THREE MEN AND A KNIFE: Manager Pat Presutti, left, employee Marcello Didio and owner Rob Mileto threaten to show you a good time at Woodbirdge Heroes Comics & Collectables.
Owner says new store is like 40 in one
This may be the only place in Vaughan where you can hang out with lemurs, kangaroos and alligators before hopping in a yellow Camaro from the Transformers movie.
If that does suit you, feel free to check out the Spider-Man or Captain America bikes at Woodbridge Heroes Comics & Collectables, which is likely the city’s only educational indoor zoo, comic book store and museum all in one.
“It’s basically 40 stores in one location,” boasts owner Rob Mileto. “I’ve been a fanatic with toys and collectibles my whole life, so I combined the concepts together.”
The store offers two floors of everything related, however loosely, to superheroes: action figures, illustrated novels, trading cards, vintage toys, clothing, posters, lifesize models, paperbacks — even sports memorabilia.
And those animals include flying squirrels, kangaroos and a seven-foot alligator named Butch.
A self-described animal lover, Vaughan resident Mileto, who also ran for councillor in Ward 3, takes a different approach in regard to his animals.
“I’m not a store that sells animals,” Mileto said. “I’m trying to educate people not to buy these animals.”
In addition to monkeys and lemurs, Mileto has baby lions, cougars and camels stored north of King township, and said he has some parrots coming in.
They’re not for sale though.
“If somebody wants to adopt them, I let them adopt them for free, as long as they go to a good home,” he said.
Formerly located on Winges Road, Heroes is now at 3901 Hwy 7. Mileto said he has big plans his business.
“On January 3, we’re going to open up a pawn shop,” he said. “Nobody has that in Vaughan.”
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It has a great looking 40′ sign on the front of the building that I printed for him. It would be great if Rob would settle up his bill!
Maybe that is why they are charging $5.00 to walk in the door.
You have to pay $5 admission to go to this comic book store
The poor albino kangaroo was in a glass fronted room all alone stamping its feet against the door the entire time I was in the store. Having the animals in the store is a money making gimic only and has nothing to do with a love for animals or a desire to educate the public about animals. Every time I pass the store I feel sick thinking about that poor kangaroo. I reported it to the SPCA as I can’t imagine that its legal to keep a kangaroo in such conditions, and if it is legal….it shouldn’t be!
We stopped by this store today, we did not expect to visit an indoor zoo. We just wanted to buy some super hero collectables. The sign was deceiving we refuse to pay to buy your merchandise. We ended up going somewhere else and spending money. Change the sign. You are not a store that sells collecticables. You are an indoor exoctic zoo, that should be on the sign that is visible from the street.
We will never go back and we have already told everyone we know that you charge to enter the store. You could of had a large chunk of our money today instead we spent it happily somewhere else.
I visited the original store a couple of times and was very happy with it. Made a trip out today to see the new store. The parking lot was completely empty, which I thought was strange. Especially on a Saturday afternoon. When I got to the door I found out why. You have to pay $5 just to go in the store. I could care less about the stupid zoo. I was there to buy comics, not look at animals. I’m not going to pay $5 just for the option of looking around. What if I didn’t buy anything? Do I get my $5 back? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not cheap. Just insulted! I will not be returning. I will tell everyone I know to avoid it as well.
According to the Vaughan by-law number 53-2002 the animals Mr. Mileto has on display are prohibited in the city:
http://www.city.vaughan.on.ca/vaughan/forms_docs/pdf/53-2002.pdf
see part 11. Further lemurs are an endangered species. Why would he purchase endangered animals then let people adopt them for free? Where is he getting these animals? Something isn’t right here.
They are charging families with kids, $5 to SEE their comic books and toy store, there is a lot not right here. Chapters has comics to look at for free across the street. Toy R US, also across the street, lets you look in their store at not cost, how do those big stores stay in business I wonder?
I am surprised they are not charging for people to leave comments about their store. I sure hope I do not get a $5 bill sent to my email.
They should lock that guy up in the glass cage and let the Monkey and Kangaroo run the store for him!