Yonshalmnu
First Post
How about Dorkshack! You'll have 'em in there in droves. 
Help me name my store
- Thread starter jezter6
- Start date
Zaruthustran
The tingling means it’s working!
Where is this store located? Big town? Small town? West/North/South/East? Suburb? Rural? High School town? College town? Working-class town? Tech town?
Are you trying to attract hardcore gamers? Moms? Closeted gamers? Casual gamers?
How is Game Studio positioned? What customer are they trying to attract? What customer are they not serving?
The answers to the above questions will help you/us figure out an appropriate name.
Also: cards are high velocity and high profit--how will your game store make money if it doesn't sell cards? Hint: have pleny of space for customers to game, and sell drinks and snacks (via vending machines--you don't want to have to mess with restaurant permits). Or add a small computer LAN and charge customers for game time/Internet access (charge less than Kinkos).
-z, whose fantasy game-store name has always been "Gamers' Den" (as opposed to Gamers' Lair, which is just a wee bit too hard-core)
Are you trying to attract hardcore gamers? Moms? Closeted gamers? Casual gamers?
How is Game Studio positioned? What customer are they trying to attract? What customer are they not serving?
The answers to the above questions will help you/us figure out an appropriate name.
Also: cards are high velocity and high profit--how will your game store make money if it doesn't sell cards? Hint: have pleny of space for customers to game, and sell drinks and snacks (via vending machines--you don't want to have to mess with restaurant permits). Or add a small computer LAN and charge customers for game time/Internet access (charge less than Kinkos).
-z, whose fantasy game-store name has always been "Gamers' Den" (as opposed to Gamers' Lair, which is just a wee bit too hard-core)
Nifft
Penguin Herder
For serious names, do what the big boys do: appeal to bourgeoisie sentiment. You need to be both aesthetic and everyman. It's easiest to do this using two words.
Exotic / Aesthetic
Wizard
Dragon
Tome
Grimoire
Magic
Enchanted
Volcano
Island
Myth
Rune
Adventure
Cavern
Castle
Knight
Everyman / Pedestrian
Barn
Workbench
Toolbench
Garage
Warehouse
Studio
Hardware
Factory
Knapsack
Bookshelf
Crate
Street
Wharf
... I seem to have trouble thinking of appropriate non-location nouns.
Anyway, "Wizard Workbench" appeals to me, though "Crate & Golem" has a certain charm, too.
-- Nifft
Exotic / Aesthetic
Wizard
Dragon
Tome
Grimoire
Magic
Enchanted
Volcano
Island
Myth
Rune
Adventure
Cavern
Castle
Knight
Everyman / Pedestrian
Barn
Workbench
Toolbench
Garage
Warehouse
Studio
Hardware
Factory
Knapsack
Bookshelf
Crate
Street
Wharf
... I seem to have trouble thinking of appropriate non-location nouns.
Anyway, "Wizard Workbench" appeals to me, though "Crate & Golem" has a certain charm, too.
-- Nifft
DarkCrisis
Let her cook.
The Underdark
Underdark Gaming
I especially liked mentioned above
The Portable Hole
Underdark Gaming
I especially liked mentioned above
The Portable Hole
I like The Portable Hole
But I also agree that you sould use "Games" or some other identifier to signify what sort of store it is.
You could mix and match for your logo, Something like this
The Portable Hole
Games and Entertainment
Thus giving everything to everyone.
Gamers will see the big name at a distance and know intuitively to check out the new store in town. Casual passers by will see "The Portable Hole" and become curious. Those who endeavor to stop and read the small print will then clearly know what the store is about (in general) without having to step in and complain that they were confused by the name.
Victory points for everyone.
But I also agree that you sould use "Games" or some other identifier to signify what sort of store it is.
You could mix and match for your logo, Something like this
The Portable Hole
Games and Entertainment
Thus giving everything to everyone.
Gamers will see the big name at a distance and know intuitively to check out the new store in town. Casual passers by will see "The Portable Hole" and become curious. Those who endeavor to stop and read the small print will then clearly know what the store is about (in general) without having to step in and complain that they were confused by the name.
Victory points for everyone.
For some background info...
This will be located in a medium sized city (70,000) people in northeast PA, as well as 2 decent sized private universities, and 2 small community oclleges.
I plan on locating downtown down hear the 2 private universities. Selling mostly to college student gamers, as well as anyone else who wants to come in. Of course, my summers are going to suck.
The other shop is located about 5 miles outside of town, does mostly ccg's and hero clix stuff...caters mostly to high school and younger kids who's mothers just drop them off for hours on end.
I do plan on having other good things in the store, I'm just personally against CCG's. I plan on having other books that are just fantasy/gaming related, movies, nifty stuff...as well as a gaming room where people can come and play and snack.
This will be located in a medium sized city (70,000) people in northeast PA, as well as 2 decent sized private universities, and 2 small community oclleges.
I plan on locating downtown down hear the 2 private universities. Selling mostly to college student gamers, as well as anyone else who wants to come in. Of course, my summers are going to suck.
The other shop is located about 5 miles outside of town, does mostly ccg's and hero clix stuff...caters mostly to high school and younger kids who's mothers just drop them off for hours on end.
I do plan on having other good things in the store, I'm just personally against CCG's. I plan on having other books that are just fantasy/gaming related, movies, nifty stuff...as well as a gaming room where people can come and play and snack.
I would advise that you reconsider being officially against CCG's.
Running a gaming store and keeping it open is not an easy endeavor. Even if you do not host CCG events, you should sell them to interested people as it is a source of necessary revenue.
Many of your potential clients will likely have an interest in the product you enjoy in addition to CCG's so you can make life more convenient for them if you offer the stuff they'd like instead of making them drive across town for the CCG's (which tempts them to just buy it all at the other store and save a stop).
Additionally, you can use those high school kids to make your summer less dangerous for profits. During the college months focus on the college gamers and their needs and just sell the CCG's. In the summer have a "summer special" on them and focus in on bringing in those kids who don't have to go to school.
Trust me, as a person who went as far as talking to a banker about a gaming store before quitting (I didn't want to have to put my house up for the loan so I kept my day job), you really don't want to alienate a segment of the gamer market because you don't like CCG's. They make money and you don't have to let the kids stand about your store for hours on end. Be friendly, but encourage them to shop and move along to the DQ to open the packages and get excited over their rares...
Running a gaming store and keeping it open is not an easy endeavor. Even if you do not host CCG events, you should sell them to interested people as it is a source of necessary revenue.
Many of your potential clients will likely have an interest in the product you enjoy in addition to CCG's so you can make life more convenient for them if you offer the stuff they'd like instead of making them drive across town for the CCG's (which tempts them to just buy it all at the other store and save a stop).
Additionally, you can use those high school kids to make your summer less dangerous for profits. During the college months focus on the college gamers and their needs and just sell the CCG's. In the summer have a "summer special" on them and focus in on bringing in those kids who don't have to go to school.
Trust me, as a person who went as far as talking to a banker about a gaming store before quitting (I didn't want to have to put my house up for the loan so I kept my day job), you really don't want to alienate a segment of the gamer market because you don't like CCG's. They make money and you don't have to let the kids stand about your store for hours on end. Be friendly, but encourage them to shop and move along to the DQ to open the packages and get excited over their rares...
I'm not completely against them, I just don't feel like spending tons of cash on "fad of the month" ccg's that I'm going to be left with overheadstock when nobody cares.
I may venture into some of the more popular stuff...but my major "no no" is the pokemon stuff going on...I will not sacrifice my beliefs there.
Additionally, the shop across town doesn't do a whole lot of d&d/d20 stuff...they're almost all into ccg/table mini's.
I think my ideas will be unique enough to have a good client base, especially in the college community (i'm working with one to setup a booth on campus for a day or two to get some advertising and sales to the students)
As for summers, who knows. Maybe I'll just pack up and vacation in jamaica for a few weeks. Otherwise, hopefully my adult and younger gamers can give me enough just to keep me open.
I may venture into some of the more popular stuff...but my major "no no" is the pokemon stuff going on...I will not sacrifice my beliefs there.
Additionally, the shop across town doesn't do a whole lot of d&d/d20 stuff...they're almost all into ccg/table mini's.
I think my ideas will be unique enough to have a good client base, especially in the college community (i'm working with one to setup a booth on campus for a day or two to get some advertising and sales to the students)
As for summers, who knows. Maybe I'll just pack up and vacation in jamaica for a few weeks. Otherwise, hopefully my adult and younger gamers can give me enough just to keep me open.
