Owner of To The Batcave thanks customers for 20 years

‘To The Batcave’ opened on Penny Street in Blackburn in 2003, having moved two times before settling at its current site.

The shop, owned by Nas Bat, 52, started in his home town of Accrington in 1996 when Nas was 25 and was called Twin Suns – a reference to Star Wars.

The Penny Street shop (Image: Nas Bat)

After seven years in Accrington, Nas decided to rebrand and move to Blackburn where he opened To The Batcave on Penny Street on May 29, 2003.

The anniversary will be on May 29 and Nas is looking at holding a movie night for his loyal customer base.

Nas said: “I just want to say a massive thank you to all my customers who have supported me before in Accrington and now in Blackburn for the past 20 years.

“They have helped me keep going at times when I thought the business was not going too.

Customers at To The Batcave (Image: Nas Bat)

“The first seven years in Accrington were a struggle but if I had not have moved to Blackburn I don’t think I would have survived.

Nat originally planned on painting and selling figurines but decided to open a shop selling comics and more and this part of the business took off.

He stayed there for seven years before moving to Northgate from 2010 until 2013, then to a shop on Lower Cockcroft until 2019 and eight months before the pandemic hit, Nas moved to their newest premises on Town Hall Street.

Nas said: “People said what are you doing selling comic books in Accrington you will never survive and I said yeah well I am going to do it anyway.

“There was a bit of negativity when I started off but I am glad I didn’t listen to those people.

“I am here now 27 years later doing what I love doing.”

To The Batcave sells comic books, figurines, t-shirts and more (Image: Nas Bat)

As well as comic books, the shop also sells games, figurines, t-shirts, vinyl records and graphic novels as well as providing a space for groups to play board games and host competitions.

He is looking to concentrate more on the gaming and competition side as the shop continues to grow.

Nas added: “I want to develop the games side of the business really.

“With the internet now, people can buy stuff online.

To The Batcave at its newest location on Town Hall Street in Blackburn (Image: Nas Bat)

“People come into my shop and play games and buy a couple of things.

“I hold painting days too and people come in and chat and paint with each other, that is the way I see the business going now.”