Geektopia

10/20/2026

I was chatting with a customer the other day and it got me thinking about "the hunt."

Whatever it is you collect, you probably have one or two specific things that would make your collection feel complete. Sometimes they're easy to find, and sometimes not. But the real thrill comes from the search. You never know when or where something will turn up, and when it finally does, that payoff is just so satisfying. Nothing can replicate the feeling of flipping through bins or scanning rows on shelves, keeping a keen eye out for the exact piece you need.

Back when I was an avid collector of just about everything, I would spend hours doing exactly that. Local folks might remember Danni's Records here in town, or Suncoast over in Dallas. Comic shops were a big favorite of mine too, like Alan's in Longview. And, of course, Hastings.

Those places are all gone now, but I'm trying to keep that same kind of browsing experience alive right here at 207 E Main.

10/16/2026

I haven’t posted about a Friday tape drop in a while, but that is mostly because I figured y'all are as tired of seeing them as I am of posting. Besides, the actual physical space for them on the floor shelves is completely full.

Behind the scenes, the process hasn’t stopped. By my count, I have cleaned, inspected, and logged 1,521 VHS tapes into the catalog, with about 800 left to process. Because I can't fit a small mountain of plastic on the sales floor, they are sitting 3 rows deep in the lower cabinets ready to go.
I feel like I can confidently say that I currently have the largest catalogued selection of VHS tapes in Kilgore. Maybe in East Texas. Lol
So if you're a serious VHS collector, stop by and see me.

I also have a clipboard at the record bins with 25 highly specific customer want-list items on it. It is a completely arbitrary mix of music artists, titles, obscure genres, specific VHS titles and items that have absolutely nothing to do with media, like Miata Hot Wheels and Dragon Ball Z art.

Out of all those requests, I have found exactly one VHS match during my weeks of cleaning. The odds are objectively terrible, but the search continues.
If you have a specific tape or a random item you’re hunting for, let me know at checkout. I'll check my inventory or add it to the clipboard and start searching for it.

Stay cool.

10/15/2026

I didn't get around to posting yesterday, and a tiny rain shower immediately took advantage of my absence by washing away my sidewalk sign.
So, I have hand-written the exact same sign, word-for-word, and put it right back out on the sidewalk. I refuse to let a light drizzle dictate my content strategy.
The sidewalk board is back up, the door is unlocked, and I am behind the counter until 8. Come in and look through the bins.

Stay cool.

10/10/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/19a8yk9CCe/

On this day in 1980, Pac-Man arrived in North American arcades and changed video gaming forever! From gobbling up dots to running from ghosts, this little yellow guy kept us entertained for hours and emptied our pockets of quarters! Who else was hooked on Pac-Man and can still hear the waka waka waka?

10/08/2026

Ok, I kinda made up that last post, but this one is for real. I just had a Mexican lady and her son come in and look around a bit. It quickly became obvious that neither spoke English very well. But the little boy was looking at everything with interest and even asked if stuff was for sale. Before they left, the lady came over and apologized for not speaking English well and used a translator to tell me that her son saw the store and wanted to see the records and movies and stuff because he'd never seen them before. I thought that was kinda awesome. It's little things like that that make it all worth it.

Y'all stay cool and have an awesome day.
Rick

10/07/2026

A guy came in earlier, picked up a vintage paperback, read the back cover three times, looked at me, gave a very slow, knowing nod, and put it right back exactly where he found it. We didn’t exchange a single syllable, but I’m pretty sure we just agreed on some major cosmic secret. Best conversation I’ve had all morning.

Stay cool.

10/06/2026

The calendar says October, and the thermometer actually agreed today by dropping down to a beautiful 85°. To celebrate this rare atmospheric compliance, the shop doors are open, KDOK is playing on the radio, and I am currently alphabetizing a fresh lot of retro media behind the counter.
If you are out walking the downtown sidewalks to enjoy the (slightly) cooler and beautiful weather, stop in and look through the racks until eight tonight.

Stay cool.

10/02/2026

Stop by and check out this cool new store on Kilgore St! And while you're there grab a ticket for the raffle. And Saturday afternoon come on down to Derrick Fest by the World's Richest Acre!

🎟️ IN-STORE RAFFLE FOR A GREAT CAUSE! 🎟️

We’re putting together a BIG Secrets & Sweets goodie basket filled with all kinds of treasures from around the store, and one lucky winner is taking it home! 🛍️🍪🎁

But the best part isn’t what’s in the basket. 💚

ALL money raised from this raffle will be donated TOMORROW to the Kilgore Historic Preservation Society to help support the preservation of Kilgore’s iconic oil derricks! 🛢️✨

With Derrick Fest right around the corner, we thought this would be a fun way for Secrets & Sweets and our amazing customers to help protect a little piece of the history that makes Kilgore so special.

🎟️ Stop by Secrets & Sweets to get your raffle tickets!
🎁 Enter for a chance to win a basket PACKED with goodies!
💚 Every ticket purchased helps preserve Kilgore history!

We’ll be adding goodies to the basket, so you never know just how BIG this thing might get. 👀😂

Come take a chance, support a great cause, and help us show a little love to the derricks that helped put Kilgore on the map!

Please share and help us spread the word! 🛢️💚🎟️

10/02/2026

I am convinced that the human brain possesses a built-in requirement for television and radio volumes to land precisely on an even number or a multiple of five. Setting a dial to thirteen is a level of psychological chaos that most of us simply are not prepared to handle.

Stay cool.

09/29/2026

I spent some time reading articles on how to write highly engaging, click-worthy social media content for small businesses. Apparently, the current digital marketing strategy is to use a lot of emojis 🔥📈✨, capitalize Random Words, and act like discovering a classic record or movie is a medical emergency!!!

I am not going to do that. Instead, this is just a straightforward reminder that Geektopia is open from 11 until 8 today. The bins are organized, the movie aisle is clean, and the air conditioning is running. If you want to find something real to add to your stacks, I will be behind the counter at 207 E Main.

Stay cool.