New Game Store! Market Resarch

[Gareth79]

Hi All,

I am considering opening up a game store within the Stirling area and just want to ask a few questions.

I would be stocking RPG's CCG's board games (Euro games: Agricola, Settlers etc  Classic games: Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit and a range of Fantasy Flight stock) etc, Warmachine and Hordes.

The store would be a family friendly store for families that wish to playgames together and also would be set up to allow gamers to feel at home also with a gaming area for game nights to trial new games etc.

I just wondered

1. What sort of interest there would be in the surounding Stirling area for a store like this?

2. Average monthly spend on gaming products

3. Things people would like to see in store.


All responses greatly received.

Thanks Gareth

[TomHanratty]

isn't there already shops selling things like Games workshop and Magic in the Stirling and Falkirk area?

I'm not form the area but i general spend about £25 a month in our store (but i get paid in prudcut for some work that i do for them) most of my friend sthat go (24-35 age groups) spend between £25 and £50 a month in there. this is based on magic player takign part ina regular £10 a week draft and wargames that always want a shiny new toy! On top of that there are alot of kids in over the weekend who spend less per head but there are more of them. When Ken is back he woudl be the one to contact for more stable figures! Intrepidations doesn;t stock games workshop as there is a local store already trading in this.

[Captain Black]

Hi Gareth and welcome to the forum.I know this post is on the Stirling wagamers web site.I would suggest you contact the clubs in the Falkirk area and see what response you get from them.You have 2 wargames club and 1 RPG that i know of in the Falkirk area.
Falkirk District Wargames Club play most historical periods and a fair number of fantasy and sci-fi game,have there own web site and forum which anyone can join and run there own wargames show and can be contacted at www.falkirkwargamesclub.org.uk

Falkirk RPG group a good bunch of guys big into a nunber of RPG games and can be contacted on this forum under the RPG scetion under Falkirk RPG meetup

Falkirk Fantasy And Sci-fi club have a yahoo site but not very active meet on a Thursday night at the Edge pub Falkirk big into 40K WHFB some Warmachine RPG and CCG.Some of there members have come down and started gaming at FDWC

Your biggest challenge in Stirling will be to get those who play in GW to come along and buy and play something different such as Firestorm Amada,Uncharted Sea, Urban War ,Warmachine or if a Historical game such as Flames Of War or Wings Of War.I wish you all the best in this.

[raptor182]

I know this is slightly off topic but Lanarkshire needs some gaming stores, considered it myself at one point.

[wittman44]

Lanarkshire does have a gaming store but not in the bricks and mortar sense. Central Wargaming based in Bellshill is a mobile wargames store which visits Wargames shows throughout the country especially those in Scotland and also clubs in Lanarkshire and surrounds like Motherwell Wargames Club, Carluke Wargames Club, Hamilton Howlers to name a few. I also attend other non wargaming events like the Bellshill Street Fair, Conpulsion in Edinburgh, Scotmodel in Falkirk plus much more. A full list of events I attend each year can be found on my website (which I am always constantly updating with new details). I have also visited Falkirk Wargames club and other clubs to set up my wares and sell directly to wargamers at their respective club. I have looked at opening a bricks and mortar store etc in Lanarkshire but have not found any suitable premises yet. Eventually I hope to open somewhere but so far no luck. However if I did open a store then I would not be able to offer the great discounts/offers I currently can. Therefore I am sticking to being a mobile wargames store who comes along to clubs etc to promote the various products I stock and for more details of what I sell can be found on our website at www.freewebs.com/centralwargaming. You can also visit me at my home in Bellshill by contacting me and arranging an appointment. I sell various products like model kits in 1/72nd-1/48th and 1/35th scales, wargaming figures like 28mm box sets from Perry Miniatures, Warlord Games, 28mm Sci Fi miniatures and Vehicles from Pig Iron Miniatures, KR Multicase figure cases from Kaiser Rushforth, Timecast Model Buildings etc just to name a few and because I am not your traditional bricks and mortar shop I offer a great many of the products I have with a substantial discount off the normal RRP (between 10-20/25% depending on the product). I hope to see many of you on my travels and if you want to arrange a visit within Lanarkshire then please feel free to contact me and I can check to see when I can come along-Stephen (Central Wargaming)-Some of you will already know me from Wargames shows etc and if you do not then please feel free to drop by for a chat.

[Highlander Games]

""However if I did open a store then I would not be able to offer the great discounts/offers I currently can.""

And that ladies and gentlemen is exactly why hundreds of bricks and mortar stores up and down the country are closing down or going bust.........and I haven't made a profit for 11 years........sigh.

Even Dave at Fan Boy 3 in Manchester, who is arguably the best in the UK, doesn't take a wage. 

He and I have spent years asking traders, "why are you giving discounts??"

gaz