Houston Game Club?
- Thread starter AntiStateQuixote
- Start date
No, I'm pretty sure they're gone. They went through some trouble last year...that's why it took forever for me to get my M&M 2nd edition. I ordered it through them, and they kept acting like it was no big deal...that went on for two months, then there was a "temporarily closed" sign. They were closed for a couple of months, but all the stock was still inside. When they finally reopened, it was on an intermittant basis...weekends only for another couple of months while they "reorganized". When the reorganization was complete, they were a "combination comic and gaming store". The selection in either area was pathetic...unless you were seriously into Warhammer, then it was adequate.
One bad change (in my opinion) was that all the new D20 books were placed on the shelf in shrink wrap, so you couldn't glance through anything to see if you wanted to buy it. Supposedly you could "ask for assistance" if you wanted to see something, but we all know what that means, especially when there are multiple copies of a new book and ALL of them are in shrink wrap. The clincher was when I heard the manager having a friendly conversation with a patron, and he was describing a previous customer who was disappointed that a new Eberron book wasn't in stock. The manager said, "I told him that if he wanted it right now he should just go to Barnes and Noble and buy it." And my thoughts are, if that's his attitude, why should anyone take their business to him? At B&N, even at Borders, they have a wider selection of D20 material, none of the books are shrink wrapped, and nobody hassles you if you leaf through a book. I couldn't see a reason for anyone to continue to give him any business.
And to prove it, everytime I wanted something, I swung by his shop. I bought one new thing on the strength of the cover that I probably wouldn't have bought had I been able to examine it in more detail first. After that, I decided that I wouldn't buy anything unless I'd already seen it somewhere else. And there were a couple of other things that I'd seen that I wanted to buy.
He never stocked them. He never even asked me if there was anything I'd like to order (I've bought almost all my 3.5 stuff at his shop, so it's not like I'm just a "window shopper"). And I never bought anything there again. You want to know how to run a game shop out of business? Run it like that.
So, when I stopped by after a 2-week absence to see if he had anything new in, the place was empty. The Horizon Games sign was still on the false front of the building, but when I got out of my car and started walking toward the place, I did a double take because I thought I'd parked at the wrong end of the plaza or something. Once you were under the eaves of the building and couldn't see the false front anymore, there was no trace of Horizon Games. Even the little sign hanging down in front of the door was gone. I peered inside, and it was empty...COMPLETELY empty. No shelves, no glass cabinets, nothing. They had some pretty elaborate gaming tables for Warhammer minatures...apocalyptic future scenes with ruined bridges and factories, complete with permanent 3D scale models of ruined structures. When I saw that even those tables were gone, I knew they were gone for good. There was no "closed for remodeling" sign on the door, or anything like it. Not even a notice by the landlord that the "keys would be available from the building management", which is what they usually do when someone gets behind on their rent. The only sign that it wasn't a completely empty, completely abandoned space was the "This Space For Lease" sign on the door.
I'd say that about tears it. I don't know how much more dead it could be.
One bad change (in my opinion) was that all the new D20 books were placed on the shelf in shrink wrap, so you couldn't glance through anything to see if you wanted to buy it. Supposedly you could "ask for assistance" if you wanted to see something, but we all know what that means, especially when there are multiple copies of a new book and ALL of them are in shrink wrap. The clincher was when I heard the manager having a friendly conversation with a patron, and he was describing a previous customer who was disappointed that a new Eberron book wasn't in stock. The manager said, "I told him that if he wanted it right now he should just go to Barnes and Noble and buy it." And my thoughts are, if that's his attitude, why should anyone take their business to him? At B&N, even at Borders, they have a wider selection of D20 material, none of the books are shrink wrapped, and nobody hassles you if you leaf through a book. I couldn't see a reason for anyone to continue to give him any business.
And to prove it, everytime I wanted something, I swung by his shop. I bought one new thing on the strength of the cover that I probably wouldn't have bought had I been able to examine it in more detail first. After that, I decided that I wouldn't buy anything unless I'd already seen it somewhere else. And there were a couple of other things that I'd seen that I wanted to buy.
He never stocked them. He never even asked me if there was anything I'd like to order (I've bought almost all my 3.5 stuff at his shop, so it's not like I'm just a "window shopper"). And I never bought anything there again. You want to know how to run a game shop out of business? Run it like that.
So, when I stopped by after a 2-week absence to see if he had anything new in, the place was empty. The Horizon Games sign was still on the false front of the building, but when I got out of my car and started walking toward the place, I did a double take because I thought I'd parked at the wrong end of the plaza or something. Once you were under the eaves of the building and couldn't see the false front anymore, there was no trace of Horizon Games. Even the little sign hanging down in front of the door was gone. I peered inside, and it was empty...COMPLETELY empty. No shelves, no glass cabinets, nothing. They had some pretty elaborate gaming tables for Warhammer minatures...apocalyptic future scenes with ruined bridges and factories, complete with permanent 3D scale models of ruined structures. When I saw that even those tables were gone, I knew they were gone for good. There was no "closed for remodeling" sign on the door, or anything like it. Not even a notice by the landlord that the "keys would be available from the building management", which is what they usually do when someone gets behind on their rent. The only sign that it wasn't a completely empty, completely abandoned space was the "This Space For Lease" sign on the door.
I'd say that about tears it. I don't know how much more dead it could be.
AntiStateQuixote
Enemy of the State
Sadly I won't be able to make it anytime this month, but if you all get together I'd love to hear about it.Jdvn1 said:
I'm hoping I can do something in January.
Jdvn1
Hanging in there. Better than the alternative.
Well, at the very least, subscribe to this thread and keep up-to-date on the happenings!
Unless there's interest for getting together for lunch (or something) this weekend, I can't do anything else on another day this month.
And, OwlCon is rapidly approaching. Do we want to try for an HGC/ENWorld game there?
Unless there's interest for getting together for lunch (or something) this weekend, I can't do anything else on another day this month.
And, OwlCon is rapidly approaching. Do we want to try for an HGC/ENWorld game there?
Houston Gamers
Hey, there are other gamers in Houston! I thought I was the last one.
I live way up on the north side, Conroe to be exact, so I have to be willing to drive for any game I play. It's price I pay for the joy of living out in the country. Count me in for future events, as long as they are not during the week. I don't go near Houston rush-hour traffic for just anyone. And since rush 'hour' in Houston lasts from around 3:30pm to as late as 7:30pm, that can be a problem!
--Aliro
btw - Thanks for the link to Swords & Superheroes. I will check them out this week.
Hey, there are other gamers in Houston! I thought I was the last one.
I live way up on the north side, Conroe to be exact, so I have to be willing to drive for any game I play. It's price I pay for the joy of living out in the country. Count me in for future events, as long as they are not during the week. I don't go near Houston rush-hour traffic for just anyone. And since rush 'hour' in Houston lasts from around 3:30pm to as late as 7:30pm, that can be a problem!
--Aliro
btw - Thanks for the link to Swords & Superheroes. I will check them out this week.
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