Galactic Greg’s has been a landmark on Lincolnway since May of 1990. It’s gone through a name change, expansion, and a various amount of fads in order to service the community. Owner Greg Karras is proud to be a part of Valparaiso.
Greg was born in Gary, raised in Merrillville. In 1988, he attended college at Valparaiso University. He got a degree in Journalism but the industry did not give him the satisfaction he thought it would. He had a job as a deejay for a radio show based in the now abandoned tech school. Greg also worked for the Post-Tribune, selling ads. Later he wrote a few articles for the Lake County Star. None were jobs he really enjoyed.
That came with the opening of his store. He got a franchising opportunity after a brief internship at his store’s mother store, Tenth Planet. It was even called Tenth Planet, to start with. Later, when the store became his instead of a partnership, he changed the name to Galactic Gregs.
Renee, Greg’s wife, became a part of the business around the same time that they absorbed the store next door. Shallow Grave was a record store that went out of business. Since its customers would come into Greg’s shop looking for Shallow Grave, he decided to give them what they wanted. He rented out the extra space and added records to his inventory.
“It’s great,” Greg said about working with his wife. “It’s someone you can trust, of course. She has technical computer skills and I don’t, so that’s good.”
Galactic Greg’s has provided a vast amount of games over the years but their main inventory is comics. Greg himself has been reading them since he was 7 years old.
The best part about owning a store is the relationship you have with your customers. During Greg’s interview, there was a stream of regulars coming in, sharing the stories, and conversing with Greg and his staff as if they were all old friends.
“It’s the intangible things that you don’t think about that are the most rewarding.”
Greg now lives with his wife in Valparaiso. He appreciates the remodeling and other projects that the town is doing for its people. It’s important for visitors and citizens alike to see a nice setting when they drive through town. That is why it is so important for them to see local businesses, too.
“They give you a feeling of belonging and are a special place to be,” said Greg. “Across the country, downtown business districts look the same. The comic book stores and other local business are what make it unique. And when you step inside them, each one is different.”
Besides owning a store and being an avid comic book reader, Greg is also working on his own comic with friend and artist Corey Hamscher. They started a Kickstarter to raise money for the first issue.
“I think people like to create,” Greg said. “You like to know that you can reach people effectively and in a positive fashion. You want to entertain them or warn them or both. There’s a certain satisfaction to that.”
His comic, called Clash, is about one question: What would the impact of an alien invasion be on the Superhero community? It explores humanity and the questions we all face. For Greg Karras, it is a completely open creative process. it is total freedom.
Galactic Greg’s is the same way: it is a place for people in the community to come be themselves. There are events to attend or open tables to play at. No matter what they are welcome.