An amazing year in review at the Amazing
Thomas Sr. (Captain Collector)Last updated: 1 January 2022 approx. 3 min read
To say that 2021 was an unusual year would probably be the understatement of the year. In every respect it was a year of challenges on every level, always and in all matters. And I am not only talking about lockdowns, obstacles and problems waiting to be solved. I mean the situation in general, which affected everything and everyone. We all had to cope with adversities and guidelines, not always clearly comprehensible, which were dictated more or less “from above” and had to be implemented without question.
The premise
Flexibility, adaptability and innovation were not just empty phrases. In our personal and professional lives we had to take decisions that had an immediate impact on the medium-term and certainly also on the long-term future, and will continue to have. That is simply how life goes. Nothing is constant but change. Nothing endures except change.
Our family business Amazing was not spared this imposed change either. The only question was whether we should take the active or the passive role in it. We opted quite clearly for the former. Looking ahead positively and seeing the glass as “half full” instead of “half empty” was always the better choice. And so the old Amazing rose from the ashes like a phoenix and became Amazing Enterprise AG on 1 January 2021.
A year earlier we had already made the preparations to give the old sole proprietorship a makeover and take it to the next level with a great deal of help from the new online shop. The path to founding the AG was the next logical step: comics, trading cards and action figures under one roof, with nothing changing in terms of staff. We are still the same three people behind the online shop and the store in Zurich: Thomas (Der Sparkojote), Caroline and Thomas (Captain Collector), son, mother and father.
The focus has shifted towards trading cards, however, and the revenue figures speak plainly here. Yet the comics still have their place, because they are still in demand. Specialising in US American comics from the Silver Age and Bronze Age, the 1960s and 1970s, has paid off for us. When we opened in the summer of 2004 we laid the foundation at the Amazing for these comics, which cannot be found in such abundance in any other Swiss comic shop.
The gentle renovation
We took plenty of time to redesign the shop premises step by step and to phase out products that took up too much space and did not generate enough revenue. Comics, TCG and action figures remained the focus. Smaller collecting areas such as PVC figures, children’s books, model cars, quartet card games and the like are still there, but on a much smaller scale.
This transformation also included what is known as rebranding, complete with a new logo that now also adorns our shop window. The entrance area was likewise painted and redesigned in fitting style by the guys from Brainfart. At the same time we switched all the interior lighting to LED. The AMAZINGTOYS® Store is now brighter, and looks bigger and more inviting.
But anyone who thinks that is the end of it is mistaken. The year 2021 may be over, but the change is not. The big brainstorming continues, new ideas are already lined up and will certainly be implemented in 2022. We will carry on this year with the direction we set last year, but we will by no means stagnate. There is only one way to go, and that is forward. That is where we want to go too. We set our own limits.
No idea how much longer I will be on the front line. In less than four years I will officially retire, at least as far as my age is concerned. Whether that is how it will really be, only the Watcher knows. Because who knows? What if…?
Captain Collector’s multiverse wisdom
The Meditite Sitting Cuties Plush is weighted with microbeads, so it sits up when you put it on a flat surface. This palm-sized plush is a fun, charming way to show off a favorite Fighting- and Psychic-type Pokémon originally discovered in Hoenn! Measures about 13 cm tall and 12 cm long Sits up easily on a desk, shelf, or other flat surface Where will you set Meditite? Part of the Sitting Cuties collection—known as Pokémon fit in Japan Includes Meditite Sitting Cuties Plush (other pictured items not included) Pokémon Center Original More Details: Item Dimensions: 13 × 12 × 7 cm Country Of Origin: Made in China. Materials: All new material / polyester / polypropylene / polyethylene Care Instructions: Surface wash only. Recommended Age: 4+ Years Item Weight: 52 g
Es ist ein Pokemon-Stofftier, das Pokemon-Charakter zum Ausdruck bringt und eine Größe hat, die Sie gerne sammeln möchten!Mehr Details:Artikelabmessungen: 21 × 15 × 10.5 cmHerkunftsland: Hergestellt in ChinaMaterialien: Völlig neues Material / Polyester / Polyethylen / PolyurethanschaumPflegehinweise: Nur Handwäsche. Wäschetrockner.Empfohlenes Alter: 4+ JahreArtikelgewicht: 79 g
Snorlax PlüschtierDieses niedliche Snorlax Plüschtier lädt zum Kuscheln ein und bringt jeden Pokémon-Fan zum Strahlen. Weiches Material und liebevolle Details machen es zum perfekten Begleiter auf Sofa, Bett oder unterwegs.Hochwertige, weiche Stoffe für extra KomfortDetailgetreue Gestaltung mit charakteristischem AusdruckIdeal als Geschenk für alle AltersgruppenLeicht zu reinigen: mit feuchtem Tuch abwischen
Sanrio Plüsch-Schlüsselanhänger Cinnamoroll Candies 12 cm Offiziell lizenzierter, weicher Plüsch-Schlüsselanhänger in der beliebten Cinnamoroll Candies Edition. Highlights Ca. 12 cm grosser Schlüsselanhänger aus hochwertigem Plüsch Offiziell lizenzierte Sanrio-Figur Cinnamoroll für Fans und Sammler Gefertigt aus 100% Polyester für einen weichen und langlebigen Griff Inhalt: Plüsch-Schlüsselanhänger Cinnamoroll Candies, ca. 12 cm Material: 100% Polyester
The Surskit Sitting Cuties Plush is weighted with microbeads, so it sits up when you put it on a flat surface. This palm-sized plush is a fun, charming way to show off a favorite Bug- and Water-type Pokémon originally discovered in Hoenn!Sits up easily on a desk, shelf, or other flat surfaceWhere will you set Surskit?Part of the Sitting Cuties collection—known as Pokémon fit in JapanIncludes Surskit Sitting Cuties Plush (other pictured items not included)Pokémon Center OriginalMore Details:Item Dimensions: 12 x 14 x 10 cmCountry Of Origin: Made in ChinaMaterials: All new material / polyester / polyethyleneCare Instructions: Surface wash only.Recommended Age: 4+ Years
The Silcoon Sitting Cuties Plush is weighted with microbeads, so it sits up when you put it on a flat surface. This palm-sized plush is a fun, charming way to show off a favorite Bug-type Pokémon originally discovered in Hoenn!Measures about 7 cm tall and 13 cm wideSits up easily on a desk, shelf, or other flat surfaceWhere will you set Silcoon?Part of the Sitting Cuties collection—known as Pokémon fit in JapanIncludes Silcoon Sitting Cuties Plush (other pictured items not included)Pokémon Center OriginalMore Details:Item Dimensions: 8.9 x 13 x 8.9 cmCountry Of Origin: Made in ChinaMaterials: All new material / polyester / polyethylene / polyurethane foamCare Instructions: Surface wash only.Recommended Age: 4+ YearsItem Weight: 48.2 g
Es ist ein Pokemon-Stofftier, das Pokemon-Charakter zum Ausdruck bringt und eine Größe hat, die Sie gerne sammeln möchten!Mehr Details:Artikelabmessungen: 6.5 × 9.5 x 16.5 cmHerkunftsland: Hergestellt in ChinaMaterialien: Völlig neues Material / Polyester / Polyethylen / PolyurethanschaumPflegehinweise: Nur Handwäsche. Wäschetrockner.Empfohlenes Alter: 4+ Jahre
Das Furfrou Heart Trim Sitting Cuties Plüsch ist mit Mikroperlen beschwert, sodass es sich aufrichtet, wenn du es auf eine flache Oberfläche legst. Dieses handtellergroße Plüsch ist eine lustige, charmante Art, ein Lieblings-Pokémon vom Normal-Typ zu zeigen, das ursprünglich in Kalos entdeckt wurde!Misst etwa 15 cm hoch und 11 cm breitLässt sich leicht auf einem Schreibtisch, Regal oder einer anderen flachen Oberfläche aufstellenWo wirst du Furfrou aufstellen?Teil der Sitting Cuties-Kollektion - in Japan als Pokémon fit bekanntBeinhaltet Furfrou (Heart Trim) Sitting Cuties Plüsch (andere abgebildete Artikel nicht enthalten)Pokémon Center OriginalMehr Details:Artikelabmessungen: 15 x 11 x 11 cmGewicht: 57 gHerkunftsland: Hergestellt in ChinaMaterialien: Polyester / Polyurethanschaum / PEPflegehinweise: Nur Handwäsche. Zum Trocknen aufhängen.
The Nosepass Sitting Cuties Plush is weighted with microbeads, so it sits up when you put it on a flat surface. This palm-sized plush is a fun, charming way to show off a favorite Rock-type Pokémon originally discovered in Hoenn! Measures about 13 cm tall and 12 cm wide Sits up easily on a desk, shelf, or other flat surface Where will you set Nosepass? Part of the Sitting Cuties collection—known as Pokémon fit in Japan Includes Nosepass Sitting Cuties Plush (other pictured items not included) Pokémon Center Original More Details: Item Dimensions: 13 × 12 × 12 cm Country Of Origin: Made in China. Materials: All new material / polyester / polyethylene Care Instructions: Surface wash only. Recommended Age: 4+ Years Item Weight: 68 g
Tusks, open mouth, and embroidered eyes all give this Fraxure Poké plush character! Measures about 15.5 cm tall and 12.5 cm wide Sits up easily on a desk, shelf, or other flat surface Tusks and open mouth! Fraxure is ready for anything! Part of the Sitting Cuties collection—known as Pokémon fit in Japan Includes Fraxure Sitting Cuties Plush (other pictured items not included) Pokémon Center Original More Details: Item Dimensions: 15.5 × 12.5 × 15 cm Country Of Origin: Made in China Materials: All new material / polyester / polyethylene / polyurethane foam Care Instructions: Hand Wash Only. Line Dry. Recommended Age: 4+ Years Item Weight: 70 g
The Illumise Sitting Cuties Plush is weighted with microbeads, so it sits up when you put it on a flat surface. This palm-sized plush is a fun, charming way to show off a favorite Bug-type Pokémon originally discovered in Hoenn!Measures about 13 cm tall and 7 cm wideSits up easily on a desk, shelf, or other flat surfaceWhere will you set Illumise?Part of the Sitting Cuties collection—known as Pokémon fit in JapanIncludes Illumise Sitting Cuties Plush (other pictured items not included)Pokémon Center OriginalMore Details:Item Dimensions: 13 x 7 x 13 cmCountry Of Origin: Made in China.Materials: All new material / polyester / polypropylene / polyethyleneCare Instructions: Surface wash only.Recommended Age: 4+ YearsItem Weight: 57g
The Delcatty Sitting Cuties Plush is weighted with microbeads, so it sits up when you put it on a flat surface. This palm-sized plush is a fun, charming way to show off a favorite Normal-type Pokémon originally discovered in Hoenn! Measures about 13 cm tall and 9 cm long Sits up easily on a desk, shelf, or other flat surface Where will you set Delcatty? Part of the Sitting Cuties collection—known as Pokémon fit in Japan Includes Delcatty Sitting Cuties Plush (other pictured items not included) Pokémon Center Original More Details: Item Dimensions: 13 x 9 x 10.5 cm Country Of Origin: Made in China. Materials: All new material / polyester / polyethylene / polyurethane foam / nylon Care Instructions: Surface wash only. Recommended Age: 4+ Years Item Weight: 56 g