Owning a retro gaming store

[Azra113]

Anybody on the forum owns a retro gaming store ?

I was thinking about getting into this but I'm not sure if its feasible. Would love to hear stories if anyone done this before or currently.

Please share any stories

I don't know how to make a poll but i feel like this could use a poll

 

[theMot]

No I don’t but imagine dealing with the mutants that buy this shit on a daily basis.

 

[joe8]

Anybody on the forum owns a retro gaming store ?

I was thinking about getting into this but I'm not sure if its feasible. Would love to hear stories if anyone done this before or currently.

Please share any stories

I don't know how to make a poll but i feel like this could use a poll

Do you mean, a real-life store (bricks & mortar), rather than just a website?

 

[smokey]

No but I have a mate who used to own one. It is really not easy. These days you definitely have to combine with something else.

 

[yagamikun]

Yes - With caveats.

Old form member Kristoff and I ran a local game store when we were in college between 2000 and 2002 I believe. It wasn't "owned" by us, but we ran the store more or less. Even though it was back in the "retro" days, there was a clear difference between a store that was independently owned versus something owned by a corporate retailer (EB eventually bought our shop).

The best thing about the experience were the tournaments and small fighting game community we built. We installed a 4-slot MVS Big Red and between our MVS collections and supplied the community with games they could never find at local arcades (which were dying quickly anyway). We even had a small "show and tell" kind of event and @Jon came to visit with some rare games and other folks came by.

We have quite a few locally owned retro shops around the area now, and they all carry that same vibe - although they have to focus on more than just video games. One shop is a hybrid comic and figure shop, another has a secondary Magic the Gathering store, etc. While I wouldn't say a pure video game store is feasible these days, the community and events the stores put on for the nerds it supports is more or less what keeps them thriving.

 

[StevenK]

No but I have a mate who used to own one. It is really not easy. These days you definitely have to combine with something else.

Gloryhole?

 

[joe8]

In Australia at least, I don't think you could make money running a real-life store like that (selling retro/ 2nd hand gaming gear).
High overheads & wages, and you're competing with people selling it online.

There used to be stores in Australia doing this, before net sales were so popular. Chain stores like EB Games still sell a few second-hand games. And pawn stores sell second-hand consoles & games, along with a lot of other (unrelated) things.

 

[Burning Fight!!]

By far one of the worst business ideas one could have

 

[madmanjock]

There’s a big Retro Games Store in Scotland called Forgotten Worlds. I’ve not been as it’s not particularly close to me and I have something of a life, but it seems to survive (or even thrive) by: operating an arcade as a side hussle, selling funkopops and pokemon cards and other dweeb shit, a large social media presence alerting nerds to any new stock when it comes in - I suspect alot of customers have never even set foot inside, and a lack of rivals doing this stuff (it looks like a Super Potato and probably smells the same too).

 

[Hattori Hanzo]

That ship sailed long ago.

 

[sirlynxalot]

I hear getting inventory is tough. I've sold some of my games on eBay and found out when shipping that I'm literally selling to an independent retro game store. Good luck to anyone trying to source their inventory off eBay, it basically means you will need to sell stuff in your store with a markup over eBay prices, and at that point, why would anyone interested in retro games (who surely knows about eBay and eBay prices) buy from you? I guess that's where events and other stuff like comics or magic the gathering, Pokemon cards, Funko pops and other knick knacks come in.

That reminds me. It's a little dated but check out this Internet fossil for dramatized stories of running a game store. http://www.actsofgord.com/

 

[Yamazaki]

Forget it. 99% of retro game stores here in Germany sooner or later either turn into regular game stores (which are useless since everyone can buy online cheaper) or into DHL/DPD post office locations...

@madmanjock Forgotten Realms a chain however right? I recall visiting the store in London back in the 2000s

 

[madmanjock]

@madmanjock Forgotten Realms a chain however right? I recall visiting the store in London back in the 2000s

I double checked the name (I made a mistake), the Scottish one is called Forgotten Worlds - it’s independent as far as I know. Only place you can buy Neo stuff here outside ebay.

 

[Burning Fight!!]

Did they find the guy?

 

[ggallegos1]

A lot of people are selling exclusively on either Facebook or Instagram as claim sales, and from what it seems it does well enough for a good side hustle

 

[Azra113]

The best thing about the experience were the tournaments and small fighting game community we built. We installed a 4-slot MVS Big Red and between our MVS collections and supplied the community with games they could never find at local arcades (which were dying quickly anyway). We even had a small "show and tell" kind of event and @Jon came to visit with some rare games and other folks came by.

That's what im aiming for to create a fighting game community and have tournaments.

 

[Lastblade]

I have a friend who opened one about 2 years ago. He was smart and bought the building so he didn't have to worry about lease, but from a day-to-day perspective, I wouldn't want to do what he does. For example, he constantly monitor retail sales instead of wholesale since there are much better deals.

 

[HellioN]

We had one called Game Trader.
Dirty little place but the owner was a really cool guy and had some great stuff.
He got tired sold everything off and I don't know what he went onto after.
We have a few combo stores now (V-Stock, Slackers) that also sell comics, toys, and books along with GS.
I'd like to try and run a small corner shop but I don't see any economic viability in it really.

 

[sirlynxalot]

I know of a guy operating one near me. I asked him how he gets his old game and system inventory (which typically isn't anything stellar), and he mentioned he basically goes to every yardsale, estate sale, thrift store, etc. that he sees. Guy is constantly on the grind to find used games in addition to operating the store. I would personally hate that lifestyle. You're also competing against all the flippers and hobbiests who do the same thing.

 

[joe8]

I have a friend who opened one about 2 years ago. He was smart and bought the building so he didn't have to worry about lease, but from a day-to-day perspective, I wouldn't want to do what he does. For example, he constantly monitor retail sales instead of wholesale since there are much better deals.

When I see some shops that seem to be making enough money to pay their staff, and they're selling something niche, I'm thinking, how are they doing it?
Do they own the building (don't have to pay rent)?

 

[madmanjock]

When I see some shops that seem to be making enough money to pay their staff, and they're selling something niche, I'm thinking, how are they doing it?
Do they own the building (don't have to pay rent)?

why do they need money? what is the point? why are my ears pointy? Do dogs understand more than they let on? How would we know?

 

[fake]

It would have to be a video game + vape + CBD shop to be successful.

Really though, I think a lot of these independent places are just scraping by, piling up debt, or rely on a trust fund. I found out that the place I mentioned in my Airing of Grievances is actually the dude's apartment. The front is just partitioned off to be his crusty game store.

 

[Jon]

Yes - With caveats.

Old form member Kristoff and I ran a local game store when we were in college between 2000 and 2002 I believe. It wasn't "owned" by us, but we ran the store more or less. Even though it was back in the "retro" days, there was a clear difference between a store that was independently owned versus something owned by a corporate retailer (EB eventually bought our shop).

The best thing about the experience were the tournaments and small fighting game community we built. We installed a 4-slot MVS Big Red and between our MVS collections and supplied the community with games they could never find at local arcades (which were dying quickly anyway). We even had a small "show and tell" kind of event and @Jon came to visit with some rare games and other folks came by.

We have quite a few locally owned retro shops around the area now, and they all carry that same vibe - although they have to focus on more than just video games. One shop is a hybrid comic and figure shop, another has a secondary Magic the Gathering store, etc. While I wouldn't say a pure video game store is feasible these days, the community and events the stores put on for the nerds it supports is more or less what keeps them thriving.

It's About Games! Owned by Kevin "Bok Bok" Bakai.

Jon

 

[neo_mao]

Open a sex shop instead

 

[StevenK]

Open a sex shop instead

Retro sex shop?