Dogwood City Comics & Games is preparing to open at 10977 SE Main St in Milwaukie, taking over the space long occupied by Things From Another World. Owner Alex Miller confirmed to What Now Portland that construction is expected to finish by the beginning of October, with an opening targeted for late October or early November, depending on how the remaining buildout goes.
Miller’s connection to the space runs deep. Around age 8, he met Dark Horse Comics founder Mike Richardson at the very same Things From Another World location, an encounter Miller says stuck with him for decades. He crossed paths with Richardson again this past August at Milwaukie’s Little Float, where he publicly announced his plans to open Dogwood City, right as Richardson signed comics at the same event.
Miller retired from the U.S. Navy this spring around the same time he graduated from Portland State University with a degree in business technology and analytics. He was in the middle of a job search when Things From Another World announced its closure, planting the idea of opening his own shop. The final push came during one of the store’s last days open, when Miller watched his 2-year-old daughter, JD, pick a book off the shelf and sit down to look through it.
Beyond comics, manga, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, Miller is building the shop around dedicated table space in the back, complete with an ADA-compliant bathroom to support regular in-store events, something he said the previous tenant was never physically set up to do. He’s aiming to host Dungeons & Dragons nights, Magic: The Gathering and Pokemon events, along with a small selection of Warhammer product, and he’s already in touch with Dark Horse’s marketing team about arranging comic book signings.
The name itself is personal. Milwaukie is nicknamed “The Dogwood City of the West,” once home to the largest known dogwood tree before a 1962 storm damaged it, and the flower still appears in the city’s own logo.
“I grew up in Milwaukie. It’s my hometown,” Miller said. “I know I have big shoes to fill taking the spot of Things From Another World, and I am going to make sure I do everything I can to not just meet, but exceed what people’s expectations might be.”
