Advice for a New Game Store

[crazyredpraetorian]

Good advice from CRP. Diversity is important, but don't overdo it or you'll end up stocking a lot of crap that's eating up cash.

Make sure you stay on top of trends - there's good money to be made from the parents of 12 year olds hooked on the latest craze. This will help support more serious hobby ventures that might be slow at times.

Keep the store clean and have room for gaming tables. A mall location is not ideal for that reason as rents are too high to waste space on tables. A good location is important but it doesn't have to be in a high rent area your should be a destination ship, not one that lives on walk by traffic. Access to parking and transit are helpful. The best stores I can think of, such as Sentry Box in Calgary and Phoenix Games in Kitchener, Ont. are off of the main drag in a building with character and good space for playing.

Be freindly and open to new ideas.

Good luck.

Jim B.

I was located in a mall for 8 years. I did quite well in the mall. The rent was no higher than a strip mall. Once again it is about lease negotiation and lease terms. Malls charge differently for square footage than strip malls do. Strip malls charge for total square footage. Malls charge only for the retail space. I had free warehouse and gaming space because it was behind a permanent wall. Also, strip malls charge CAM or common area maintainence, malls only charge Permanent tenants(stores holding a 3-10 year lease) for CAM. Temporary (stores with a 1 year or less lease) do not get charged CAM. CAM can cause your rent to double or even triple.

The pros for temp leases are:
1. Cheaper rent
2. Less commitment
3. Ability to downsize or expand as you like.
4. Cheaper signage

Cons
1. The mall can force you to move at their discretion if a Permanent tenant wants your space.
2. You have to buy expensive signage for your entrance.
3. Higher rent that escalates if anchor stores move out.


As far as alcohol goes, I used to have adult night every Friday night after 9pm at my south store. We would hoist a few brews and play a game. At my north store, once a month, I closed at 6pm. After 6, I charged a cover charge for 18 and up. I had the event catered, supplied all sodas, and gave the customers a $10 credit. Alcohol was BYOB. It was legal. Although, there is some liability risk here in Texas. We policed it pretty well and never had a problem.

[CaptainLoken]

Tell you friend to remember...HE IS IN BUSINESS TO MAKE MONEY!!! To this end, he will have to be a SALES PERSON!!!

I have a game store just 2 blocks from my house. I used to go there several times a week, for the last 12 years.

Now, I do not even bother. Why? Because, the satff do not like Games Workshop. So, their entire selection of GW product has fallen to nothing.

Many people. And I mean MANY people, ask about Warhammer and 40K all the time. The staff, in their general dislike of GW, say that the game is going to die, and that it is too expensive and too complicated, for new players. Instead, they turn everyone to Flames of War or War Machine.

Now, Flames of War and War Machine are cool games, but they are not the only games in town.

My point? Look at all of the SALES that the store is missing out on, simply because the store staff is not happy with Games Workshop.

They are also killing our hobby!!!

[Ninthplain]

CRP nailed the majority of items.

You can also contact your local business bureau and ask if there have been traffic studies for the stores location. An easily accessable store has the potential for more foot traffic and spontaneous shopping.

If your store is on a more frequently travelled road you have a better chance of higher traffic.

Ninthplain

[RWJP]

CRPs points are spot on, especially the one about cleanliness...

I've stopped visiting a couple of LGS because they are often pretty grim, expecially the toilets, which are never a pleasant experience.

If you have carpets on the floor, hoover every night (or every other depending on how many customers you get), if you have lino, or wood or whatever else, mop it down the same timings... Clean any toilet facilities every single day...

And keep the place smelling fresh... Lots of sweaty people puts customers off, and the smell can pervade for hours...

Tell your mate Good Luck... It's big undertaking starting a business.

[rsheridan5]

Buy a few vending machines, and you can make loads of money off of caffiene and late night snacks during a long game. You can also buy ATMs if you are so inclined. One can make a good bit off of one of those, especially if you are in a good location and you put it outside.
I know that isn't game related... but if you are having a tourney some of the proceeds can go to prizes (and rent on a rough month!)
Remember, nobody works as hard as someone who works for himself!
Best of Luck...

[steesefactor]

Customer service seems to be the biggest thing lacking at most FLGS. Don't let staff play in games while working. Don't let staff get into arguments about which army is best, etc with customers. Just some basic retail training will go a long way.

I'd advise against comics and LAN gaming. There's too much gaming goodness to give over space to comics, and unless you keep up with upgrades on the computers, they'll end up being a dusty pile in the corner because you don't have the latest games.

And creating a community is key. Have regular events, get any local gaming groups involved, anything you can do to get people coming to the store. It's a lot hard to wait and buy something online when you're at the store and can buy something right now!

[crazyredpraetorian]

Buy a few vending machines, and you can make loads of money off of caffiene and late night snacks during a long game. You can also buy ATMs if you are so inclined. One can make a good bit off of one of those, especially if you are in a good location and you put it outside.
I know that isn't game related... but if you are having a tourney some of the proceeds can go to prizes (and rent on a rough month!)
Remember, nobody works as hard as someone who works for himself!
Best of Luck...

The problem with vending machines is they take up valuable space. I had mini refrigerators that fit under shelving and sold snacks over the counter. If you have extra space then the vending machines are a good idea. Unfortunately, most stores do not have an abundance of space.

[crazyredpraetorian]

Customer service seems to be the biggest thing lacking at most FLGS. Don't let staff play in games while working. Don't let staff get into arguments about which army is best, etc with customers. Just some basic retail training will go a long way.

I'd advise against comics and LAN gaming. There's too much gaming goodness to give over space to comics, and unless you keep up with upgrades on the computers, they'll end up being a dusty pile in the corner because you don't have the latest games.

And creating a community is key. Have regular events, get any local gaming groups involved, anything you can do to get people coming to the store. It's a lot hard to wait and buy something online when you're at the store and can buy something right now!

To have comics or not.....some stores do great without them. However, if you are in an area that has no comic stores or has a crappy one and the store owner has the knowledge. I say go for it. Getting into comic sales requires knowledge and a decent inventory, don't halfass it or you will fail. Comics are like any other product, they need to be sold, not just rang up. If you do carry comics, use weekly tracking charts to maintain a tight inventory. Personally, I made a ton of cash selling weekly periodicals AKA comics.

[TrentL]

Try and find a location that has a decent player base of various games, don't specialize like others have said as well.

If you do a Warhammer table or two, don't destroy 400$ of models for terrain like a local store around here did... in an area with few players....yeah he went under :*(