he said.

He’d like nothing better than the prejudice against comics as kid stuff disappear. "Comics come in a wide variety, not just superheroes," he said.

"I’d like to see people read more comics," he said. "It’s a useful medium for the quicker transmission of information. They expand the range of theory that people can be conversant about, and they stimulate conversation.

"We’re a culture that wants things fast and simple. That’s the beauty of comics."

The shop’s hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, and closed Sunday and Monday. The phone number is 440-442-1986.