Nestled between the bars and cafes of Campustown lies a shop that prides itself on being a place “where being a nerd is a prerequisite.”

Mayhem Collectibles, 2532 Lincoln Way, was founded in 1990 “to give Ames something to do,” according to its Web site.

“When we started, this was a place for the ‘closet nerd,'” said Rob Josephson, co-owner of the shop with friend Dave Cory.

Boasting a wide variety of inventory, Mayhem carries comic books, toys, board games, roleplaying games, posters, anime and manga, appealing to a wide range of customers.

“We get a lot of college students,” Josephson said. “But probably about 30 percent of our clients are an older crowd.”

The shop has seen an increase in customers, Josephson said, “since Hollywood has embraced [comic book culture] with superhero films.”

New gaming systems and online playing opportunities have led to a slight decline in the comic book culture, Josephson said.

“We told ourselves ‘we’ve got to get the fun back,'” Josephson said.

In an effort to attract more customers, the shop has started emphasizing events, like tournaments and workshops, including a weekly Yu-Gi-Oh tournament.

“[Last Sunday] 26 people showed up,” Josephson said. “We had a packed house.”

Upcoming events at Mayhem are the Iowa State Pokémon Championship in March and “Mayhem Mini Con,” a three-day event series that mirrors GenCon, the largest gaming convention in America.

Since the creation of Mayhem 18 years ago, Josephson and Cory have helped open a sister store in Clive, which opened in 1995.

The 9th Zone, 114 Washington Ave., provides “friendly competition” for Mayhem, Josephson said, although the 9th Zone’s inventory is geared toward card games like Magic: The Gathering.

Josephson said Mayhem Collectibles prides itself on “being the only comic shop in Ames.”

Weekly events at

Mayhem Collectibles:

Sunday: HeroClix, open board game play and Roleplaying day (A time to dress up as your favorite character)

Monday: Monday Night Yu-Gi-Oh and Magic: the Gathering booster drafts

Tuesday: World of Warcraft

Wednesday: Games Workshop leagues, new comics and games arrive

Thursday: Flames of War

Friday: Pokémon league

Saturday: Games Workshop Warhammer 40,000 starter league, Yu-Gi-Oh tournament