Can you guys give me some advice on a retro store im opening

[RLA Video Games]

We are opening up a new retro gaming store in Cincinnati, Ohio. Can you guys take a look at the set up of the store and let me know If you would change anything. Also what is the first thing you look for when you walk into a new retro gaming store? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA6sPzAKUmo

[HoshiChiri]

My advice is: cater to your local crowd. What works in one part of the country will not inherently work in another. We can give tips, but the people you really want input from are the people who actually walk into your store.

 

When I walk into a store, the first thing I "look" for, is just the general décor/ambience of the building. Gives an idea of what to expect & if I want to return. Your store, as it currently stands, I would interpret as 'hangout first, store second'. An open floor plan, homemade signage, & a comfy demo area very much says sit down & play awhile. It's not exactly my cup of tea, but I have friends who would go ga-ga in your building.  If the locals seem into that too, consider expanding on the idea with tournaments & such.

 

The first thing I look for spending-wise is 'the case'... you know, the glass display case with the expensive games in it. That's me being a 'late stage' collector where most of the retro I want is at least 50 bucks a game. On that end I say- make sure that 'Not For Sale' case is CLEARLY marked. I'd be fairly sour if the first things I found I wanted turned out to just be a display. One thing you have very right is displaying the games art-out. A few stores around here put their games spine/top label out... which takes less space but makes browsing largely impossible. The cleanliness is great, too- the closest shop to me is utterly filthy, to the point I now carry a game cleaning kit to work in case I stop in after work. I much prefer the tidy shops up north.

 

Best of luck with the new venture!

[Austin]

What do I look for? Games. Lots of games.

 

If you don't have that then I'm far less likely to buy something.

 

Also, solid prices.

[adamchevy]

It would be super cool to have one or more vintage arcade cabs in your store. Those are kind of expensive though. It would be great to atleast see a custom made arcade cab that you could hook retro consoles up to and allow for some free play. I would love to walk in and play a game of Mario 64 on a custom Kiosk/cab. Or see a Dreamcast setup with 4 player Gauntlet or San Francisco Rush. It would really help to get my retro/nostalgic spending habits going.

Even a more modern cab like Street Fighter 2 Turbo, Mortal Kombat 2, Tekken 3, or Killer Instinct would be amazing. I would drop a few bucks in quarters to relive some Arcade memories. It would certainly bring me back to your store if I was a local. Put that sucker on attract mode and watch the people line up and start stacking quarters on the glass.

 

One more thing that’s just a sales thing. It might cost you a little bit of money, but get a popcorn machine. I stop at the same gas station every week because they give out free popcorn. Trust me, you’ll make way more money than you spend on popcorn. I usually don’t go inside gas station stores. You could smell that popcorn from a ways off of your store I’m sure. It’s worth a shot.

 

[jaybird3rd]

On 9/30/2019 at 11:13 PM, RLA Video Games said:

We are opening up a new retro gaming store in Cincinnati, Ohio. Can you guys take a look at the set up of the store and let me know If you would change anything. Also what is the first thing you look for when you walk into a new retro gaming store?

Good luck to you.  It's a tough market to break into, especially now.  I haven't looked at the video, but for good general advice on opening a retro game store, I'd recommend starting with these segments from the CUPodcast (co-host Ian Ferguson helps to run two independent game stores).  The things they mention are the things I look for when visiting a store for the first time:

 

 

 

Here is link to the Polygon article that they discuss in the second video:

 

https://www.polygon.com/2017/7/17/15974096/what-it-costs-to-run-an-independent-video-game-store

[+x=usr(1536)]

11 hours ago, HoshiChiri said:

My advice is: cater to your local crowd. What works in one part of the country will not inherently work in another. We can give tips, but the people you really want input from are the people who actually walk into your store.

 

Related to this:

• Don't let your personal tastes dictate your stock.  If you don't like <insert system here> but two-thirds of your potential customer base does, bite the bullet and carry stuff that they want.  You can still loathe it while making the bank deposits.
• Never succumb to the idea that you're doing this as an extension of your hobby.  Treat it like the business that it is.  This also means no friends & family freebies.
• Experiment to find what does and doesn't work.  Don't be afraid to kill an idea dead and move on to something else if it's clearly not working out.
• Having an easily-identifiable online retail presence is essential.  Definitely be the local retro game store, but when it comes down to keeping the lights on during a slow spell in sales, ship to whoever will give you money for your items.
• Cultivate relationships with other similar businesses in the area (including RPG stores).  There's quite a lot of crossover there, and having them be willing to send a potential your way if you'll do the same for them counts for a lot.

I know that a lot of this seems obvious, but having watched more than a few retro arcades and game stores open up and fail, most seemed to - at some point, at least - ignore the above points.  I've also watched a very traditional but specialised book store transition into being an online retailer that still has its physical store open (since 1951) in this day and age.

 

There are no solid answers we can give, but a lot of the advice in this thread is really worth heeding.  Paying attention to what your walk-in customers want is definitely important, as is keeping the place clean.

 

[+x=usr(1536)]

On 9/30/2019 at 11:13 PM, RLA Video Games said:

Can you guys take a look at the set up of the store and let me know If you would change anything. Also what is the first thing you look for when you walk into a new retro gaming store? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA6sPzAKUmo 

Actually, there is one thing in the video I found to be a real turn-off: how the walkthrough of the store was being narrated, no matter how informal and off-the-cuff the video may have been.

 

When I hear phrases like, "some old guy's TV," or, "Wes is still pricing a buncha shit," "all your retro shit," and repeated use of phrases like, "a shit-ton," it sets the expectation in my head that the store is being run by people who have little regard for how they present themselves (and, by association, their business) to potential customers.  Frankly, it doesn't make me want to give them my business, let alone wander over to check them out.

 

It's not that the language is offensive.  It's that it's slovenly, and entirely inappropriate in a business setting.

Edited October 2, 2019 by x=usr(1536)

[VectorGamer]

20 minutes ago, x=usr(1536) said:

It's not that the language is offensive.  It's that it's slovenly, and entirely inappropriate in a business setting.

Yeah that's pretty much what I thought too.

 

Good luck OP.

[glazball]

I didn't watch the video yet either (YT blocked at work), but as a long-time collector I'll second Hoshi's suggestion that the "case" is one of the first things I look at.  He suggested artwork facing out, but I prefer to clearly read the titles on the spines because some artwork can make it hard to read/find the title or may only be on the spine.  However you do it though, you should put a price tag also right there facing out so a customer doesn't have to politely ask "And how much is that one?  And that one??".  If you or the person behind the counter is busy, and the customer is curious about some games but is shy/unsure/impatient, then you've just lost a sale.  Good luck!

[MrMaddog]

Another advice is always test your systems before selling them and only hire who want to work instead of "dudes" who just want to hang out.  I remember this one store (called LameGamers, of all things) that had a reputation of selling non-working Xboxes and the staff act like they rather be somewhere else (unless there's girls around), and sure enough that place closed down.

 

Don't be like that store...

 

 

[+save2600]

Some random thoughts, mostly in support of what others have said...

 

Yes, test your game systems and games!! That's a must. And learn how to properly repair stuff if you don't already or hire someone competent that can perform repairs. Be prepared to pay fairly for good work and/or come to some kind of trade arrangement with them. 

 

I personally don't care for glass cases of non-saleable goods in a store. Or boxes of (usually vintage) systems behind the counter that are for "decoration" only. Keep your personal collection out of there. Everything but the fixtures should be for sale in a retail setting. After all, it's a retail setting! duh   You'll never make money as a museum. 

 

No popcorn. While it smells awesome, nobody wants grease/oil/smokiness permeating games and glass cases. It's also a dust and grime magnet that NOBODY ever properly maintains or keeps clean. 

 

If your business evolves toward the RPG, board game or LAN party crowd, sure... cordon off a part of the store or give them a separate room to play in. It's there you can have a microwave, snacks, etc. setup for them.

 

If there are arcade games, they should be in excellent shape, well maintained, on of course and set for pay to play. Purchase city license stickers if needed. They should also be clearly marked for sale. 

 

Have a nice little audio system playing something low for ambiance, like game soundtracks or the radio. The "oldies" stations around here play a nice mix of 70's, 80's and 90's. Plus listening to local radio, you'll hear what's going on around the area. Ie: weather, accidents, theft, holdups, counterfeit bills being passed, etc. Mall security will (should) let you know about that sort of thing too of course. 

 

Get yourself and use a counterfeit bill detector, especially for $20's and up. These come in the form of a simple marker, to fancy lamp/scanners. Learn how to detect phoney money by eye too.

 

Be aware of, but never quote eBay prices or use the phrase "that's what they sell for on eBay". Pffft. If you want to sell on eBay, sell on eBay. If people want to pay eBay prices and get the convenience of delivery, they'll shop on eBay. People come to a store for other reasons. Service and the instant immediacy of being able to check out the goods, are two of the bigger ones.

 

Never under estimate the power of the impulse shopper. Carry ancillary things like accessories, t-shirts, hats and relevant toys (but not too many to where it overshadows your core business) people might want or need. I'm thinking of LameStop. What a friggin' mess they've become!

 

Know your competition, their prices and be better than them. In every respect - especially socially and professionally. As mentioned... tough to do in this day and age, but don't hire puds that have no interest in running a store properly. And keep unrelated (to the business when talking with employees) personal conversations out of ear shot of your customers. Even the ones you *think* you know. Again - be professional. Can't stress that enough.

 

Keep your store ultra clean and organized. And brightly lit, with clear legible prices on things. But NEVER over a game's label (or rear label, as on SNES games), insert, manual or on the disc!!!  

 

Treat your customers with respect (even the goofballs) and be fair without losing sight of the bottom line.

 

ALWAYS greet or otherwise acknowledge everyone that comes in while making eye contact, but NEVER rush a customer right at the door by asking them if they're looking for anything in particular. Let them browse a bit before engaging or asking if they need help IF they look lost or confused. 

 

Keep your cash register (emptied at night and leave the drawer open at close) and main counter near the front door and have your uncluttered layout as such that you can pretty much see the entire store from there. Islands of low lying shelving or bins throughout will aid in this. Wouldn't hurt to have cameras (real or not) placed discretely in the corners as well. 

 

[atarilovesyou]

Here's my advice:

 

Price things to sell. Not ebay prices.  Things were a lot more fun that way.  If you end up with really high prices stuff, then sure go ahead and list it on ebay. But keep the majority if the items in your store priced to sell.

 

I realize what I'm suggesting is not a smart business move, but you asked. Unless you're interested in have shelfwarming stuff and regular folks not being able to afford your wares, it's the best way to get more traffic and keep people enjoying themselves....which is what will keep the scene thriving.

 

Good luck to you!

[Lord Thag]

I've seen a lot of game stores close over the years. A LOT. And I've run conventions for years, so I've known a ton of store owners. Here are the things that are generally common to all the closures:

 

1. They carry only retro games. This just isn't feasible these days. Dwindling pool, rising prices. You have to broaden it out to collectibles, board games, records... something besides just games. With all the easily available emulators and clone consoles, the general public are not willing to buy pricey games when a clone console is cheaper, and collectors are generally not thick on the ground enough to keep a store afloat (and they often have half the store anyway).

 

2. They're greedy. Don't price like ebay. You're not paying ebay prices for the stuff, don't be an asshole to your customers. Fair pricing. Don't price yourself out of business, but don't price yourself out of business either. If you have a stack of the same game that isn't selling, drop the price. Any decent collector will recognize a fair price and pay it. I see a store selling high ebay... I won't buy anything on principle.

 

3. They treat their customers like potential thieves. See this a lot. Running a game store means dealing with a ... challenging public sometimes. Some owners let this sour their mood, and become assholes to their customers. Don't do this. Ever. Treat your customers well, even though a subset of them will be the most annoying people you've ever dealt with in retail.

 

4. Their employees suck. See this one a lot to. Someone opens a store, and it does well. They grow. They start hiring staff. They have no idea how to manage. Staff are assholes, arrogant, dishonest, rude, lazy or checked out. This alienates people, and over time, the customers stop coming. If you hire people, watch them, check up on them, show up at random times. Fire anyone who is lazy or rude.

[jhd]

20 hours ago, glazball said:

 However you do it though, you should put a price tag also right there facing out so a customer doesn't have to politely ask "And how much is that one?  And that one??".  If you or the person behind the counter is busy, and the customer is curious about some games but is shy/unsure/impatient, then you've just lost a sale.  Good luck!

 

Around here, vendors have a much more "flexible" pricing system -- prices vary depending on various factors. So, if you are an established customer,  you will pay a bit less whereas someone new will be charged more, etc. It is all very subjective -- even different staff will sometimes quote different prices, so it is often worth returning on a different day. 

 

I am not recommending this business model, but you should be aware that it exists as a possible option. 

 

 

Nobody has yet mentioned the location of the store. In my experience, most video game stores are located in older, slightly run-down areas where rent is lower. I can recall only a few being located in malls (independents not EB Games), but they only lasted a short time, and their prices were staggeringly high to compensate for their increased overhead. It is necessary to balance the cost of the space as against customers not being aware of the store's existence due to being in an out-of-the-way (or unsafe) location.  

 

Edited October 3, 2019 by jhd

[+save2600]

Oh! Here's a mistake common with many small stores of the past and today... not an issue here as the mall should dictate your hours. But for everyone else, maintain NORMAL business hours that reflect the stores around you! Can't tell you how many little places I've seen throughout the years screw this up. By having goofy hours or random days off, they literally get you used to *not* shopping there or even thinking of them after a while. 

[spacecadet]

Coming at you from a slightly different perspective, as a customer but also as a former retail store owner for 10 years. I'll give you whatever retail advice I can, plus what I like to see as a customer in classic game stores.

 

First, the #1 thing I think you should be worrying about it inventory management, and constantly adding to your inventory. That means both replenishing what you sell and getting more on top of that. At the end of every month, your inventory should be worth more than it was the month before. This is literally the only way to grow your business and keep paying the bills. It's harder to do than it sounds, especially with a store like this where you're probably thinking a lot of your inventory's going to come from people walking in and selling you stuff. Some months, that might just not happen very often. You still need to get more inventory, however you can get it. With a small store like this operating either at a loss (as you probably will be at first) or just on the edge of profitability (as you probably will be eventually, if you stick around long enough), even a single month where your inventory drops below what it was the previous month can literally mean the end of your business. It will start you into a vicious cycle that's almost impossible to recover from - you'll be able to afford less new inventory the next month, meaning you'll sell less, meaning you can afford even less the month after that, etc. Eventually you will have nothing to sell and no money to pay the bills or buy new inventory. That's when you close!

 

The rule of thumb is that you're going to go through about 1/4 of your inventory every month, and that was typically my experience as well. You can use this, along with your expenses, to figure out in advance approximately how much you're going to need to buy. So if you have $20,000 in inventory, you're going to sell about $5,000 worth of it. Let's say your cost on that was $2,500. So you know at the beginning of the month that you will need to buy *at least* $2,500 worth of more stuff (at your cost) just to have approximately the same sales the following month. But could you pay all your salaries, rent, utilities, etc. out of that remaining $2,500 "profit"? Depending on where you are, maybe, but I'd suggest adding at least another $1,000 in inventory every month anyway (more if you can afford it) until you start hitting diminishing returns. At some point your customers just won't buy anymore, or more likely you physically won't have any more room in the store. At that point you can think of whether it's worth expanding somehow, or you're happy with where you are.

 

Inventory management is easily the biggest issue for *any* store, and especially the kind of store where your inventory supply is somewhat unpredictable. You need to stay on top of this, every day. If more stuff's not coming in, find a way to get some. If you go more than a couple of days without knowing when or how you're going to get some new stock, hit the panic button and figure it out. If you get to the end of the month and realize you've got $7,000 in sales but have only spent $500 on inventory, *really* hit the panic button. You will be surprised how quickly business drops off when you haven't gotten anything new for a little while. Even if you need to buy a few lots on Ebay occasionally, do it. Whatever you have to do.

 

I'd also recommend having a decent supply of *new* inventory just to fill in those gaps and help hit those inventory targets every month. You can carry anything that you think gamers like; action figures, strategy guides, or certainly any of those new retro game systems, handhelds, etc. I see you have a few things like that now, but I'd get more. You can't rely on random customer sales.

 

I also think you're going to need some kind of security system. You're in a mall so you're going to get a lot of walk-by traffic. It looks pretty easy to just quickly open the door, grab something near it and then walk out. Loss prevention is pretty quickly going to become another big issue for you, and if you're like me you are going to be enraged whenever you see or notice something get stolen. I really took it personally - I mean I was the store owner, so it was literally *my* stuff they were stealing. My employees all felt the same way and while I discouraged them from ever running after anybody, a couple of times they did on their own. I almost felt kind of touched that they did that but it is very dangerous and as an owner you probably want to minimize any risk like that. (You also of course want to minimize the monetary loss from theft.)

 

Well this is long enough so I'll probably just end it here rather than start now going into my thoughts as a customer like I'd originally planned.

[jhd]

5 hours ago, save2600 said:

Can't tell you how many little places I've seen throughout the years screw this up. By having goofy hours or random days off, they literally get you used to *not* shopping there or even thinking of them after a while. 

 

Agreed!

 

This business model is very common in the used book trade -- where much business is done online or by catalogue. Many times I have tried to shop at small bookstores (which are invariably located in very inconvenient locations) only to discover that they are only open "by chance or appointment". My Father suggested that these stores are only open when the owner needs money! 

 

If I am a visitor to that community, I do not have the time to "stalk" the proprietor, nor am I going to make an appointment just so I can visit the store. I will shop elsewhere in places that actually welcome customers. 

 

[+save2600]

There's a "by chance or appointment only" store near me. In 3 years, I've never once seen them open. A couple of my friends and I have even called leaving a message each time, but have never received a reply. For a while, I thought the guy must have accidentally died in the place (I know knew at least two people where that's actually happened), but looking through the front window, I see stuff has moved around every so often. WTH?!

 

Might just make a welfare check call to the place someday for the hell of it.   ?

[Austin]

If you do a lot of volume, testing games is completely unrealistic. Absolutely test those consoles though, they are the biggest point of failure when it comes to games and hardware.

[adamchevy]

You definitely need a Homebrew section! I would start with some Atariage carts! Also, a nice Retron 77/Retro HDMI console section would be pretty cool.

[Cobra Strike Down]

Love the console tv area. 

 

I have some issues with the store though past that. Some may not be what you expect to hear.

 

First, the Nintendo toys on the wall, are those used or did you buy from a supplier? The reason I ask is, they honestly don't sell worth a dang at big box stores. So unless they're traded in, and you have a good price margin on them, they will likely collect a lot of dust for a long time.

 

Second, Nintendo carts on the wall. You might as well just ask someone to rob you. You could be in a rough area, or you could be in a good area. Doesn't matter. There's a reason why literally every place has empty cases on the wall, and carts in a case or behind the counter. Because people will jack them, and (not speaking from experience, I swear) it's not hard to do. They have friends block your view or 'keep you busy', as they put all the good games behind their shirt and walk out the door. You're left with a chatty fellow who likely won't buy anything, and after he leaves you realize you suddenly have less stock and not a penny to your name in the drawer. The only carts I ever see on the floor are 2600 carts, and no offense to anyone here, but it's simply because no one really wants most of them.

 

Third, expect boxes to be stolen. Not saying there's a solution. It happens to every mom and pop. But cases with no games will be jacked. Sometimes people just need the case and manual, sometimes they think the game's inside, regardless it's a target. Consider, at the very least, putting ultra rare titles behind a locked case. Always keep the case locked RIGHT after you take something out, even if you're only turning around for a second to get something off the wall behind you. 

 

Fourth, make sure your stickers don't leave gunk really bad.  I noticed you're putting them on cheap Nintendo cardboard boxes, and a lot of people like myself find it a giant pain to get off gunk from an old box without destroying the ink. Tip, consider putting the price sticker on your shirt first, then put on the box so it's not as sticky as the tag would be right off the price gun. 

 

Fifth, get some stand racks. Most of your stuff is on the wall, and the floors are kinda bare. It looks like the place is about to go out of business or something. Maybe some of the less popular system's games can be displayed on stands on the floor to give it a fuller look?

 

 

 

Other thoughts not related to the vid. 

 

Don't price at ebay prices, or do what my local stores do and price OVER ebay prices. Example: my local store has an open box complete copy of Scooby Doo on the N64. They want freakin 150 bucks for it. Doesn't go ANYWHERE NEAR THAT online. Just because you have something you've never seen in your possession doesn't mean people don't own a phone. If you insult people enough with high prices, they simply won't come back.

 

Don't be afraid to say "no" to trade ins, even if they're in top shape / working. You're not someone's guardian angel. You aren't there to help someone out of a bind. I see mom and pops all too often take shit in that they know they will never sell, simply because it's "in the system" and "it works". This is how many places like GameStop got themselves in trouble. They'd take in a launch era Xbox 360 that's disgusting and doesn't even have HDMI out, ship it back to corporate to have it cleaned and repaired, pay said person to fix it up plus any parts needed, have it shipped back to the store to sell, and after all that's said in done they've wasted tons of money on shipping cost on a 40 dollar system that'll never sell. If you don't envision your local crowd wanting a trade in, learn to say confidently "I appreciate you bringing this in, but I'll have to pass, thank you".

 

A local chain of stores does this. They line the walls with all this rare crap you'd break your back for. You come running to the counter begging to see half a dozen items simply to be told "that's the owners, none of the items on that wall are for sale". I shit you not, a 40 foot long wall, 15 feet tall... off limits. Please don't do this, it's annoying. Signs are one thing, but boxes with games, systems and accessories in them should be for sale if it's displayed in your store, period. 

 

Hope this helps you.

 

Edited October 6, 2019 by Cobra Strike Down

[TheCardiganKing]

On 10/2/2019 at 11:55 AM, x=usr(1536) said:

Actually, there is one thing in the video I found to be a real turn-off: how the walkthrough of the store was being narrated, no matter how informal and off-the-cuff the video may have been.

 

When I hear phrases like, "some old guy's TV," or, "Wes is still pricing a buncha shit," "all your retro shit," and repeated use of phrases like, "a shit-ton," it sets the expectation in my head that the store is being run by people who have little regard for how they present themselves (and, by association, their business) to potential customers.  Frankly, it doesn't make me want to give them my business, let alone wander over to check them out.

 

It's not that the language is offensive.  It's that it's slovenly, and entirely inappropriate in a business setting.

Wow, this was my thought exactly. OP, presentation goes a long, long way. Language matters, showing the final product matters. I was not getting good vibes for your friend's business through the video and I don't think that it's going to make it.

 

I think sometimes people go into a venture that they're not really suited for. Opening up a store with one's personal collection isn't a good sign. I would never put my own collection up for sale in a store. Your friend should have had excess and a storage unit's worth of product to sell. The offerings that you showed us won't go a long way. As other users put it; the retro game pool out in the wild has dried up. I used to see numerous $100+ titles behind retro game stores' counters even four years back. Now those titles are slim to none and what's in the glass case is a price inflated $20 title. I'm seeing too much of that in your video.

 

Not to mention that it's not a good sign that as a private collector my personal collection trumps your friend's. This isn't a brag. Your friend should have some $200+ titles to sell and it didn't look like he had much to offer. There are people who post on this site who have collections that blows mine and your friend's out of the water. I have my reservations on whether his shop's going to make it or not.

 

I have to say that setting up shop in a dead/dying mall was not a good choice. The best retro game shops are in tiny strip malls next to a coffee/pizza place. A dying mall just seems like a really bad idea given how they're, well, dying.

 

I would forego that 90s gaming area and put up a more professional play testing area.