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View Full Version : What are you look for (in a FLGS)?



ThatDude
11-01-2010, 04:45 PM
I'm a gamer and a potential entrepreneur considering opening a FLGS in my area. So I was wondering what do you all look for in a game store? What hours are best? How many tables do you expect for gaming, modelling, board games? Do you all like CCG's in the store? CCG events? Computers for LAN games and online gaming? What nights do you like for open gaming and what nights for organized events like leagues and tourneys? Do you buy snacks and drinks from a FLGS if offered?What makes you spend money at a FLGS vs. buying the same products online at a discount?

Any tidbits at all you could offer up on what would keep you coming through the door would be helpful. Thanks everyone who reads this.

Bigred
11-01-2010, 04:54 PM
I strongly advise you to PM CrazyRedPraetorian. He ran an FLGS in Houston for years and years and has all kinds of good advice or anyone looking at the business.

ThatDude
11-02-2010, 05:48 AM
I strongly advise you to PM CrazyRedPraetorian. He ran an FLGS in Houston for years and years and has all kinds of good advice or anyone looking at the business.

Thanks Bigred. Will do.

DarkLink
11-02-2010, 12:01 PM
I will say that for hours, stay open fairly late at least 1-2 nights per week. My local group games every friday night, but we go to a college club to do so. It has to close at 10pm. Some of the older guys live 30 minutes away, and have work till fairly late, so they end up getting there at, say, 7 and only getting in 2-3 hours of gaming. Thats sometimes barely enough to justify the drive. Staying open 'till midnight solves this problem.

I'd also recommend selling food. And not just chips and soda. You'll have a bunch of people sitting around playing games for 4-5 hours in your store. Eventually they'll want to grab dinner. If you have something substantial to sustain them (even if it's just cheap pizza or something), they'll probably be willing to spend some money there rather than leave and go to mcdonalds or something.

Note that I'm just a college student, though, so I don't know about how difficult any of this is from the business perspective.

Brass Scorpion
11-02-2010, 12:38 PM
The store should have good regular hours. It should be clean and bright and family friendly. All customers should feel welcome regardless of age or anything else when they walk in the door. Make your employees easily identifiable and distinguishale from the customers by having a staff T-shirt or something. That will make it easy for prospective purchasers to ask questions. Greet every customer, offer demos when possible or at least good info on every product you carry.

Honestly, GW in general does a great job on most of the things regarding atmosphere that would make an independent store successful too. The only real difference is of course the variety of merchandise. As an independent you need to have a good enough variety to ensure profitability, so carry a bit of everything you can that is of interest to gamers. Start with the most popular systems, then add in some eclectic stuff if you have room like some historical simulation board games, Osprey books, Manga, whatever works in your area. Good luck!

lobster-overlord
11-02-2010, 07:55 PM
- Have a business plan/model to work from
- Don't think one game will float you (some people think Magic will bring in the money, others think 40K). A mix of product will do the trick. Our local store that does the best carries comics, boardgames, war games, RPG< CCG, Mega Blox, Thomas the Train and other weird off the wall stuff.
- Trust the people you are partners with (if you have any). Not saying put trust in them, but you should already trust them.
- Above all else, no matter what you do, get it in writing (I lost $20K in GW inventory because of a loop hole my former partner had created by not having something in writing for me... I'll never do that again.)

john m.