Why I refuse to support my FLGS
- Thread starter Sebastian Francis
- Start date
My LGS is not worth the time or effort for rgpers. Its great for the throng of minature, MTG, and Pokemon enthusiasts. But when it comes to questions about game books or even comics they have apprently settled for a universal "Uh...that'll probably be in on Tuesday, maybe Friday", response to hide the fact that they have no idea what i am talking about and could really care less. They have a decent selection of D&D books and a crap shoot of a selection of other game companies, but none their employees know anything about rpgs and don't see the need. Its strangely funny how such ambivelance is worse than even poor or rude service, let me tell you.
It didn't use to be that way, but the store owner saw how much the minatures and card games was raking in and threw rpgs and comics (to a lesser extent) to the back burner. Which is fine...because it was a busniess decision. cool beans.
So i really am not interested in supporting a store's business who has no interest in supporting my hobby. Not that it matters because he won't be going out of business anytime soon.
So i happily buy from online stores like FRP Games and Amazon, get a discount, and have it sent straight to me. That also allows me more time to surf my favorite messages boards, just so that i can get called all kinds of names and be compared to Pavlov's Dog because i don't spend my money on some moral imperative of serving the interests of those who only see me as some damn dollar sign in the first place.
It didn't use to be that way, but the store owner saw how much the minatures and card games was raking in and threw rpgs and comics (to a lesser extent) to the back burner. Which is fine...because it was a busniess decision. cool beans.
So i really am not interested in supporting a store's business who has no interest in supporting my hobby. Not that it matters because he won't be going out of business anytime soon.
So i happily buy from online stores like FRP Games and Amazon, get a discount, and have it sent straight to me. That also allows me more time to surf my favorite messages boards, just so that i can get called all kinds of names and be compared to Pavlov's Dog because i don't spend my money on some moral imperative of serving the interests of those who only see me as some damn dollar sign in the first place.
amazingshafeman
First Post
Erik Mona said:
I searched every store in the Twin Cities for the Dungeon issue with the final Greyhawk map. Everyone was out. The Source specifically told me they wouldn't carry Paizo's products because they advertise the online store. They would order them for me, but wouldn't "waste shelf space advertising competitors." They still had OLD issues, but weren't getting new ones in.
Mccrow has indicated they now have both titles. Perhaps the employee was wrong. Perhaps the policy changed. Perhaps Mccrow only saw old issues on the shelf that haven't sold yet. The above is just my experience.
DonTadow
First Post
Two Cents: I'll support my local FLGS and any other type of local store before the big chains. I know its a losing battle but we're not too far from going to walmart for everything. I just hope that supporting my FlGS's (and i'm lucky enough to have two in my community) that i will delay this for my generation.
AdmundfortGeographer
Getting lost in fantasy maps
Indeed, I stop in nearly once a week. They have stocked them every month for at least the decade I have patronized them because I have seen them right there on the shelf by the front door. If those magazines have ever not been on the shelf it is because they sold out... which I have seen happen. Indeed, I bought all four of the Greyhawk map issues from The Source's shelves.mcrow said:
Another reason I keep coming back to The Source is because they have stocked smaller game company's stuff on the shelves. Bad Axe Games' Grim Tales, RPGObjects' Darwin's World 2.... I've even seen the occasional European import on the shelves.
amazingshafeman
First Post
Eric Anondson said:
And this is why I don't go there anymore (partly). The employee I dealt with in the instance of Dungeon magazine has worked there far longer than I've lived in Minnesota. Where the miscommunication was, I don't know, but that's what I was told.
It seems with the Source you either love them or hate them, as evidenced by Mccrow and now Mr. Anondson vs. warlord and myself. I may have to lessen the extent of my refusal to shop there for no other reason than Battle Pope running again, and that being the only place I can get the title.
It definitely seems supporting or not supporting your LGS (F or not) can swing drastically from region to region. I've been in towns where gamers sigh wistfully and exclaim, "A game store? What is this you speak of? I know of no such thing!" And other towns where it almost seems you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a half-decent game store. Maybe some enterprising entreperneriul (that can't be spelled right) sort should work out some amazing plan to bring some consistency and quality to the industry.
In the last town I moved away from (Psion might appreciate this!), the place had a poor track record for game stores. There was only one example in the seventeen years I was there of a half-decent store, and it's sadly being sold right now (although, as I don't know the new owner, it might not be sad). All the other LGS that opened didn't last because the people running them were, well, idiots. Rude, uncaring, no-business-sense, customer-service-lacking, smelly gamer idiots. (This was at least four successive stores, perhaps more, memory is foggy).
The most recent store was run by a friend of mine who had a deal on rent that helped keep him afloat. When he was in the store, it was an FLGS, when one of the goobs he hired to watch the store while he was away was in charge, service was lacking. While my pal's business sense wasn't abyssmal by any means, he didn't really run his store to succeed in the business world (he may have meant to, but didn't know how). One thing he did that seemed to work really well was to hire this hawt young girl who liked skimpy tight clothes, wasn't afraid of geeks, SMILED at you and asked you how you're doing when you walked in, and had just a little bit of geek in her on her own. After a short time, she had a FOLLOWING and that store always seemed packed (not sure if anybody was buying, but standing room only).
If the hundreds of store closures that Erik Mona mentioned are of the "lesser" type of LGS I am all too familiar with, I am not sad at all to see them go (of course, who knows). It'd be like cutting away dead tissue . . . sure it hurts at first, but maybe you'll live longer and healthier because it's gone. Hopefully the truly FLGS stores are still afloat and doing well!
In the last town I moved away from (Psion might appreciate this!), the place had a poor track record for game stores. There was only one example in the seventeen years I was there of a half-decent store, and it's sadly being sold right now (although, as I don't know the new owner, it might not be sad). All the other LGS that opened didn't last because the people running them were, well, idiots. Rude, uncaring, no-business-sense, customer-service-lacking, smelly gamer idiots. (This was at least four successive stores, perhaps more, memory is foggy).
The most recent store was run by a friend of mine who had a deal on rent that helped keep him afloat. When he was in the store, it was an FLGS, when one of the goobs he hired to watch the store while he was away was in charge, service was lacking. While my pal's business sense wasn't abyssmal by any means, he didn't really run his store to succeed in the business world (he may have meant to, but didn't know how). One thing he did that seemed to work really well was to hire this hawt young girl who liked skimpy tight clothes, wasn't afraid of geeks, SMILED at you and asked you how you're doing when you walked in, and had just a little bit of geek in her on her own. After a short time, she had a FOLLOWING and that store always seemed packed (not sure if anybody was buying, but standing room only).
If the hundreds of store closures that Erik Mona mentioned are of the "lesser" type of LGS I am all too familiar with, I am not sad at all to see them go (of course, who knows). It'd be like cutting away dead tissue . . . sure it hurts at first, but maybe you'll live longer and healthier because it's gone. Hopefully the truly FLGS stores are still afloat and doing well!
DungeonmasterCal
First Post
bolen said:
Wow...I didn't know the Memphis store had closed. A buddy of mine used to do board game demos there all the time, and he's not mentioned its closing. That sucks.
There are two LGS's in my area, but both are over 30 miles away and about that far apart. The first has a small selection of RPG's but mostly models and minis. The second one, in Little Rock, will never see my business again. Ever.
Graybeard
Explorer
I don't have a LGS near my house. The closest one is about a half hour away. However, there is one near where I work. It is mostly a general hobby store with models, RC planes and cars, etc. They carry a good selection of RPG books and Reaper minis though. I buy a few things from them once in awhile but it is a lot cheaper for me to buy it where I work (Borders) using my employee discount. I even get my discount on special orders and the D&D minis as well so it makes more sense for me to buy my books there. I buy Reaper minis, dice, and a few other odds and ends at the hobby store.
Chuck
Chuck
farscapesg1
First Post
Personally, I would love to support a good LGS if there was one nearby 
When I was in college (in Oklahoma actually) we had a local shop that was great. The guy that owned it was extremly friendly. You could go in and look through the materials and just chat with him about gaming or hours. He also had a back room or two that he set up as gaming rooms (though I never had a chance to game back there). He carried some miniatures, very little wargaming stuff, a ton of RPG material, and music stuff (some instruments, lesson books, music composition books, etc.). I spent a lot of money during high school and college there. The only problem I remember is when he went into business with a comic book shop and the personality of the store seemed to go downhill.
Since then I have moved to Houston (actually about 45 minutes north of Houston) and I honestly haven't been able to find any good shops. A new shop opened about a year ago nearby (in The Woodlands) and I got my hopes up. I went in several times and most of the store is either comic books, wargaming tables, or Warhammer. The carry a tiny section of Wizard's prepainted minis, and an even smaller section of Reaper miniatures. Their RPG section is about 1 bookshelf. I talked to the owner on several occasions and my biggest question was if they were going to carry more Reaper miniatures. For 6 months he kept saying that he was working on a contract with them or something. I'd check in a couple times a month, and pick up a couple minis letting him know that it would be great if they carried a bigger selection. Then they didn't get any new models in for about 3 months and I haven't been back.
The guy is nice enough, but if the place is just going to cater to the wargaming crowd, then I just don't feel like spending my time there.
When I was in college (in Oklahoma actually) we had a local shop that was great. The guy that owned it was extremly friendly. You could go in and look through the materials and just chat with him about gaming or hours. He also had a back room or two that he set up as gaming rooms (though I never had a chance to game back there). He carried some miniatures, very little wargaming stuff, a ton of RPG material, and music stuff (some instruments, lesson books, music composition books, etc.). I spent a lot of money during high school and college there. The only problem I remember is when he went into business with a comic book shop and the personality of the store seemed to go downhill.
Since then I have moved to Houston (actually about 45 minutes north of Houston) and I honestly haven't been able to find any good shops. A new shop opened about a year ago nearby (in The Woodlands) and I got my hopes up. I went in several times and most of the store is either comic books, wargaming tables, or Warhammer. The carry a tiny section of Wizard's prepainted minis, and an even smaller section of Reaper miniatures. Their RPG section is about 1 bookshelf. I talked to the owner on several occasions and my biggest question was if they were going to carry more Reaper miniatures. For 6 months he kept saying that he was working on a contract with them or something. I'd check in a couple times a month, and pick up a couple minis letting him know that it would be great if they carried a bigger selection. Then they didn't get any new models in for about 3 months and I haven't been back.
The guy is nice enough, but if the place is just going to cater to the wargaming crowd, then I just don't feel like spending my time there.
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