Help us help you

[G.A. Donis]

My wife and I will be opening a gaming store in the very near future (hopefully in the next 30 days). We are going to be open to all types of gaming and plan on hosting events (tournaments, gamedays, etc.). As players/DMs what would you like to see/have in a location? The usual equipment is a no-brainer (books, dice, etc.) and we'll of course be stocking everything we can. I'm interested in the things that someone might not normally think of but would be very helpful to gaming groups. We plan on putting up dry erase (or wet erase) boards on the walls that can be used for general mapping. These "little handy" things are the types of things we would like to make sure are available.

Since this is a "game store run by gamers for gamers" we would appreciate any and all suggestions that everybody has to help make the best possible gaming environment available.

 

[Nifft]

Your precise anticipated location might help.

-- N

 

[Goblyn]

What to have; what to have ...

A bulletin board. Maybe that's already in the works, but just in case it isn't: a bulletin board, as well as posted guidelines about posting on it.

Readily available(maybe posted up) information on what unstocked items you can and cannot order-in, along with expected wait times and expected prices.

These may be thiungs that you already have plans about, but just in case they're overlooked. Good Luck with your store.

 

[Telperion]

An organized store. I have seen some horrors in my days as a buyer, so if you are going to be selling more than one product please take the trouble of planning where you put what.

 

[Axegrrl]

Be sure to plan for storage of any terrain you might be providing for wargame tourneys. If you don't have a designated storage space, terrain can get beat up pretty quickly.

If you plan to host d20 games, battlemats of some sort would be a good idea.

Other stuff that's useful for long sessions:
- A 30-cup coffee maker with all the fixins. Add mugs, a mug rack, and a dishwasher, and coffee-drinkers will love you for it. You might investigate one of the higher-end coin-op models, or put out a jar for "donations" (like a quarter a cup).
- A pop machine.
- More than one bathroom.
- A line of coat hooks.
- A separate area for gaming, to keep the noise out of the sales area.

 

[jgbrowning]

You may want to sign up with GAMA and get on the GIN (Game Industry Insider) delphi list. Ask the 100 or so other retailers their opinions on what you should consider when planning a business. I believe GAMA has a trade book on retailing (anyone from GAMA here that knows more than me?) and I know the GIN forum is always good. I've learned a lot from it.

Just my suggestions,

Salt to taste.

joe b.

 

[Ovinomancer]

Remember, first and foremost, that the object of a business is to make money. Maybe not gobs and gobs of it, but enought to pay the business' bills and enough to pay yours. I've seen one to many shops (of all types) go under because well meaning and nice people don't recognize this fact. There are alot of resources available on how to plan and run a business, make use of them!!!

Otherwise, have fun and good luck!!!

 

[Whisper72]

On the thought of 'whiteboards', have the gaming tables be made of whiteboard material, with pre-'painted' hex of graph paper lines (have the lines be a bit on the background, i.e. greyish or so, not black), also stock plenty miniatures of all types. This way, the DM can just draw the map on the table, and the players can put the mini's on the map.

I've actually thought of doing this at home, just lay a whiteboard on the table to play and have some erasable markers in various colors and thicknesses handy to pencil in the things the PC's see and write down quick remarks here and there in answer to player questions. Once the encounter is over, jus wipe it out, and go to the next part....

 

[clark411]

If you are going to have tables set up for gaming, and the gaming isn't card-based, you'll probably want to set up some kind of hourly or session-based fee system for table usage. You can have discounts for regulars and those who bring in referred customers. If you don't have some policy like this- that space will simply be valuable square footage that you'll have to clean each night, which will earn you little to no indirect income and, depending on your location, you'll have to spend money heating or keeping cool. Basically a money-sink, especially with groups that don't buy your minis each week, or who don't regularly destroy their books and need to replace them. At least the card-kids tend to buy packs on a regular basis (relative to rpgers).

Soda and snack machines, little wall partitions, and probably sound-reducers (like angled panels a foot or so from the walls.. that goodness) are a must in those kinds of environments. If you are planning to have whiteboards, sell the markers for them or have a Bring Your Own policy. The only free materials in your place should be those that help the players clean up after themselves. If you offer a lot of generosity, pencils, markers, etc- you'll suffer shrinkage and complaints. "Why are there no markers this week?" "I've gone through four packs this month- some people keep stealing them, and I can't effectively monitor them for their 6 hour sessions and hope to sell comics."

You'll also want calendars and a bulletin board. Reserving table time should be a very simple thing for gamers, and this seems like a social environment you're going for, so you want to have things that build or foster a lil community.

 

[BrooklynKnight]

my friend owns a gamestore here in brooklyn.
www.kingsgames.com
email him and i'm sure he'll give you great advice.