My first trip to a FLGS in years: State of the Hobby?

[wingsandsword]

I'm a gamer who doesn't get to game much anymore. It's been more years than I'd like since I've been able to game with any regularity, thanks to a variety of personal and professional happenings keeping me busy. I still hope to get back to regular gaming "one of these days". (Cynically, I sometimes think it won't be until retirement, but I hope not)

However, I still do think of myself as a gamer, and when I get the chance while travelling I sometimes duck in at a local FLGS.

Today I stopped in at one for the first time in roughly two years. What I saw was disheartening, and it makes me wonder if it's typical for a FLGS now, or was this just a particularly weak one.

The store billed itself as a place for comics and games. I'm not a comics guy, I can't comment on its quality there other than to say it looked about like every other comics shop I've ever looked at. It had a wall of board games with an okay selection of advanced board games. . .but with regards to tabletop RPG's and miniatures it was rather disappointing.

For its entire tabletop RPG section, it had a shelf of D&D, which was to say a couple of copies each of the 5e PHB, MM and DMG, and about a half-dozen other 5e supplement books and one starter box set, and it had a shelf with a Pathfinder box set, the Pathfinder core book, and again about a half dozen or so hardcover supplements. Then there was a third shelf with a few supplements (but no core book) for a Doctor Who RPG, a lone copy of a Firefly RPG book, and a starter box for the current Star Wars RPG. . .and that was it for RPG's. I was rather shocked, I figured an actual gaming store would have more, unless there's no more out there anymore.

For miniatures, they had a decent selection of X-Wing and Star Wars: Armada minis. . .and that was it, no other minis of any kind for sale (not even HeroClix, which I found odd for a comics-heavy store, unless that game is on the decline too). They had a box of boosters for the current Magic: The Gathering expansion by the register, and that was it for CCG's. There was actually a decent selection of dice under the glass of the front counter though.

So, for a lapsed gamer looking back on the hobby with an eye towards getting back to gaming one of these days, was this a typical FLGS now and reflective of the current state of the hobby. . .or was this a comic store with a small gaming sideline that was substantially exaggerating when it billed itself as a place for both comics and games?

 

[zedturtle]

Well, the tricky bit about all of that is that there's a lot more gaming out there than what you see at the typical FLGS. Between direct order websites, direct-from-the-creator things like Kickstarter, print-on-demand from various places (Lulu et al) and the preponderance of PDFs and tables, there's a lot of game stuff that just doesn't occupy shelf space like it used to.

Now, really good FLGS stores have adapted... they're all about good play spaces, supporting gamers with immediate purchases and getting into the hot thing... e.g. ordering a retailer package for a Kickstarter project that is getting buzz, etc. But not everyone has moved with the times, and there's still a lot of folks who want the store to be there but the store/gamer haven't figure out a way for the store to make money and provide that homebase that a lot of folks appreciate.

 

[ccs]

What your describing sounds like my areas comic shops.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I’d say each FLGS varies – some feel like entering Valhalla, while in others it’s a sad struggle just to find something to buy on their dusty shelves. It can also vary based on what new releases are out at any given time, like a river during the dry and rainy seasons. There’s also a world of difference between a comic store that dabbles in tabletop games, and a real gaming shop.

But to answer your question, no, I don’t think it’s indicative of the hobby. Gaming is in another spike of popularity and vibrancy. Perhaps a more accurate assessment would be if you have a local or semi-local gaming convention?

 

[tomBitonti]

What your describing sounds like my areas comic shops.

Ditto this. I've been in a number of game stores over the years (less in recent years), and that sounds about average for a store which caters to comics.

The range of stores which seems typical varies from having a primary center which is not RPGs (comics; model control planes and such; miniature gaming; CCGs; model trains; puzzles) with a side of game and RPG items, to small stores which have a mix of RPG and general gaming items, to larger stores which have CCGs, RPGs, miniatures, and games, plus a gaming area.

That ends up as a pretty big range: Small barely functioning stores which didn't last very long. Bigger stores with lots of second hand items and lots of comics, which have lots of things tucked away in corners. Well run stores like the local Game Theory (http://www.gametheorystore.com) -- my go to gaming store -- which has a big gaming area and a rather decent amount of in store items.

In all of these, the proportion of RPG shelf space has shrunk. That may be misleading, since space in the gaming area used for RPGs needs to be considered. I pretty much figure that RPG sales have shifted to either Amazon, print-on-demand, or as Pathfinder subscriptions, so the stores just don't stock as much as before. That's how I get most of my RPG and gaming stuff in general. I still make purchases at the store, since I value their existence.

The trends that I've noticed are:

*) Somewhat less space allocated to RPG items on shelves, and a smaller proportion of D&D items.
*) Miniatures about the same, but with less WH and WH40K and more WarMachine.
*) CCGs still having a decent presence.
*) A *LOT* more board games than say a decade ago.

Thx!
TomB

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I’ve also noticed that WarMachine is eating into Warhammer/40K’s space.

Miniatures about the same, but with less WH and WH40K and more WarMachine.

 

[darjr]

My FLGS was just profiled on Geek And Sundry!

This is store is fantastic, the folks their are friendly, and the place is kept clean and comfortable. I run a ton of games there.

http://geekandsundry.com/how-one-man-gave-up-a-medical-career-to-open-his-own-flgs/

and no that isn't the owner, good friend of mine.

though his characters had to face that Dragon of mine! I just wish I'd been running!

 

[johndesmarais]

What you describe sounds pretty typical of what I see in my town. Tabletop gaming is pretty much supported by board and card games - which is not really a bad thing, but becomes a disheartening if your primary interest is RPGs.

When I last visited one of our local shops (two weeks ago) and brought up RPGs, the owner implied a large business with them, but the actual product I saw in the store amounted to less than three feet of shelf space (about 12 books total, of which most was random mixed 4th & 5th D&D and Pathfinder).

I'd love to run some open gaming in-store, and would prefer to do so with product available in the store to promote sales, so his selection was a bit depressing.

 

[darjr]

Wow, folks, Tabletop RPG's are not board games. And will probably always tail it by a large margin.

And just because the shelf space is small for books, look at what else they may have. Mine has a single book case both sides. BUT they also have matts, and mini's, and dice, all on separate shelves.

Also Wednesday nights are often three tables, with a growing groups on other nights. I was just at a local con with a 12 table epic. Just because the RPG isn't a huge deal at a store doesn't mean it's worthless at the store. If you only saw the shelf space at my favorite FLGS's around here you woundn't know the hundreds maybe thousands of folks playing RPG's in the area, including all the store owners I know in this area. There are a lot of people playing at stores and cons but they are a fraction of the playing populace here.

I'll bet if you dig you'll find similar things in your area. And I'll bet that, at least the D&D 5e books, the rpgs DO sell at those stores. They wouldn't carry it otherwise.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Our FLGS might look similar at a glance, there's a lot of boardgames on the shelves, not so many RPGs...

...but come on a Wed night and it's packed - 4-5 tables of AL-legal D&D, a homebrew 5e or two, a lingering 4e campaign, and another group that's gone all indie. (Plus, sure, a table or two of M:tG). Did I mention our FLGS is the biggest WPN store in the area? Yeah.

http://www.isleofgamers.com/

5e may not put a lot of books on shelves, but it's doing a pretty good job of putting gamers at tables!