FLGS Doing it Right?

[jimmifett]

We've all been to bad shops, and most of us have been to good shops.
Lets see some pictures (with descriptions) of the insides of FLGS that you think are doing it right.

I'd like to see good examples of well laid out open gaming areas, clever or efficiently organised merchandise placement, snack assortments, over all well designed store layout, reserved/private gaming areas, examples of mixed hobby integration (such as comic/collectible + gaming), banners and posters, and other things you think make the FLGS you frequent stand out in a good way.

Let's keep everything in a positive spin, no cases of "Doing it Wrong".

I think it helps everyone to see examples of what works to bring you the customer back to an FLGS!

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

I'll nominate The Source Comics and Games in Falcon Heights, Minnesota.

Don't have any photos for you, though the Staff section at their webpage has some of the store in the background.

I've been buying from them for years and drive 25 minutes across town to buy from them. Comics, manga, genre books and DVDs, board games by the mile, snacks and beverages, RPGs, miniatures, and a wealth of game space in heavy use on weekends.

 

[Kobold Boots]

I'll nominate the Toy Soldier 5.0 in Amesbury, MA

Owner does a lot with a really horrible space.

 

[deinol]

I really like Game Empire in San Diego, CA. I live in Orange County (for reference, 2 hours away) and I always stop by Game Empire when I happen to be in San Diego. Lot's of playing area, lot's of product on shelves (board games, miniatures games, card games, and rpgs.) I don't know if they charge for space during peak times/events, but I know I hung out for 4 hours playing Descent during the day one Sunday for free.

 

[frankthedm]

Games Plus

 

[khantroll]

Here in Fort Smith, AR, we used to have a store called Mystic Domain. It was actually a subsidiary of a store called Crazy Earl's...which can best be described as a novelty shop. The owner of both rented an entire mini-mall for space, and gave roughly 10% to MD. The employees did their best with that, and I can remember being able to quickly find anything for any game currently in major production at the time. The store got even better (from a layout perspective) when the owner moved both businesses into a huge warehouse on the other side of town and gave them more space. At this new location, there were tables people were free to sit and play at, as well as demonstration games run every day the store was open. Even though I only played D&D at the time, I remember the demos being both popular and profitable for the store. Several times, people would see demos of warhammer 40,000 or V:tM, and then buy a full set of materials to start playing. Whenver I think of an FLGS, it is Mystic Domain that comes to mind.

Sadly, the owner left town for a while and two key employees left as well. By the time the owner came back, the store was suffering from most of the maladies mentioned in the signed leter thread. With profits down, the owner just closed the store down.


As far as for a good example of a well done, currently operating FLGS, I highly recommend the Little Shop of Magic in Las Vegas, NV. Plenty of space, separate gaming rooms, plenty of product, and good people.

 

[Jacob Marley]

Fantasy Flight Games Event Center in Roseville, Minnesota. While not technically a FLGS, it is one of the nicest game rooms I have ever been in.