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Thread: Opening a Game Store UPDATE!

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    classicus carnivorous
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    Default Opening a Game Store UPDATE!

    MAJOR NEWS UPDATE (11/18/2005):
    http://www.digitpress.com/forum/view...=846424#846424

    There's a vacant storefront near my home, and there are no other decent video game stores in a 10 mile radius. There IS a Blockbuster Video in this shopping center, however. The location is GREAT, and for a long time I've been scoping out this area for the perfect spot, just in case I decided to make this move.

    I know others who have done this, including my good friend Sean Kelly and other friends who run or have run 'Mom and Pop" game shops (Buyatari and mikeetler for two other forum member examples). I also think I've got enough knowhow on the product to do things right. And ideas... I've got a lot of ideas.

    As if the planets had come into sudden alignment... after 20 years at my job I'm truly feeling its time for a change, at almost the same time my wife has stopped working entirely (she's been doing behind the scenes Digital Press work that you'll be seeing soon enough).

    I'm going to chat with the landlord tomorrow and find out the details. I've got a lot of things to plan out, but I've never been *this* close to pulling the trigger! I'm excited, and even if this first shot doesn't quite get off the ground, I can feel the change coming soon regardless.

    Where am I going with this? I guess it's just a simple question, one I've asked before: if you had your own game store, what would you put in it?

    Tale to be continued.

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    Pretzel (Level 4)
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    Sweet! Can I just be the first of many to wish you all the success in the world. I hope that you have an internet front end to the store as well, so that we can all get in on the goods.

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    Joe, awsome! I wish you the best of luck with the store. You are doing what I one day dream to do. If theres a man who should be running a gamestore.... it's you.

    I am guessing you are going to be carrying everything. From pong to current? I sure do want to see the store when it opens. If you have the space throw some arcades in there to!
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    Congrats and best of luck!!!

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    Good luck, Joe! Sounds like a perfect job for you. :)

    I don't know what ideas you have in mind, but you might want to consider renting games, selling/renting out anime, selling various kinds of merchandise, and having PCs set up for LAN parties. I've seen independent stores do all those things, and it seems to work well for them. A lot of interests seem to be common among gamers, so you can always play on that.

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    classicus carnivorous
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    You folks have already hit on a couple ideas that I consider "mission critical". A LAN center with networked PC's; a row of arcade machines; possible rentals... I've also thought about having weekend "exhibits", a kind of mini-museum where select systems/items are showcased under glass. That plus strippers. There need to be strippers.

    NOTE: One or more of these ideas may not make it into the final product.

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    If you have arcade machines, be sure to get a Neo Geo in there. You'll get more bang for you buck as far as store space goes if you have a 4-slot in it. Beats having just one game per machine. :)

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    Sounds like a great project, Joe!!!

    One thing you didn't mention (dunno if you thought of it): among the stuff sold, you could sell current and back issues of DP the zine, plus Tony Fox's CDs, the DP t-shirts, etc. I'm sure that it would work, and that it would bring new members here.

    Especially if the store were to called Digital Press. Heck, in terms of tie-in merchandise, you'd be ahead of the average startup mom and pop store...

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    Pretzel (Level 4)
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    Quote Originally Posted by digitalpress
    a row of arcade machines
    Check with town and county revenue offices about these, since some places require a license (up to $50/year per machine though some towns charge by the coin slot!). I got a nasty letter from Howell twp at one point but was able to get around it by claiming they were for sale and only turned on for demo purposes.

    -Mike

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    Make it known that you accept trade-ins for classic systems as no national chains accept pre-ps1/n64 games

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    Quote Originally Posted by mikeetler
    Quote Originally Posted by digitalpress
    a row of arcade machines
    Check with town and county revenue offices about these, since some places require a license (up to $50/year per machine though some towns charge by the coin slot!). I got a nasty letter from Howell twp at one point but was able to get around it by claiming they were for sale and only turned on for demo purposes.

    -Mike
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    You need a snack bar. The decor should be taken straight from 1982.

    Make it look like "Flynn's", or the place in "Joy Sticks".

    The giant joysticks game would be cool too.

    I know, it's not going to be an arcade. Still..

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    Good luck if you do start up a store. You def. have the knowledge about games needed for something like this. A lot of good ideas were already thrown out there for you, so, I can't think of anymore now....my main thing I would like to see is trade ins on old games.....and since I'm only in PA, I should be able to make the trek to your store to check it out when it opens up......

    ....hmmm....a brick and mortal Digital Press.....very interesting stuff
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    Default Lordy

    Quote Originally Posted by digitalpress
    That plus strippers. There need to be strippers.

    NOTE: One or more of these ideas may not make it into the final product.
    I don't know why this makes me laugh, but it does.

    It sounds like you have a concrete idea of what you want to do.

    My only suggestion? Pinball. Lots and lots of pinball.

    And best of luck to you.
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    Real question: What happens when kids come in and point at the DP guide? You can't buy and sell for the same price, and a reasonable person knows that. But when a kid brings in Legend of Zelda, and you offer him $5, he points out that the guide says $10. And when you sell it for $10 but the guide says $5, the next guy in line bitches about it.

    Normally, you can blow off other people's prices. I did this when I sold cars. "KELLY BLUE BOOK SAYS...(etc.)", to which I would reply "I buy cars at the Dallas Auto Auction, which does not price cars by Blue Book. When KBB starts selling cars to ME, then I will offer cars at precisely those prices."

    The issue is that YOU are now the authority. You can't shunt it off to another party, or whatever.

    I don't see this is a major problem, just something to maybe work up a contingency for.

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    Awesome man, I hope everything turns out well for you. If this idea pans all the way through I'd love to come visit some day ;D.

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    I hope this works out for you also.
    I would love to open a store myself, but I am only able to buy things, and never part with them. Heck I have never even offered anything for sale on these boards before.
    old trade in are a must, If not for the amount of turn over cash just think you could start destroying games just to make the ones in your personal collection more rare.
    Please if it do come to be, DO NOT throw all your lose carts in a bin like they used to at EB (etc.) It used to make me cry when I would see little kids throwing them all around to find what there looking for.
    Snack bar seems cool but food and drinks usually don't mix well with electronic equiptment, and you would have to deal with public health board and such.
    Best of luck to ya.

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    Similar to the PC LAN and arcades, do be sure to have a TV hooked up with a multi-player game and change it frequently.

    Hope this comes to pass for you, I'm thinking of doing the same myself.

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    Good luck Joe! I want to start my own "Mom N' Pop" game store one day.


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    Quote Originally Posted by digitalpress
    You folks have already hit on a couple ideas that I consider "mission critical". A LAN center with networked PC's; a row of arcade machines; possible rentals... I've also thought about having weekend "exhibits", a kind of mini-museum where select systems/items are showcased under glass. That plus strippers. There need to be strippers.

    NOTE: One or more of these ideas may not make it into the final product.
    Yeah you're right. The LAN center might not make it into the final product. lol

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