Dear readers: After 13 years, I'm closing The Obscure Store

It was very tough to write that headline, but it's time for me to hit the REFRESH button and try something new.

Some of you may know that I announced on Wednesday that I'm "semi-retiring" from Poynter and launching JimRomenesko.com. Buried in the Huffington Post story about my decision is news that I'm closing the Obscure Store after next week. I'll post "best of" OS&RR stories -- some of the "hits" -- in the remaining days and let you recall your favorite ones, tell us when you discovered Obscure Store, and share any other anecdotes.

HOW THIS SITE STARTED
For nearly a decade -- starting in 1989 -- I published a print "fanzine" called Obscure Publications. Its mission was to review fanzines and profile their editors. In early 1998, I decided to start selling fanzines online through a new site called The Obscure Store. My challenge was to get "customers" to my website. I decided to do that by linking to stories that I found interesting. I had general interest articles on the top of the page and "Media Gossip" items on the bottom half. In May of 1999 I decided to create a separate site -- MediaGossip.com -- for those media stories. It was a life-changing decision: the Poynter Institute heard about Media Gossip (via this story), hired me, and let me work on my own out of coffee shops in the Chicago area -- while paying me a salary that I never thought I'd make as a journalist.

THE OBSCURE STORE EVOLUTION
Over time, Obscure Store shifted from a general-interest news site to a weird-news site. As a former police reporter (and the author of Death Log), I was always attracted to those kinds of stories. Over the years, many similar sites launched -- Fark! -- and many of my readers drifted away. Those other blogs allowed comments, while I resisted them for a long time. Readers will probably remember that I allowed comments for a while, then pulled them after the discussions got out of hand. I eventually (2005?) reinstated them, realizing that I couldn't (and shouldn't) control every word and thought on my site.

I know I have some readers who've been with me from the start, and I'd love to hear their memories of the site's evolution. (I want to hear from Obscure Store "newbies" too!) What's always amazed me is how civil the comments section has (generally) been. While there've been dustups and disagreements, it's been rare when I've had to ban someone or delete an offensive comment. (Maybe I'm just missing them!) A great community has formed and one of my biggest regrets is breaking that up. But.... that doesn't have to happen. There's the Obscure Store page on Facebook where stories can be posted and comments can continue. It's up to you (and I'd be happy to put up stories, too).

So, that's that -- the end of a long and memorable run. Thanks, readers, for being with me for the ride!

> This Q&A about Obscure Store from 1999 remains one of my favorites

Jump to the eighth page of comments.

Comments

[twerp]

I think I'm going to cry.

[Doug]

Say it isn't so, I read this practically every day. How else will I while away the hours at work?

[Sheila]

But...but.....but....

[Nick]

:(

I want to thank you for the countless hours of amusement over the last 12 years.

[Rob]

Bummer! Been a daily visitor since 2001. This will be missed.

[Dances With Books]

Oh my goodness. This is a sad day indeed. There is no other place that does what you do so well. Saddened, but I wish you well.

[Jim Romenesko]

Thanks, all. I'm really looking forward to JimRomenesko.com. You'll notice that it's going to be about media -- "and other things I'm interested in," which of course includes quirky things. I expect that to launch in the fall, so please check it out. I'm also looking forward to next week, when I'll hit "The Wayback Machine" for old Obscure Store stories. It's fun looking at the early designs of Obscure Store too.

[MidtownCoog]

And on my birthday no-less! Man!

Well thank you very much for a great ride, Jim! You have made the Internet a better place.

Over the last year I quit all my Web vices except OS&RR. Now what am I supposed to do at work? Work?

Godspeed!

Craig Karp, aka, MidtownCoog

[Patrick]

OS&RR has been one of my favorites since before I even knew what RSS feeds were. Speaking of which, the RSS feed on your new site isn't working for me.

Thanks for all the years, Jim!

[Kamal]

I discovered your site back in Grad school during the summer of 1998 and have been a regular visitor since. This is truly a shocking / sad day. Wish you the best Jim. If you'd like help in furthering the cause of sharing strange news, I'd be happy to help.

[Many]

*sigh* All; I will miss you. The comments/dialog/monolog were the best part of this site. This site preceded social media and made anonymity both a strategy and an an asset.

Jim I will see you over on your new site, and I hope others will make it too.

[Many]

Oh! ......and Facebook sucks.

[EmperorNortonthe1st]

Ah, I didnt even get credit for starting the Facebook page. Perhas we could use a free website host and have our own user compiled alternative. Let me know on Facebook if you are interested.
-Joshua Scott Hotchkin

[Horton]

Thanks, Jim, for a great run! I have been visiting here since 2002, and it's been a blast. I've enjoyed the news stories, and the comments section made them even better. Thank you for The Obscure Store. I will miss it. :(

[Dave]

It's been fun. Jim, thank you so much!

[jeez]

Im sorry to hear this. But this is life. I`ll miss the perspectives from all the strangers who have become almost family to me.
And now I`ll probably never have a chance to take Twerp for a roll in the hay mow. Damn this is a major issue!
.

[Jaxx]

Will miss the great little stories, I have been reading them daily for the last 3 years and have it locked in on my Yahoo Home page. Good luck and thanks for a great column!

[davidmf]

The Number of times I have posted - including this one - you could count on 1 hand and have change, from 1998 when it was in my Favorites "Daily Pages" folder - to the Google Reader RSS Feed today - thanks for the ride...

[jeez]

THANKS JIM.

[Soo]

I am so sad.

I found this website as a bored housewife back in its infancy. One of the first commentators during the initial "Great Experiment," OS&RR solidified as my source for daily entertainment.

I even bought Jim's DeathLog, which is hilarious, by the way. The only thing funnier than reading about the dumb ways people off themselves is watching snow skiers tumbling down the mountainside.

Although I have been just a lurker since I got a job a few years back, I have continued to monitor the fun. I have made a few good friends, a few enemies, and have swapped quite a few recipes along with parenting advice and misadventure stories.

I will miss this site, but I wish you well, Jim.

Best wishes,
Soo

[Jim Romenesko]

Longtime readers know how I always posted stories about drivers -- usually elderly -- crashing into buildings when hitting the gas when they meant to go for the brakes. I had to laugh when I got a call from a Chicago radio station asking me to comment as an "expert" on bad elderly drivers after that old guy in LA plowed into a farmer's market and killed some people. I agreed to do it and tried to act as "expert" as I could on the subject. Nobody has called me, though, to comment on people having sex with picnic table umbrellas!

[Aaron]

Its been fun. Does anyone have alternative "fun" news site suggestions where the comments are civil and doesn't require me to give my ID to use?

[patty]

NO!!!! This is my home page! It's always good to start the day with someone else being a little - or a lot - crazier than you.
I have told so many people about the obscure store and forwarded many a story along over the years and I will miss it so much.
What about a year long "reunion tour"? Sort of like the Rolling Stones always "retiring", you too could just say it, but not really do it...

[IronOre]

I figured this coming after the semi-retirement notice at Poynter. Still, it sucks to be losing this site.

[Rofo]

I met Jim in the late 90's someplace or other, can't remember the details, but ever since I have been a fan of all of his work. I remember obscurestore.com for a long time. Lots of very wordy replies and comments on the article. A folder in my email of a few stories I sent in to him. Soo much. I don't think I went a day without visiting this site. The only site on the internet I can say that about. It's a very sad day. The site will be missed. Living in Florida at least I have my local news to look forward to, and hopefully the guys at weirduniverse can keep me mildly entertained.

Best of luck to you Jim, this site going dark is like the death of a friend ... ok, that's a tad bit melodramatic and the words I'm using are far less eloquent then I typically use, but it is sad.

[jeff]

Major bummer! Good luck in the future. your site was the 3rd site I visited every day. right after CNN and my local paper.

[Alysia Hanks]

Long time reader but only ever made one post that was attacked by fatsean (jerk) so I never made any more.
I did however continue to visit daily :)

Just wanted to say Twerp- I love you :)
And I miss The Asshole Guy!!

Thanks Jim! See you on facebook!!

[david]

Now I will need a new home page. For 10 years I've started my day off with OSR&R, and I am sad to see it go.

[WellThen]

I haven't posted much lately, but I've never stopped visiting.

Good luck in whatever the future holds!

[pnwgal]

Noooo! Jim, say it ain't so! :-(

I was a diehard poster from at least 2001 until a couple of years ago, but a day doesn't go by that OS&RR isn't one of my first stops. I learned infinite variations on "asshat" from SEMSC, chuckled at Farmer Bob's desire to sterilize the universe and shared d'ep's fear and hatred of clowns.

I am more than sad to see the site go, but I'll wish you well with your next endeavor, Mr. Romenesko.

[Tiim]

I've been coming to the obscure store almost daily since 1999 (I remember the Amazon tip jar, and did contribute to it). It's been part of my online life for almost as long as I've been on the web- I will miss it very much and I wish you the best of luck Jim.

[USMerc]

HEY! Emp Norton set up a facebook page and everything! We're gonna miss you Mr. Romenesko! You've been great to us!

[KDP]

I don't really recall how I was directed here, but I've had fun. I'm sure that some regular OS&RR denizens will agree that I'm an opinionated jerk, but I've never taken any disagreements with my opinions personally. I will miss this forum, Jim.

[bode]

Wow, I want to cry. I've read this site every single day for a good ten years or more, first through refresh and now through RSS. I am going to miss the stuck accelerator pedals and focus on midwest news of the weird (I'm from Wisconsin and now live in California; I miss that stuff tremendously). I'm also going to miss dominating "Wait, wait, don't tell me," which I know gets 1/4 of its material from this site. I had been working at the UCLA Daily Bruin and loved reading the AP Wire for this kind of weird stuff, and knew Jim from media gossip. When I found it the site spoke directly to me as if from on high; it was just like the man who cut off his arm with a circular saw because the bible told him, "if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off."

Anyway, I hope in retirement Jim will get bored and resume doing what he does best, even if occasionally. Or a community springs up. There are others, but most are terrible signal-to-noise (Fark, looking at you), low traffic (Smoking Gun) or just plain mean and terrible (Daily Rotten).

You will be missed terribly.

[OS&RR addict]

Jim -
Thanks for a great site that somehow added some sanity to the complete insanity of standard news reporting today. I've been a daily visitor for a decade and very much appreciate what you created. Best of luck to you on whatever comes next.

[Jim Romenesko]

Ha! I forgot about that Amazon tip jar I used to have. I put it up on a lark, but readers actually threw "change" in it.

[Rock Marine]

I will never forget the "sex with the picnic table" story. I thought I had seen and heard all there was that was weird in the world. Treat your family dogs with love and kindness. A wise man once said," There are only two things a person can rely on in life, an old dog, and ready cash".

Twerp, several years ago I told you that I had relatives in Huntsville Ala. We share the same last name, Hornbuckle. You may know some of them. They have been in Ala. for over two hundred years.

Thanks for being tolerant of my weird/sick sense of humor about picnic tables and family dogs.

Take care all
Rock Hornbuckle
Sergeant of Marines
'Nam '69-70

[Lambiepie]

thanks for the fun

[David]

wow, so sorry to see you go. your sites have been a daily visit for me going on 10 years now, at least. such a bummer but i wish you all the best!

[Little Sally Walker]

What the hell am I supposed to make as my homepage, now? OS&RR has been it for 11 years!

Jim, thank you for providing my cozy home on the internet for so long. What a long, strange trip it's been.

The very best of luck to you in all of your future projects. I am sincerely going to miss you.

[Tiffany In Houston]

Jim,

I have been reading you since around 2003 or so and you will be missed and your work (and morbid sense of humor) are appreciated! Enjoy your "semi-retirement" and your family!

Tiffany

[dvg]

Wow. That's a bummer of a birthmark, Hal.

I've been reading this site since BEFORE IT WAS A SITE. I was very excited when you started tweeting -- pretty recently! -- and now you're closing shop.

I wish you good luck and all that. Seriously. But this is a sad day for me.

[fishfry]

Sad to see this site go. Been one of my daily reads for about ten years. Thanks for all the great work.

[Jim Romenesko]

I live near the Brothers K coffeehouse in Evanston, where I frequently play around with my iPad. Another iPad user started chatting with me about the device and, over the months, we'd compare notes on new apps. One day -- maybe four months ago -- he said he would email me some info about an app, and asked for my address. I wrote: jromenesko@poynter.org. His response: "YOU'RE Jim Romenesko? I've been reading Obscure Store for ten years!" And he rattled off some stories from over the years to prove it.

See you soon at the Brothers, Maurice.

[twerp]

I'm going to miss all of you guys soo much. This is one of the only places I get to act silly and goofy and really be open with my opinions. There are other sites to do that on but not like OS&RR. I love the new stories! I hear about the craziness before anybody else does! There have been several stories that I've read about here first that were later featured on MSN's "Weird News" section on their website. I also love how Jim occasionally posts major news stories just so all of us regulars can rant or vent about them.

It's just been so much fun. Well, I'll definitely be more productive at work now...won't have a website to check every few hours...or minutes....or seconds....depending on the juciness of the stories or the work flow.

[joel]

Damn. The good stuff always goes away. Only the bad remains. And so it goes in life and art.

I can't remember when I found the site, but I liked it so much that I followed the site's Twitter account straight to my smart phone.

NOW WHAT??

Thanks Jim. May you find love, fortune and happiness at every turn!

[305club]

i started reading OS&RR in 1998 or 1999. Congratulations Jim, I'm retiring myself next week. Thanks for all the fun, I'll miss it.
Steve Stivers
Jerks, America

[troschne]

I'm really sorry to read this. I feel the same way as twerp--it has been great getting to "know" some of the long-timers on here, and it is a fun place to come and be snarky and get a good laugh (and hopefully cause a few, too). Best of luck, Jim, and thanks for all of your efforts with OS&RR!

[Jim]

The big question is, "will life be worth living without this?" No more Dick Tater, RMM, Farmer Bob, What the hell will we do?

[The Ass Dentist]

Wow this is tragic news...have been daily reader since probably 2006 or so...always loved that the comments forum mostly stuck to snarky comments related to the article and not the childish arguing that most forums seem to quickly degrade into.

My vote for #1 poster would go to Emp Nort (who I believe is also RevJSH but not sure)...he always got the place all wound up, but always did it using a logically thought out (yet usually highly controversial) point of view...good stuff!

See you on facebook...