Do you remember Carman Madu and the Hobbits Fantasy Shoppe?

[Jim Lazarenko]

If you remember 'The Hobbits Fantasy Shoppe' in the Old Revlon Building, in
downtown Edmonton some 20 years ago, then you probably also remember Carman
Madu. Carman, also affectionately known to many of us as 'The Hobbit', was
one of the co-owners of the establishment and passed away on the morning of
Tuesday, July 31st, 2001 after being taken off of life support. He is
survived by his parents, Yvette & Martin and one sister, Michelle and two
nephews Scott & Ryan.

The friends and acquaintances that Carman made while at Hobbits, Klondike
Foods and Laser Movie Ltd. are far too numerous for any one person to try
and contact, but it is my hope that in posting this, that word may spread to
these people so that they too can take some time out of their busy day to
remember Carman. Many of these people have since moved away from Edmonton
and area, but if you should happen to know of their whereabouts, please take
the time to forward this message to them.

Carman loved the movies, old time radio shows, and the actors and actresses
who brought them to life. He probably had one of Edmonton's best collections
of old movies and TV shows, radio programs and autographed pictures at one
time or another. Due to Carman, 'Hobbits' was one of the first outlets in
Edmonton to offer movie rentals to the public (back when Beta was the only
format), the place that had Trivial Pursuit before all the rest, and in my
case, the place to get the first sneak peeks at upcoming titles for Mattel's
Intellivision. And if you were lucky and timed it right, you could sometimes
bump into Edmonton's celebrity crowd there; like Gretzky, Messier or one of
those other young kids that played for the Oilers, an Edmonton Eskimo or
whomever might be playing at Stage West that week.

Even after 'Hobbits' shut down and Carman moved onto other careers, he
continued his love of the movies, and collecting autographed pictures of the
stars that he had met, or had hoped to. Quite convenient too that a couple
of his later jobs happened to be movie related as it allowed him to earn a
living while talking about the latest movie remake and how it compared to
the original (the originals were always the best).

In recent years Carman faced an uphill battle with Multiple Sclerosis, and
although there were bad days along with the good, he struggled through them
the best that he could. Even with his disability Carman entered the computer
age, finding that it was a good tool to communicate with the outside world,
play a game or two (well maybe it was more like three or four) of 'You don't
know Jack', and of course keep up that old habit of collecting autographed
pictures. His wealth of friends on the Internet was also plentiful, proven
by the amount of jokes that he would get (and then forward to the rest of
us) on a regular basis.

But the final casting call for a person we care greatly about has finally
come. Hopefully he now has the opportunity to rub shoulders with those that
he admired so, and has plenty of their pictures in his briefcase and ink in
his ballpoint. Carman Madu, November 20th, 1947 - July 31st, 2001. He will
be sorely missed.

Prayer services will take place this evening (August 2nd) at 7:00 pm at the
Connelly-McKinley Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am,
Friday (August 3rd) at Annunciation Catholic Church (9420-163rd Street). In
lieu of flowers, donations would be appreciated to the Edmonton Multiple
Sclerosis Society (11203-70th Street Edmonton, Alberta T5B 1T1) in Carman's
name. Internet condolences can be made at www.connelly-mckinley.com

[Mark]

Jim Lazarenko <ji...@NO.SPAM.telusplanet.net> wrote in message
news:CEia7.22094$b_3.1...@news0.telusplanet.net...

> If you remember 'The Hobbits Fantasy Shoppe' in the Old Revlon Building,
in

That sounds familiar, where abouts was that?

Mark

[Zackman]

I never knew Carman personally, only as one of the faces I associated with
Hobbits. Funny, some friends and I were just reminiscing about the old
store, going down there on the bus during school break in the summer and how
our love of gaming started there. This is sad news.

While we're on the topic, these same friends and I were trying to recall
where Hobbits II had been located. Where was it again?

-Z-

"Jim Lazarenko" <ji...@NO.SPAM.telusplanet.net> wrote in message
news:CEia7.22094$b_3.1...@news0.telusplanet.net...

[John Fleming]

On Fri, 03 Aug 2001 02:40:42 GMT, while in a state of
agitated dementia, "Zackman"
<zac...@SPAMISEVILearthling.net> wrote:

> -- $I never knew Carman personally, only as one of the faces I associated with
> -- $Hobbits. Funny, some friends and I were just reminiscing about the old
> -- $store, going down there on the bus during school break in the summer and how
> -- $our love of gaming started there. This is sad news.
> -- $
> -- $While we're on the topic, these same friends and I were trying to recall
> -- $where Hobbits II had been located. Where was it again?

If memory serves me right, it was on 101 Street, about a
half a block north of Jasper near the old Rialto Theatre.

Commerce Place is sitting on the site now.

After serveral years there, it moved to a location NW of the
traffic circle on 142 Street and 107 Avenue. It was there
for a really short time before burning down. It never, to
my knowledge, reopened after that.

--

John Fleming
Edmonton, Alberta

email:     joh...@nice.ab.ca (nice should be ecn, remove 'gh')
web pages: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/6070
http://www.ecn.ab.ca/~johnf

- Only if you have been in the deepest valley can you
ever know how  magnificent it is to be on the highest
mountain.

                                   R.M.Nixon  1913-1994

This message may be freely copied, distributed, or
otherwise be retransmitted.

[Jim Lazarenko]

The Revelon building is on 104st and 102nd avenue, which is the building
behind the Boardwalk building. When Hobbits moved out of there, they went
over to 101 st about the reverse side of the Well after the Revelon
building, they moved to 101st and about 101 avenue, that was before the
Manulife place was built.

The staff at the original Hobbits were:

Carman Madu
Derek Frost
Barry Saipe
Jim Owens
Wes Vermeer
David McNeilly

[Jim Lazarenko]

Lets try this again as I hacked up the last response:

The Revelon building is on 104st and 102nd avenue, which is the building
behind the Boardwalk building. When Hobbits moved out of there, they went

over to 101 st and about 101 avenue, that was before the

[Wuzzles]

Was that store on 142 Street and 107 Avenue a comic shop by any chance?

I remember being a customer there back around 1988 before it burned down. I
bought my X-Men issue #17 comic from there.

"John Fleming" <nos...@sprynet.com> wrote in message
news:3b6a13db...@nntp.sprynet.com...
>
{SNIP}

[John Fleming]

On Thu, 2 Aug 2001 22:03:08 -0600, while in a state of
agitated dementia, "Wuzzles"
<wuzzles_h...@interbaun.com> wrote:

> -- $Was that store on 142 Street and 107 Avenue a comic shop by any chance?
> -- $
> -- $I remember being a customer there back around 1988 before it burned down. I
> -- $bought my X-Men issue #17 comic from there.

I'm not really sure. I think Hobbits/ Hobbit II carried
some comics, but I tended to think of the store as being a
place to buy books and wargaming supplies.

[rei]

sounds like a while back. my fond memories are of adventurer's supply.

"John Fleming" <nos...@sprynet.com> wrote in message

news:3b6a2bb4...@nntp.sprynet.com...

[dog...@edmc.net]

The store at 142 Street and 107 Ave was Startraders Comics and Games. It had
nothing to do with Hobbits or Carman.

[flynn]

dog...@edmc.net wrote:

> The store at 142 Street and 107 Ave was Startraders Comics and Games. It had
> nothing to do with Hobbits or Carman.

What comics/roleplaying/games shops are left in town?

I know of Warp 1 & 2, Whyte Knight,
those two exclusive Warhammer shops (Kingsway & West Ed Mall),
Wizards, is there any others in town?

[dog...@edmc.net]

There's Comic Fever at 113 Street and 132 Avenue.

Comic stores seem to have fallen upon hard times.

[dog...@edmc.net]

The location you are speaking of was called "The Lower Revelon Shopping Mall".

The original location of Hobbits was on the second floor at 10048 106 Street, above the old Embers.  The two original owners were Carman Madu and Bruce Thomson.  They were the first store in Edmonton to sell  VCRs; in fact for quite a few months they were the only store in the city that sold them.

[gcl...@hotmail.com]

Yes, I remember that original location. I always thought it was one of
the most fascinating stores in the city.

[fl...@powersurfr.com]

Well, it's their own fault. I have no sympathy for them or the card shops. I
remember getting hockey cards at 0.35 for 15 cards, now it's like 2 bucks for, what
8?
Comics used to be $ 0.75, now it's like $5 for a single comic.
No, it's no wonder people don't collect comics and cards like they used to.
Those prices I quoted above weren't from the 1930's, before someone gives a
wisecrack. They were from the 80's.
I know prices go up, but hey, for comics, that's like a 400% increase. Has earnings
gone up that much? No.

[John Fleming]

On Sat, 04 Aug 2001 17:16:30 -0600, while in a state of
agitated dementia, gcl...@hotmail.com wrote:

> -- $Yes, I remember that original location. I always thought it was one of
> -- $the most fascinating stores in the city.

Yes, I remember that location as well.

They later put the wargaming stuff in a separate room down
the hall, then rented a big room behind that where they let
a bunch of us play Chivalry and Sorcery on weekends. (Of
course, I think they expected that, when we were there, we'd
do a little shopping as well, which we did.)

That was cool.

> -- $dog...@edmc.net wrote:
> -- $
> -- $> The location you are speaking of was called "The Lower Revelon
> -- $> Shopping Mall".
> -- $>
> -- $> The original location of Hobbits was on the second floor at 10048 106
> -- $> Street, above the old Embers. The two original owners were Carman
> -- $> Madu and Bruce Thomson. They were the first store in Edmonton to
> -- $> sell VCRs; in fact for quite a few months they were the only store in
> -- $> the city that sold them.

[fl...@powersurfr.com]

John Fleming wrote:

> On Sat, 04 Aug 2001 17:16:30 -0600, while in a state of
> agitated dementia, gcl...@hotmail.com wrote:
>
> > -- $Yes, I remember that original location. I always thought it was one of
> > -- $the most fascinating stores in the city.
>
> Yes, I remember that location as well.
>
> They later put the wargaming stuff in a separate room down
> the hall, then rented a big room behind that where they let
> a bunch of us play Chivalry and Sorcery on weekends. (Of
> course, I think they expected that, when we were there, we'd
> do a little shopping as well, which we did.)
>
> That was cool.
>

Chivalry and Sorcery. Whatever happened to the creator of that? I believe his
name was Edward Zimbalist, and that he used to be a teacher in a junior high
school in Edmonton.

[John Fleming]

On Sun, 05 Aug 2001 22:23:52 -0600, while in a state of
agitated dementia, fl...@powersurfr.com wrote:
> -- $

> -- $ Chivalry and Sorcery. Whatever happened to the creator of that? I believe his
> -- $name was Edward Zimbalist, and that he used to be a teacher in a junior high
> -- $school in Edmonton.

I know the creators were local.

The other creator was Wilf Backhaus.

Don't know whatever happened to either of them. All I
remember is they produced one hell of a good game. (I still
have my copy of the rule book, plus several of the later
additional modules.)

I got a bit turned off, though,m when they came out with a
new edition that wasn't 100% compatible with the old
version, was three glossy thin booklets instead of one fat
one, anc cost about three times the price.

[Graham Tranter]

Correct, above Embers was the original spot. I knew him well, but as Carmen Pride(?) - I don't know how I want that to be his last name, but it was 43+ years ago or more. I think I really only ever knew him as Carmen and the Pride part came from the Kitty Pryde trivia below.

I used to frequent Hobbits when it was in its original location on 106th right south of Jasper above or next door to the club. I had a comic book nook there, where they put in the latest issues of whatever I was collecting. My friend Dave Evans worked/volunteered there in the 70's and I talked with Carmen many times. I was there when we 'edit/copied/dubb/ed' Popeye from the TV to VHS before buying films was possible. E.g. Bootleg movies way back in the early days.

I know Charing Cross moved into Manulife, but I left Edmonton in the 90's so maybe I missed that if Hobbits ever moved again. The last place I remember Hobbits was at the Boardwalk (I thought).

Little known trivia, at the Comic Con in 77, 78. 79, he met Marvel artist John Byrne. John Byrne then, after much later in the night drinking, created the X-Man Shadowcat (Kitty Pride) based on conversation with Carmen. See https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Carmen_Pryde_(Earth-616). Carmen always referred to this as 'Having been Byrne'd" He looked like the picture on the side of the referenced link, short, mustached, curly hair.