I'm opening up a brick and mortar this year and want some advice!! 7 7

[shadroch]

Having comics delivered before you open isn't good business. If you get the keys on the 3rd, what date do you think you'll be open?

A disappointing beginning.    You have to be more careful. Rookie mistakes will kill you.

[HouseofComics.Com]

Haha, I was looking at it the other way! A year or five from now you won't even care about getting the keys a week later than you'd hoped.

[AndyFish]

On 1/23/2017 at 10:36 PM, FineCollector said:

Haven't heard anyone answer the gaming space question. Gamers are like rats... they'll squeeze into small spaces, they leave filth behind them (wrappers, chewing gum, paper torn to confetti just because they're bored), and they'll damage everything they touch, especially your chairs. Comfort shouldn't be a consideration, they won't appreciate it, and they won't care.

 

If you can't wall them in, define the gaming space with landmarks or a different floor covering (not carpet, unless you adore vacuuming). Don't let them spill out into your sell space, it's already scary enough for a casual buyer to walk into a hobby store without being greeted by a bunch of stinky teenagers who are screaming and swearing. Confine and isolate them if you can.

This x 10,000

I could lie and say there's nothing wrong with gamers but why?  They are the stereotype of what a comic shopper is.  You want to chase out Mom's or serious collectors or buyers? Fill your shop with a bunch of loud obnoxious social inebriates and watch what happens.

I was in what I would consider a nice shop in Northampton Ma a few months ago-- prior to this I'd been there and dropped about $300 on trade paperbacks and an old comic or two.  This was my sort of "test run" and I didn't have a lot of time to browse, this time it was a Sunday and I had the day off from projects.  I grabbed a nice lunch next door and then went into the shop and right there in the middle of the store were a bunch of gamers sitting around a table eating chinese food, McDonald's, Subway and Pizza.  You can imagine the mix of smells.  They were loud, they were enthusiastic, the kid behind the register was talking to them and clearly engaged and I tried to squeeze around them to look at the stock.

Needless to say after about ten minutes of this I left without buying anything.  I've not been back since.

I have two close friends who both own a combined three different comic shops within a 50 mile radius of where I live. 

One shop is big, it has a separate room for gaming-- and when there's a tournament you can't hear them in the store, only when you walk by to come in, and only when they venture out to buy a milky way bar and a can of Mountain Dew between dice rolls or card flips or whatever it is they're doing in there.

The other shop is small, same owner-- he sets up the gamers off to the side of the store but they're obnoxious so I don't visit that one.

The last store can't decide what it's doing-- they had a separate game room but he said he got tired of picking up their trash and repairing the damage they would do in there unsupervised, so he moved them into the middle of the store and only has gaming one night a week.  He insists they spend money but he hired me as a consultant and I had one of my family members go in as a secret shopper to observe that over the course of three hours (said person was pretending to be a new gamer) that the group of 8 gamers spent $6 on snacks and bragged to them how they stole sodas from the cooler when the clerk was helping customers.

Bottom line is do you want to open a business for profit or a clubhouse?

 

[tv horror]

You don't need this added hassle why not join a chamber of commerce then you would have the weight of them behind you, it seems as if he is playing both sides. I agree that you are on thin ice as to having a good relationship with the landlord, however you must be firm and ask for a written agreement otherwise he might come back with more hassle further down the line. Good luck and follow that dream.   

[F For Fake]

11 minutes ago, AndyFish said:

This x 10,000

I could lie and say there's nothing wrong with gamers but why?  They are the stereotype of what a comic shopper is.  You want to chase out Mom's or serious collectors or buyers? Fill your shop with a bunch of loud obnoxious social inebriates and watch what happens.

I was in what I would consider a nice shop in Northampton Ma a few months ago-- prior to this I'd been there and dropped about $300 on trade paperbacks and an old comic or two.  This was my sort of "test run" and I didn't have a lot of time to browse, this time it was a Sunday and I had the day off from projects.  I grabbed a nice lunch next door and then went into the shop and right there in the middle of the store were a bunch of gamers sitting around a table eating chinese food, McDonald's, Subway and Pizza.  You can imagine the mix of smells.  They were loud, they were enthusiastic, the kid behind the register was talking to them and clearly engaged and I tried to squeeze around them to look at the stock.

Needless to say after about ten minutes of this I left without buying anything.  I've not been back since.

I have two close friends who both own a combined three different comic shops within a 50 mile radius of where I live. 

One shop is big, it has a separate room for gaming-- and when there's a tournament you can't hear them in the store, only when you walk by to come in, and only when they venture out to buy a milky way bar and a can of Mountain Dew between dice rolls or card flips or whatever it is they're doing in there.

The other shop is small, same owner-- he sets up the gamers off to the side of the store but they're obnoxious so I don't visit that one.

The last store can't decide what it's doing-- they had a separate game room but he said he got tired of picking up their trash and repairing the damage they would do in there unsupervised, so he moved them into the middle of the store and only has gaming one night a week.  He insists they spend money but he hired me as a consultant and I had one of my family members go in as a secret shopper to observe that over the course of three hours (said person was pretending to be a new gamer) that the group of 8 gamers spent $6 on snacks and bragged to them how they stole sodas from the cooler when the clerk was helping customers.

Bottom line is do you want to open a business for profit or a clubhouse?

 

Right there with you. If I walk into a comic shop full of gamers, I usually just turn around and walk back out. My experience as a shopper, and also as a comic shop employee (long ago) are that gamers live up to most of the stereotypes applied to them.

[Genesis Comics]

7 hours ago, shadroch said:

Having comics delivered before you open isn't good business. If you get the keys on the 3rd, what date do you think you'll be open?

A disappointing beginning.    You have to be more careful. Rookie mistakes will kill you.

Yeah, you are right.  Didn't think this one through...first of a few mistakes I'm sure, but hopefully won't end up costing me too much...I've already reached out to a few comic shops in my area to let them know if they run out of something to let me know.  Live and learn...

[Genesis Comics]

9 hours ago, thehumantorch said:

Well, good luck.  I'd consider the landlord breaking a verbal promise to be a concern.  It is reassuring that other tenants seem to have a good relationship with him.   I wouldn't complain too, too hard as that might make your relationship with the landlord quite strained.

I've done my best to keep it civil/pleasant as I know I have to have a long term relationship with the landlord.  All the other tenants speak highly of him so I am guessing that this is a "old tenant" issue more than a landlord issue.  I'm thinking he's such a nice guy that he doesn't want to upset anyone (he genuinely comes across as a good guy).  Hopefully the old tenant gets out soon so I can put this all behind me and get started!!!

[W16227]

UGH --- hope it works out.

Is the bathroom you want to measure "public" ( accessible to customers) ? - if so - go right in and measure it - or any other areas. Bring a friend ( or even have a couple of buddies do this for you). If questioned - just say the new store coming in is planning out the fixture placements. Then ask about when they will be cleared out completely.  Make the operation non confrontational - but with the emphasis that the new store is moving in. Maybe even a couple of calls asking the same - stating that new fixtures are being delivered so you need to know when the store will be clear.

[shadroch]

1 hour ago, Genesis Comics said:

Yeah, you are right.  Didn't think this one through...first of a few mistakes I'm sure, but hopefully won't end up costing me too much...I've already reached out to a few comic shops in my area to let them know if they run out of something to let me know.  Live and learn...

Mcs and mile high buy surplus new stock. Don't consider them mistakes as much as learning experiences. How long from the time you get the keys until you open?

[thehumantorch]

6 hours ago, W16227 said:

UGH --- hope it works out.

Is the bathroom you want to measure "public" ( accessible to customers) ? - if so - go right in and measure it - or any other areas. Bring a friend ( or even have a couple of buddies do this for you). If questioned - just say the new store coming in is planning out the fixture placements. Then ask about when they will be cleared out completely.  Make the operation non confrontational - but with the emphasis that the new store is moving in. Maybe even a couple of calls asking the same - stating that new fixtures are being delivered so you need to know when the store will be clear.

Even better, pretend you're a spy on a mission, go in and try on a dozen Tuxes and then ask to use the bathroom and measure it with your secret tape measure.  Then have a fellow spy person distract the owner while you escape out the back.

[porcupine48]

13 minutes ago, thehumantorch said:

Even better, pretend you're a spy on a mission, go in and try on a dozen Tuxes and then ask to use the bathroom and measure it with your secret tape measure.  Then have a fellow spy person distract the owner while you escape out the back.

i'd totally love to do something like that!

[thehumantorch]

3 minutes ago, porcupine48 said:

i'd totally love to do something like that!

I know, win win

[W16227]

54 minutes ago, porcupine48 said:

1 hour ago, thehumantorch said:

Even better, pretend you're a spy on a mission, go in and try on a dozen Tuxes and then ask to use the bathroom and measure it with your secret tape measure.  Then have a fellow spy person distract the owner while you escape out the back.

i'd totally love to do something like that!

Even better  .... ask to borrow the tailors tape measure ,  then hit the bathroom

[HouseofComics.Com]

hahaha

[shadroch]

19 hours ago, HouseofComics.Com said:

Haha, I was looking at it the other way! A year or five from now you won't even care about getting the keys a week later than you'd hoped.

   It's funny but I have few memories of actually opening my first store. everything was a blur and a rush and I still opened sooner than I should have. One memory I do have is getting a UPS box from 

Bud Plant, with 20 X-Men 176, the current copy. Cover price was sixty cents and with shipping, I paid 82 cents each.  Learned quickly that comics are heavy and its the shipped,all in price that matters. Nothing else.

[HouseofComics.Com]

Shad, I remember getting my first box from my distributor, S&L sales (?), with X-Men 178.

[nocutename]

@Genesis Comics  Sorry to hear about the delay.  I would follow up at the end of the week with the Landlord to see if everything is on track.  I am sure it will work out in the end.  Good luck!  Let us know when the Grand Opening will be.

[the blob]

On 8/2/2017 at 0:20 PM, Genesis Comics said:

Yeah, you are right.  Didn't think this one through...first of a few mistakes I'm sure, but hopefully won't end up costing me too much...I've already reached out to a few comic shops in my area to let them know if they run out of something to let me know.  Live and learn...

Given that I assume you are coming into this with a bunch of inventory already and have ordered tpbs to fill out the shelves I probably would have scheduled my first delivery of new comics  for a week after I opened, if you needed stuff out on the rack you probably could have gotten some stuff that had not yet sold from one of the other shops you're working with...3 days after they get their delivery they should have a decent idea of what is overstock.  people are going to be checking you out, probably not going to you to get this month's issue of x-men just yet. 

[the blob]

8 hours ago, nocutename said:

@Genesis Comics  Sorry to hear about the delay.  I would follow up at the end of the week with the Landlord to see if everything is on track.  I am sure it will work out in the end.  Good luck!  Let us know when the Grand Opening will be.

And where.  I know it's in here somewhere...I was out in Nassau COunty on Sunday and I was thinking "I wonder if he's opened yet?", i didn't wind up having any time though, but if i did

[sckao]

Hi,

First of all, good luck with your store. I just came across this thread and always find these threads interesting. 

I did take a look at your existing website and it could probably use some updating. 

I'm not sure if you already talked about this earlier as I haven't read the entire thread, but if you're planning on synchronizing the website to coincide with your Grand Opening, you should probably have your POS and Diamond system in place (mentioned by you earlier), which will then give you a continuous stream of content for your website. (At the minimum, Address, Store Hours, Directions, Email and Contact Information, New Releases information, Subscription Service information,  Events Calendar, Blog, etc.)

Is that also your logo and have you actually used it as your physical StoreFront logo/sign?

Edited August 3, 2017 by sckao