My Dream Game Store
I have, from time to time, daydreamed about running my own game store. It's a pipe dream, of course; I have no management experience at all and no idea where I'd ever get the investment capital. But I can dream.
The first thing I'd do is look for a place with two empty stores side-by-side, and rent both of them. I'd turn the other one into a bakery. Because 1) my game store would be full of the scent of baking bread, and 2) gamers would buy a lot of donuts. I have no idea what the actual math would look like, but I wonder if there wouldn't be some synergy between them―different peak times mean one's pulling in revenue while the other's idling, and if either of them got into some kind of unexpected credit crunch the other could temporarily buttress it.
Like most game stores, mine would have a lot of tables for in-store games. Most would be in the back as usual, separate from the merchandise area, but one or two would be near the front, and I'd try to have someone playing something there as often as possible. There would be a sign-up sheet next to the door, with a clearly visible statement that walk-ins are welcome to any unassigned tables.
I found the walled off gaming areas at Ravenstone and the Guardtower to be a little forbidding at first, so instead of solid walls, I'd like mine to be separated by a wall with a big window or a wide open arch, or something like that.
A good FLGS is a community center as well as a store, and I'd do various things to encourage people to hang around, talk to each other, and game there.
I would frame my copy of the 1980 Darlene Map of Greyhawk and hang it on the wall. In addition to the usual promotional and merchandise posters, I'd also have fantasy & sci-fi artwork that prominently feature good representations of women and people of color.
Any suggestions for other things I chould do?
The first thing I'd do is look for a place with two empty stores side-by-side, and rent both of them. I'd turn the other one into a bakery. Because 1) my game store would be full of the scent of baking bread, and 2) gamers would buy a lot of donuts. I have no idea what the actual math would look like, but I wonder if there wouldn't be some synergy between them―different peak times mean one's pulling in revenue while the other's idling, and if either of them got into some kind of unexpected credit crunch the other could temporarily buttress it.
Like most game stores, mine would have a lot of tables for in-store games. Most would be in the back as usual, separate from the merchandise area, but one or two would be near the front, and I'd try to have someone playing something there as often as possible. There would be a sign-up sheet next to the door, with a clearly visible statement that walk-ins are welcome to any unassigned tables.
I found the walled off gaming areas at Ravenstone and the Guardtower to be a little forbidding at first, so instead of solid walls, I'd like mine to be separated by a wall with a big window or a wide open arch, or something like that.
A good FLGS is a community center as well as a store, and I'd do various things to encourage people to hang around, talk to each other, and game there.
- Run one-shot and pickup RPGs like the FFG Star Wars beginner games, the Apocalypse World hacks, the new D&D starter set, etc. Sometimes scheduled in advance with signup like the tables, sometimes just standing up and saying "hey, anybody in the store wanna play ________?".
- Host regular demos of 40K, X-Wing, Flames of War, and whatever other miniatures games we sell.
- Stealing this from the Guardtower: a weekly open painting session where anybody can come and hang out with other gamers while they paint miniatures. Probably boost paint sales, too.
- Have a front projection system I can bring in, and have a "gamer movie night" once a week in the play area. Maybe also partner with a local college anime club (there will surely be at least one) to have an anime night too.
- Like most game stores, I'd have a bulletin board where people can advertise games or look for players or groups.
I would frame my copy of the 1980 Darlene Map of Greyhawk and hang it on the wall. In addition to the usual promotional and merchandise posters, I'd also have fantasy & sci-fi artwork that prominently feature good representations of women and people of color.
Any suggestions for other things I chould do?