Kriti Mehrotra
Netflix’s ‘Swap Shop’ is a reality series that delves deep into the process of how locals in East Tennessee expand their personal and professional collection of new and unique goods with the help of a radio show unlike any other. After all, the titular WRGS program gives them the details of particular items on the market, which piques their interest and gives rise to what can only be described as a treasure hunt. From antiques to comics, each industry is covered here, but Richard Davis and Garin Dickerson only focus on the latter. So, here’s everything we know about them.
Who Are Richard Davis and Garin Dickerson?
Richard Davis is the owner of Nirvana Comics, whereas Garin Dickerson is his right-hand man as the store manager. From what we can tell, the former is a Tennessee resident through and through, yet the latter relocated to the southeastern state after attending a community college in his home city of Roanoke, Virginia. They both share a passion for comic books, fantasy, nostalgic things, and much more. But what makes them and Nirvana Comics work is their sheer intent to treat people with respect and make them feel accepted. Thus, their motto is people over product.
Richard and Garin are complete opposites when it comes to doing business, and that’s actually a good thing because it keeps them quite well-balanced. While the latter usually can not control his excitement and lets sentiment take over, the former often thinks things through before making any big decisions. That’s why they have their respective roles and mostly go to swaps and sales together. In other words, Richard and Garin enjoy the trading aspect of their profession just as much as everything else. It’s how they make their living, and they absolutely seem to love it.
Where Are Richard Davis and Garin Dickerson Now?
Richard Davis co-owned Nirvana Comics at 6709-B Kingston Pike (Around Back) in Knoxville, Tennessee, with his wife, Amber Davis. But sadly, she passed away at the age of 38 in late 2020. He still operates the business with the aid of his loyal team, yet it appears as if the loss of Amber is understandably still present in their lives. Although Richard hasn’t talked about it on his social media platforms as of now, a deep dive into the comic book store’s Instagram implies that she died following a kidney surgery back in December 2020. It looks like she’d been ill for a while and needed a transplant that unfortunately did not go as planned. However, all we can do now is respect Richard’s privacy.
“Today is Amber’s birthday,” Garin wrote on Instagram in mid-October 2021. “Seeing her alive and well [in the show’s trailer]- in the shop she loved, dice in hand for D&D, her little white Mina dog by her side- brought so many emotions. I know we are all excited to see the Amber we know and love in this show—I know we are all going to have some pretty big feels when we do. On her birthday today, I’m having some big feelings already, and I know Richard and the rest of our giant shop and show family are too. Happy birthday to the feistiest guardian angel there is. We love you and miss you always.”
As for where Garin and Richard are now, even though they are still wholly dedicated to Nirvana Comics, they are also pursuing other ventures. Garin is happily married and a father. He hosts ‘The Printed Panel’ Podcast, where he reviews and speaks up about the comic book culture. On the other hand, Richard is the author of a horror comic series called ‘Cult of Dracula.’
Read More: Where is Swap Shop Filmed?
