what is that car in the lot?

>>5867351
I don't know. It was just in the lot when I drove past. That location doesn't have any parking space, but the interior is pretty sweet. See pic.

Here's the location I want. It's really sweet. Two stories, plenty of parking, it's on a busy street and very visible from a major freeway that heads towards the beach.

Looks brand new. This is a facility that would be really ideal for me, but is probably going to be too expensive.

Where is this?

These are poor locations, look at the size of those windows! The sunlight will deter half of the customers and the fact that they could be seen from the street straddling their Cheeto stained Haruhi dakimakura will scare off the other half.

>>5867448
Maybe you could rent out those rafters to ronrey nerds who wish to hang themselves?

>>5867448
orange county California if I have followed the threads correctly

>>5867463
I like the big windows. It's more inviting and open.

>>5867448
Costa Mesa, California. Right off the 55 Freeway

>>5867463
Which is why OP hangs X-bawx hueg posters in the window. Problem solved

Dude. You're entering a field with razor-thin profit margins and a customer base who are happiest in dank basements. You aren't going to make a goddamn trendy coffeeshop, so you can't pay goddamn trendy coffeeshop rent..

>>5867514
Actually, I'd probably make the upstairs a game room where all is dark and dank, and stress the downstairs as an open, bright lounge where product is on display.

>>5867463
>>5867500

besides you could always put cool shit in the windows (posters or whatever) to keep natural light out while also having something to look at from outside

>>5867526
You're right, of course. I'm still working on my business plan however. I'm simply stating that this is the IDEAL location. If I had everything I wanted, this is how I'd go with it. To be honest I've seen FLGS's that have had huge locations with two stories and cool shit out the wazoo.

I realize this is what my location will PROBABLY end up being. Though that's not what I want, clearly.

>>5867574
with better paint and a nice little garden that wouldn't look that bad.

>>5867526
Then do exactly that: cater to others other than neckbeards: Comics, DVDs, Music, tshirts, anime, books, etc.

>>5867590
Only if it was a garden of stones wherein space marines carrying rocket launchers blast Orkz into oblivion.

>>5867574
Dude. That's a FINE shop. You can put some fuckawesome 40k battle scenes on in that display room, so kids can break in at night and steal them.

Really, it has more to do with location than appearance. Are you next to a major high school/college? Easy access to freeway (not just "visible from")? Etc.

I had another Idea, perhaps if you had enough space, after hours you could rent it out to art instructors doing drawing classes or what ever.

>>5867574

That actually looks like a great location. Probably goes back fairly far too.

>>5867596
Exactly what I'm planning. I want this to be the home away from home. I'm not just targeting greasy neckbeards, I want the full nerd community.

The only two things I'm not certainty about are comic books and "other" hobbies. I mean the whole boats, model planes, that kind of thing. I've seen what happens to an FLGS when they go the full diversity route for their product. The creep takes over, and then you have three employees working nonstop just to put shit back on counters so it looks SORTA neat.

If you get a 2 story building, make the grounbd floor for everybody (And by that I mean that's where the Anime, Comics, swag, shirts and all that go) and the upper floor for the gamers.

>>5867624
Also extremely poor parking.

>>5867658
seems like a bitch to make it look inviting and clean, the property owners can't even do that

>>5867658

Surprisingly small. Still, the front looked like it had potential.

I would love to have the same drive to open something like this, but the one in my town here died and the nearest one is too good at what they do to bother competing with, not to mention there's two of them.

>>5867673
That was my thought too.

>>5867646 see >>5867529

>>5867658
Parking will be important if you plan on chaps depositing themselves in your dispensary for hours at a time. Never, ever, underestimate how much a shitty parking area will screw your store over. Especially in California.

>>5867438
do we have pictures of the inside ?

This was my other "awesomesauce" location. It's literally walking distance from a local highschool, has incredibly parking in the back, is next door to a bank and is decently large.

>>5867733
>>5867529
Also attached image.

>>5867740
looks too small

Until you get a price range...
How much COULD you conceivably pay a month/what kind of loan would you need to PURCHASE a location?

>>5867768
Have you tried a royal purple for the color stripe? Red seems aggressive like a bank or insurance companies logo.

>>5867779
We're going with blue. My website IS up, for those who are in the know.

>>5867768
See attached. Also it has a convenient back entrance.

>>5867761
why do I asways have to make myself look like an ass ?

>>5867798
blue then

>>5867798
Dem floor tiles

>>5867740
This one looks fairly awesome, and sounds it too.

>>5867779
Royal Purple is the mother-fucking shit of colors.

The world needs more of it. <3

>>5867835
I kinda like it. I think the arching on the wall panels fits with my theme.

>>5867853
looks roman

>>5867798
not so small indeed, but will you have the gaming rooms you want ?

Any ideas on how to make your online store stand out?

while the gamer in me admires your commitment to the 2nd floor nerd attic, the guy-who-has-been-hanging-out-in-a-comic-shop-for-10-years part of me sees it as a nightmare pipedream.

we all like to try to support our LGS and that stuff, but just as likely we've all seen our fair share of shoplifting, I know I have. Maybe the crowd at your LGS is a little more Lawful Good, but you have to admit that in this industry there's a lot of product that can be divided into 'fits in pocket' 'fits in bag' 'fits in backpack' and since its usually stuff that doesn't have anti-theft devices incorporated, or looks completely unremarkable or totally untraceable once the box is open, pretty much the only way to deter theft is the good old fashioned heavy handed and hawk-eyed employee sleuthing.

having the gaming room on a second floor where all manner of product can disappear upstairs and find its way into a bag or army box seems to me a recipe for disaster. Sure, you can make rules like 'no product beyond this point' but realistically you only have 2 eyes and so many employees.

I think the best possible scenario is to have an all inclusive sales floor where both the back office and the register have a commanding and unobstructed view of the gaming area.

Here's another location I looked at. It'd have to be much more of a retail location. Also there's this bizarre rear corridoor at the back of the store.

>>5867896
Maybe. I'm a security guard, and I know that shit is a nightmare - I hate doing loss prevention, even as covert. But it can be okay if you make the entire room very much open - stock around the walls, with lots of cameras and ensure people keep a close eye omn the nerds. Consider ESA tags - tag EVERYTHING. It's a bit extra in terms of cost, but worth it. Remove at the register.

>>5867798
Back entrance for those embarrassed neckbeards. If you're next to the bank, people have plausible deniability, too.

>>5867906
Close off the front, only let people come in the back.

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/5867345
archived

>>5867912
This might be a good idea. Tag everything on the floor, and then put one of those alarms before the gaming area, like bookstores do at the bathrooms. Watch the sales floor carefully, and it would probably deter most theft.

>>5867936
Porn shack or local gaming store. Equally disgraceful?

Put out empty display boxes, make the fucks ask for em if they want something.

>>5867951
Equally un-Christian, more like.

>>5867635
My girlfriend's dad has just got into the model boat hobby and, over here in the UK at least, it is big money. You could stock a few different ready to run boats and do an order service for more expensive stuff. Over here it's more than £1,000 for a sailable model of the Yamato, without engines or receiver. The model boat hobby is awesome because it makes Warhammer look cheap.

Don't go nuts with it though. Maybe consider shifting model boats through your website- it'll keep the fa/tg/uys segregated from the boatfags so you don't get the "Oh man, that place sucks, it's full of boatguys/fatguys" thing going on.

Here's a location that would be pretty hilariously awesome to be in.

It's downright massive. Used to be a paint place, but they went out of business.

>>5867965
>>5867965

Only way to do it.

Keep all blisters and TCG stuff behind the counter as well. Keep blisters under lock and key, preferably a glass counter so people can look at them up close, but can't get their hands on them without supervision.

What's the website?

>>5868004
holyfuckshuge

Awesome.

>>5868031
Behold, the inside! In addition, there's a huge storage room and truck dock.

>>5868027
www.fortressgames.com I haven't been able to get product up there yet because I haven't been able to find a distributor who will let me sell their product online, without having a shop to put it in first.

>>5867950
well, the stopgap measure at my LGS was to just build a small plywood stage elevated 6" off the ground that gave the employee at the elevated register a more commanding line of sight.

I don't think alarms and anti-theft devices are a bad idea, but I personally think that increasing the employee's situational awareness is the least costly and ultimately finest option, thieves have a tendency to get what they want, whether or not they keep it or are caught speaks more to planning vs impulse on the part of the criminal than anything else.

"We have the best accessories for your favorite board games.

XBox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii"

Eh, wut? XD

>>5868047
>>5868004
awesome !

Hey good luck there! The only issue I can see with the two smaller places is going to be stocking issues, I also agree with the guy who said that you should keep nearly all items behind the counter or locked up. Before I did this I had a sizable amount of loss due to it.

Also if you're planning to make a dedicated gaming section make sure it's got some good ventilation, you may also want to invest in some non-fluorescent lighting for the display floor. And sadly the whole shpeel about the general clientele liking the darkness and privacy is damn near head on, there were rather large issues with people not coming in because they were shy or some issue like that. Posters will fix the issue, back entrances specifically for gaming areas also don't hurt, with the front being for the general store.

>>5868018
>>5867995
>>5867950

This sounds like the best idea. Have several catalogs around for the companies along with some basic models to entice people. Tag all the things that have risk being pocketed and keep blisters/card packs either locked up, out of reach or behind the counter. Cameras and the convex (or is concave?) mirrors will help you keep an eye on the store and will deter theft to begin with, even if they are unmanned (However, when you have employees around, make sure most of them are working/on.

Im following your threads with interest Naile.

You really MUST spend top dolla on the security - you want this to be a second job/hobby fun thing to do - nothing will crush that quicker than you having to constantly be on the lookout for theft or adjusting your prices to make up for lost items...

Either tag shit or just keep the expensive shit (40k shazz) behind the counter...

Also OP, how much work are you willing to put in to setup the place? Like are you considering possible partitioning etc?

The paint place is fucking huge btw.

And I just realized I can't spell. Goddamn you hooked on phonics.

>>5868065
Plywood? Look, most people in a FLGS are going to be fat or built like brick shithouses or rat skinny. Two of those are going through plywood like it's paper.

Remember to stock miniatures by firms other than GW and PP. Get stuff by Reaper, Victory Force, Copplestone Castings and other firms. Hard mode- become the sole US stockist for a British, European or Australian miniatures company.

Don't feel the need to order everything from Twilight Creations' catalogue, because although Zombies! and other such games are good fun, Cthulhu Rising is a piece of shit which will make your customers resent you. I'm serious, it's a game of drawing numbered cards from a deck and has nothing at all to do with Cthulhu.

>>5868066
Sorry. Portions of the template are still in there. I've been quite busy with my other job and haven't had time to go back through and properly tag them and eliminate them.

As far as security goes, I am planning on investing in some cameras, and allowing the register a clean view of most of the product. I also want the register to have a clear view of the front door so employees can greet customers as they come in.

>>5868047
This location looks pretty amazing, but I worry about the store having a truck dock, which is fundamentally an ideal bone breaking playground for kids that are committed to becoming insurance liabilities and habitual emergency room visitors.

Naturally, as a proprietor of a game shop, this isn't your fault, but here in Southern California and I imagine a great many other places in the nation as well, "Daycare" is defined by the average terrible parent as any establishment that entertains a child between 3pm and dinner time while soccer mom goes and gets her nails done.

>>5868111

For the employees

It all comes down to price (rent), location and floorspace.

You can probably choose which two you want to have but no more

>>5868111
Two by fours, insulation, and drywall if I remember correctly.

My grandfather's a carpenter. I'll ask him about it. He knows this shit.

>>5868096
I'm personally willing to put in a great deal of effort. I want this place to be the shining jewel in a crown made of win and FUCKYEAH. Which is why in all likelyhood it's going to be a multiple year project. I just don't know at present. I'm continuing to work on things, and not make any dangerous leaps as yet. This is my dream, and I'm fully aware of the fact that I don't have the business background to just go ahead and do it. I am consulting others at every juncture and weighing every decision heavily before moving on.

a first test

>>5868127
Agreed

>>5868142
Also fuck this. Throw the little bastards out, you'll lose revenue yes but you'll spare yourself a huge headache.

>>5868127

Look for Pig Iron or Hasslefree to stock. They have great minis and great parts that can be used to enhance minis.

Unlike GW, if you sell a ten pack of cadians and then a 10 head (or maybe 10 rifle) accessories pack, you have just increased the money made and now the player has a cool customized army that looks unique and awesome!

>>5868167
Hahah. That looks AMAZING.

>>5868160
Alright, expect to be in the red for a while, chances are you're going to have the property to work on for a rather long while until you're even able to get stock into the store.

>>5868168

Agreed, you are not a GW store, you don't have to babysit little tykes. But it all depends on how much money you are making, if they are spending money, welcome them in. Otherwise, kick them out.

Hey Naile, would you kindly email the people who have signed up for your site when you have product available? :D

>>5868167

That looks great

There's been a lot of people who don't like the little guys. But they DO spend money in the store. And lets face it, while a kid throwing a temper tantrum is hilarious, embarrasing, and a nuisance, a manchild neckbeard throwing a fit about their latest Warhammer loss or game version being kicked is just embarrasing and a nuisance.

>>5868207
I certainly shall, my good man. I'll also be blogging on the site itself, so keep an eye out.

>>5868218
That's until they end up freaking out, smashing into your fucking PRIZED completed and painted figure set (we're talking regional contest winners), and cut themselves, then the parents sue you for having an un-safe environment.

>>5868237
Oh yeah, and that was because I was temporary out of Lorywn boosters

>>5868251
was that child mentally retarded?

I totally signed up for your site, Was disappoint.jpg when I saw your forums were down.

>>5868256
If he want's a respectable business I don't know if he wants us on his forums

>>5868256
No forums yet. I'm using Joomla to keep the site running, but I couldn't find a forum extension to use. I'll be contacting the other administrator soon and asking them to set them up as soon as possible.

>>5868255
Didn't appear so, but it's a definite possibility. This is a kid that came in every couple of days or so and started bantering to the other normal customers about how his MtG deck was "Most Pro-Level" deck in the store (he really said that) and then proceeds to get his ass beat by someone with a mill deck, this usually ends with the kid calling the other player a cheater, and him storming out of the store saying he's never coming back.

>>5868267
I assure you I will be moderating my forums personally. Watching to make sure that your tomfoolery is kept to a bare minimum.

>>5868290
So...no Drider rape?

>>5868290
I think its really impressive what you're doing, where abouts are you setting this place up? I havent really been following your threads.

Britfag here. We don't really have as many games stores as you guys, but I'm fortunate in having a pretty awesome FLGS in my hometown.

The store's pretty big, and divided into two areas.

Front of house is the shop floor, with shelving and the register (between the product shelves and the door, with CCG packs behind glass) and a display table of the week's new releases or featured games. The shop floor is set up so that jigsaws, boardgames and other traditional games that won't scare the general public are up in front, being the first thing that customers see when they come in. The RPGs and wargames are towards the back, but still in line-of-sight of the register. The register's got counters on two sides, with a small alcove behind it where regulars can lurk and shoot the shit with the proprietor without getting in the way of customers who want to make a purchase.

Back of house there's a pretty big games room with a crapload of IKEA tables and chairs, where they run games nights in the evenings (boardgames, wargames) and CCG tournaments at weekends. No one's allowed out back when these events aren't running, and there's always a member of staff in there at such times. I think there's a smaller room for the D&D players as well.

>>5868305
Orange County, California. See the first few posts in this thread.

It's something that's the dream for a lot of nerds. I haven't had an FLGS for a long time.

>>5868317
I live in plymouth and so far the Games Workshop is the only place I've been able to find remotly resembling a FLGS and they only allow GW products.

>>5868321
I'd totally work for an LGS, but im in the bay area.

>>5868342
There are a number in the area, Berkley has a great store off of....shit I forgot the name but it's the main street. I'm from the Bay Area now in Sacramento, OP if you want I can head down to the local LGS and take some photos if the owner will let me (he's a friend of mine but he's REALLY anal about his privacy)

Thanks guys. I've had a lot of offers of employment, but that's really no good until I have a location.

>#14: Site Selection: Choose Your Space Carefully
http://www.rpg.net/columns/businessofgamingretail/businessofgamingretail14.phtml

>#10: Store Layout
http://www.rpg.net/columns/businessofgamingretail/businessofgamingretail10.phtml

>>5868379

From

http://www.rpg.net/columns/list-column.phtml?colname=businessofgamingretail

I don't imagine many of your prospective customers would often be going to the beach, but maybe that's the stereotypes talking.

>>5868354
You mean Games of Berkeley or wossname on Shattuck? There was a smaller one around the corner I think, but it seemed more geared toward /v/: computers in the back and whatnot.

>>5868354
Thats great if I could drive.
My local LGS isn't all that great, Gator Games
All they do is sell and do demos for RPGs and only run card game tornements.
I'd love an LGS that did Warhammer, but isnt GW.
Also San Mateo County... worst fucking place to have any type of geek culture I swear to fucking god, cept anime, soo many fucking weeaboos and asians.
Pretty much every gaming cafe in a 20 mile radius died, the only LGS constantly says they might go under and there's nothing else really.

Anyway enough ranting.

GL OP, hope you do well :D

>>5868390
Ouch, yeah San Mateo is a shithole.

>>5868379
I'm familiar with those columns, thanks. I read them from time to time.

Alright guys. Thanks for the support tonight. Time for me to hit the sack, I'll keep you updated as I progress in putting my store together.