Going to take the couple hour long drive up there after X-Mas. Hope I find some stuff I need!
Going to take the couple hour long drive up there after X-Mas. Hope I find some stuff I need!
Originally Posted by SebastianOriginally Posted by digitalpress
Let me once again give my 2 cent opinion on the matter. I love Joe's store! Everything I have purchased works great and has exceeded my expectations! I've picked up Atari 2600, SMS (complete in the box, not loose ), and TG-16 (also in the cdrom cases with the books) games that I just love. I feel like the games are worth more than what I paid for them and I can see that, for Joe, it's like saying goodbye to an old friend everytime I take another game with me. I'm not one to go on ebay to hunt for things, so to walk into the store and just pick up some high quality stuff that catches my eye is fantastic. It's like a crack addiction! Once again I feel like I did when I was a kid, everytime I had a buck in my pocket I ran down to the arcade or the store. Anyone who goes to purchase WILL NOT be disapointed!
BTW, Joe, do you do gift cards?
I'll tell my relatives that what I want for Christmas!
Was finally in the area and able to stop by the store yesterday. Joe has done an incredible job. The store is absolutely beautiful, quite possibly the coolest game store I have ever had the pleasure of shopping in, and his prices and inventory are excellent. Seriously, did you expect anything less?
I urge everyone who can to go check it out. You simply will not be disappointed. Plus, you get to talk with Joe and any other forum members who happen to be around. I know where I will be getting my games from now on. No more EB/Gamestop for me!
Congratulations Joe!
Thanks for the feedback, folks!
Man am I loving this. It's hard to describe but being there is like sitting in a virtual Digital Press universe. It's been great talking games ALL DAY LONG with people who actually appreciate it. Occasional visits by forum members makes it all the more fun, though I am slowly and deliberately giving the kids who frequent the store a lesson in gaming history. One of the first tournaments I'll be running will be a 2600 Warlords round robin. They'll learn. They'll learn.
To the person who asked: yes, this is my full-time job. The only downside to that right now is that it's JUST me seven days a week. I'm going to hire some part-time help after the holidays, once I have a good grasp on how many people I can afford and how much I can pay out.
To the person who asked: trade-in prices are fair, my start-up values are based on Sean Kelly's store which has been running for over 3 years now. Thank God for Sean, there's no way I'd be running smoothly this quickly without his tutelage and business savvy.
I got my first PSP and DS trade-ins this week, which means I now OWN a DS (truth - I never purchased one for myself), and I've gotten some really cool trade-ins from the locals, including five box-loads of Commodore 64 stuff (over 50 boxed games, boxed monitor, boxed disc drive, etc), stacks of boxed NES games and loads of GBA games which seems to be the local handheld of preference.
The trickiest part so far has been keeping on top of stocking new releases. The urban-themed games have done better than I expected (Bulletproof, GTA, True Crime NY) while the games I really like have not (SSX, Katamari). There are enough collectors nearby to keep at least one of the offbeat titles in (Suikoden Tactics, Digital Devil Saga). It's going to be a learning process to properly stock to my clientele, once again exactly as Sean told me.
I may adjust store hours after the holidays as well. I get very little traffic between opening (11am) and 2pm, while the late afternoon and especially the 6pm-8pm hours are always busy. I'm thinking of shifting from 11-8 to 12-9. I don't mind the quiet early hours, it allows me to get caught up on yesterday's trade-ins - cleaning them up, resurfacing, pricing and stocking.
Well this went on longer than I expected it to but thought some of you might be interested. For myself, it will be interesting to look back at this a year or two from now and remember what it was like when I first opened.
See ya here or see ya at the store!
Awesome stuff Joe.
Sounds like you are having a blast!
"until all are one" - Optimus Prime
Link to collection:
http://www.rfgeneration.com/cgi-bin/...der=Collection
R.I.P. Michael "Nepenthean" Collins
You will not be forgotten.
I have a dream... that one day I can open a video game store like this. lol.
Really I would like to do this one day, I think it would be awesome. Congrats on the store and everything, I really wish I lived closer because I would love to stop by and see what you have. Or maybe even work there lol.
damn I reallhy cant wait to come visit sometime after xmas, I'm definitly planning a trip to NJ in the spring, go to a few flea markets and also hit up the store
Just wondering if not too obvious, how you doing with trade-in games, checking the discs, carts, etc?
My Gaming Collection (Now at Google Drive!)
I check everything at the register, with the exception of really obscure system carts. My overhead cabinets have a variety of systems and the TV's in the store are rigged for all kinds of inputs. I resurface scratched discs (spent a fortune on an industrial brand unit).Originally Posted by Kaine23
Man I wish I could visit your store. Nothing like every system and games for every system in stock or within reach. Joe I never met you but if it's anything like DP-land I'd be in hog heaven. You are a lucky lucky man. I hope your sales are good this Christmas and enough folks to come in and visit your store. It's good to know that a corporation isn't running your fine establishment.
Ill be coming in right before the new year. I honestly can't wait!!
I can just see the suits coming in now to buy Joe out for a million dollars, since he could soon start an empire and become a major threat. Bah! Give em hell, Joe!It's good to know that a corporation isn't running your fine establishment.
-Rob
The moral is, don't **** with Uncle Tim when he's been drinking!
Looks like a kick ass store for me Good luck!
This is the greatest gif ever NO!!!!!!!! THE SITE TOOK IT OFF :: :: :: :: :: ::
Another good one! XD
A weird flash
Thx to Harima Kenji from Wannabefansubs.net for the Avatar
So Joe how was your first Christmas?
I want Joes store to succeed because he deserves it and its his dream.... But a bad part of me wants him around more often... /me cries
<@Carey85> I-75 is the second busiest freeway in the country behind I-95
<@NE146> u r
Awesome. It's more fun than I imagined it would be, and I've really gotten into discussing games with customers, even the kids, who have clearly different tastes than I do (soccer and gangsta games vs my typically eclectic tastes). The chatter has kept me on top of recent games which I haven't had the time to personally play.Originally Posted by Buyatari
Sales wise we kicked ass here. The store made enough money by the 4th of the month to cover the rent due January 1st, and things got progressively busier as Christmas drew near. I've got a "helper" who does the most vile task of all, disk resurfacing, in exchange for store credit. I hope he doesn't get bored to tears anytime soon because I don't miss that part of the job!
I've been told that January is a pretty decent month for our business, but February through summertime can be very slow. I hope to counter that with the PC LAN center that's going into the back portion of the store. It's "something to do" for the locals even if there are no good new games to play.
Also... the arcade machines have been a tremendous success. What I didn't count on was the laundromat next door - bored people waiting for their clothes to dry off often pop in here to pump a few quarters into the machines.
I still have a lot of adjustments to make but I'm a quick learner. I'm most looking forward to hiring someone to take one day a week from my schedule so I can relax a little and PLAY some. Hopefully that can all happen by February and I'll be back on the forums a little more often.
Happy New Year, all.
Great to hear that you're doing well, Joe. How's Liz doing through all of this? I don't remember if she's helping you or if she's working somewhere else. Anyways, have a great New Year's and hopefully TheSmirk and I will see you next month. It'll be just like old times!
"Where my finger goes is none of your goddamn business." -Metropolisforever
"my house is burning down as I type this because of a Sega AC adapter" -Oobgarm
First off congrats on your sucessful Christmas season. I have a qeustion out of curiosity. Do you get many younger gamers coming to your store and asking about games that were sorta "before their time?" Like young teens or even preteenagers that ask about atari or nes and want to see what they missed out on?
Liz is supporting the family with her steady job! She's only been at the store a few times. As usual, she's really supportive and has had some great ideas for doing things around here.Originally Posted by fergojisan
Definitely not. Every once in awhile a kid will point to something like the Atari 2600 and say "what's that?" but they're bored halfway through my explanationFirst off congrats on your sucessful Christmas season. I have a qeustion out of curiosity. Do you get many younger gamers coming to your store and asking about games that were sorta "before their time?" Like young teens or even preteenagers that ask about atari or nes and want to see what they missed out on?