Gabrielle “Gabi” Shephard. She came to this area at age five and they stayed here after her father retired from Fort Lewis. She basically grew up at Olympic Trading Cards and Comics, a store owned by her dad’s best friend. At age 15, she got her first job there. She graduated from Timberline High School in 1993, then attended The Evergreen State College, also attending the University of Hawaii for a time.
How did she pay for her higher education? She had saved up a wad for college but then received a scholarship. So… guess what she did with her savings? She bought the card and comic store, which might have otherwise closed. She was only 18 – unarguably an industrious kid! She’s built it, from a nice little 1,100-square-foot shop in the former South Sound Mall, into the largest comic/game shop on the West Coast. Read on, there’s much more.
It’s been 30 years, and Gabi employs upwards of 30 staff, and the store, which she built from the ground up, is huge. It’s now Gabi’s Olympic Cards & Comics. (If you’re a regular, it’s just Gabi’s.) After South Sound Mall, they moved behind the mall (1998), where PetSmart is now, then on one side of Pacific Avenue, and now on the other side, into her own structure, built from the ground up, with help from her many friends. She had her hand in the creation of its every detail. The facility is chock full of merch: comic books, graphic novels, board games, card games, roleplaying games, toys, and collectibles. A café graces the second floor, accessible by stairs or an elevator with space for tournaments. There is also, surprisingly, a vegetable garden plot out-back and a small building that stores donations from the community for the community.
Let’s get this out of the way. On October 27, a truck rammed through one of her building entrances, causing thousands of dollars of damage. Two thieves notably took $8,000 worth of Pokémon card sets (amongst other stuff) before driving away. This was the second robbery in two years, both in October and both involving Pokémon. “There’s the lost merchandise, but the building is currently my top concern,” she said. Community members got busy helping clean up glass, securing the entry, and initiating reconstruction. Supporters, who previously helped build the immense structure, lamented about the damage to what they had built, even as they helped make repairs. She is sad but taking it in stride. She’s grateful that the store was able to remain open, but said she’s tired of talking about it and prefers to talk about Gabi’s Kids!
Gabi’s Kids, her charity, was formed 15 years ago amongst the games and cards out of necessity. She started by agreeing to be a donation drop-off point for first one group (“We can totally do that!”) and then another… and another. Gabi and friends donated and accepted goods to help kids. Then people started bringing in money to help. “One day,” Gabi said, “someone handed me a $1,000 check, and I knew that we needed to document what we were doing and be accountable. We needed transparency.” A non-profit was born! If you look online, you can see that her breadth of work is wide and varies over the year: Adopt-a-family, other Christmas gifts, food boxes, school supplies, warm clothing, summer lunch, food, haircuts, and much more.
“It grows, and it continues to grow, and we help a lot of people,” Gabi explains, “but only because the community is so giving and so loving.
The store is a going concern, but the place FEELS like more than a business. She invited me to meet her bouncy 20-week-old Czech German Shepherd named Osborn, and then we plunked down on a couch in the middle of the store, and it seemed more like a home. It’s a gathering place. There’s conversation, and people feel welcome and hang out. She makes friends with her customers, who make friends with each other. She takes the time to greet people and meet people. And if you come in and need help, she helps you.
She helps people directly and also accepts referrals. The referrals may come from other organizations or professionals such as attorneys with kids in emergent situations, social workers, or teachers. “We serve tertiary to some of the local charities, picking up where they need help.” She explained that Gabi’s Kids group is nimble, especially helpful when the need is emergent. “It’s because here I am, the decision-maker. No red tape!”
Many times Gabi’s Kids can fill gaps that others cannot address, like underage kids who have aged out of the foster care system but still trying to finish high school. Helping someone who needs to get out of their home fast.
She encourages those in the helping professions to let her know what they need. “You can ask for whatever you want. Let me know what is needed. I’m really good at setting boundaries.” No worries, she’s here to help!
This time of year, keeping warm is a priority. Gabi reports that we have many people locally who lack the resources to stay warm. Here are some of the items needed (new or used items are welcome), plus anything else that would keep a person warm.
In 2022, her annual Adopt-A-Family program helped 800-1,000 families have a good Christmas. The project has gotten bigger each year. It’s outgrown its space at the store, and for 2023, the giving event will be December 10, 2023, 10 AM-6 PM in a large room at the Lacey Veterans Hub 4232 6th Avenue SE #101, Lacey, WA. Parents can pick the following items for each child: something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read. Gabi invites you to buy gifts for people in need rather than each other.
If you or someone you know needs help for the holidays -or if you can assist, please email asap. Gifts: They need a parent's phone number and name and the kid's age. (Sizes and/or genders are not needed as parents will be picking.). Volunteers are needed for setup on December 9 and gifting on December 10. With more volunteers, they can get through the lines more quickly. Gift wrapping and goodies are also planned for the day.
If you want to donate, you may use PayPal for Gabi's Kids with the identifier of gabiskidssp@gmail.com or bring stuff to Gabi's Olympic Cards & Comics 4230 Pacific Ave Lacey, WA 98503
Questions? Contact the store: Gabi’s Olympic Cards and Comics (360) 459-7721 OlympicCardsAndComics@gmail.com
Shirley Stirling, of Lacey, writes about good things people in Thurston County are doing. If you’d like to nominate someone to be profiled, contact her at shirley@theJOLTnews.com or comment below.
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DHanig
Gabi befriended our boys when they were little. She's amazing!
Saturday, November 4, 2023 Report this
Sehouser
Evil will not win! Thank you Shirley for writing such a beautiful article. I learned a lot about Gabi, her business and her very generous heart!!!
Saturday, November 4, 2023 Report this