Interesting discussion. Where I'm from all the successful gaming stores are tucked back into the most unlikely spaces in commercial lots. Not bad neighborhoods, but awkward spots in decent neighborhoods that have a hard time finding a renter. I'd assume most hobbyists here are pretty much specific trip shopping, people don't just walk off the street and buy a 40K army. And so they'll drive to where the hobby store is, on the back of the lot or at the long end of a strip mall.
I recently opened a game store in a small town in Manitoba just outside Winnipeg selling tcgs, board games and pretty soon Warhammer. 450 square feet and rent is just under $700 a month. I started by just selling magic singles online and after 3 years it grew to the point where I can open a store, no employees just me. Things are going much better than I expected, we'll see how things go over the next 6 months!
Fandom II in Ottawa is the critical overdrive version of the weird loyalty vibe. Very "up" tier. Check it out while it's still around if yall get the chance!
It’s interesting to me that you refer to your shop as a hobby shop. Is that a regional thing? Here a hobby shop is one that sells r/c, trains, plastic kits (cars and planes) and gundam. Your place would be called a game store.
maybe its regional, but also we carry 16 racks/rages of paint, 8-9 brush ranges, 4-5 tufts and baseing ranges, 4-5 primer brands, airbrushes, powders, wet palettes.. etc.. we have a lot more hobby materials then a game store would. so were a bit a hybrid
I think I mentioned before that I grew up in small town Ontario and saw four stores come and go. As much as I would love to have had a regular store there I can completely understand why those stores didn’t have the best staying power. The market just wasn’t right.
I wonder how much of the problem hobby stores are having in (and around) Niagara Falls, ON is how easy it is for potential customers to just go shop in Buffalo or Niagara Falls, NY. Especially whenever the CAD gets stronger against the USD
That can definately be an issue depending on economic times. Right now the Canadian dollar sucks so that won't be happening. I'm always amazed at how many hobby stores can exist in the Niagara area despite it being a relatively small population
I live in a smaller city in Ohio with two state universities in the metro. There are at least 5 tabletop gaming focused stores here. I grew up playing with friends, built a career and have returned to the hobby in the last decade or so. I don't have local friends to play at home so I rely on store space to meet people and gather to play. The store that I would consider my "home" store is a hybrid coffee shop/cafe with a large space to drink coffee, hobby, or play games. They are also a very inclusive space and cater to the LGBTQ+ community and host game nights at least once a month. It's a much needed niche in these times. Each night is a different group of players usually multiple systems in a night to fill the tables. I used to be an organizer for a game system there until work pulled me away from those duties. This shop is the owners (husband and wife) only income and business. It's undeniably a struggle, but they have created a loyal base of customers that want to support them and keep coming back.
Love watching these candid videos, just makes me want to get a timmy coffee and get some painting done.
Interesting discussion. Where I'm from all the successful gaming stores are tucked back into the most unlikely spaces in commercial lots. Not bad neighborhoods, but awkward spots in decent neighborhoods that have a hard time finding a renter. I'd assume most hobbyists here are pretty much specific trip shopping, people don't just walk off the street and buy a 40K army. And so they'll drive to where the hobby store is, on the back of the lot or at the long end of a strip mall.
I recently opened a game store in a small town in Manitoba just outside Winnipeg selling tcgs, board games and pretty soon Warhammer. 450 square feet and rent is just under $700 a month.
I started by just selling magic singles online and after 3 years it grew to the point where I can open a store, no employees just me.
Things are going much better than I expected, we'll see how things go over the next 6 months!
Good for you!
We wish you all the best. It's not an easy business but it's good that you are building up slowly.
Fandom II in Ottawa is the critical overdrive version of the weird loyalty vibe. Very "up" tier. Check it out while it's still around if yall get the chance!
Thank you for this series. Great insight.
It’s interesting to me that you refer to your shop as a hobby shop. Is that a regional thing? Here a hobby shop is one that sells r/c, trains, plastic kits (cars and planes) and gundam. Your place would be called a game store.
maybe its regional, but also we carry 16 racks/rages of paint, 8-9 brush ranges, 4-5 tufts and baseing ranges, 4-5 primer brands, airbrushes, powders, wet palettes.. etc.. we have a lot more hobby materials then a game store would. so were a bit a hybrid
I think I mentioned before that I grew up in small town Ontario and saw four stores come and go. As much as I would love to have had a regular store there I can completely understand why those stores didn’t have the best staying power. The market just wasn’t right.
I wonder how much of the problem hobby stores are having in (and around) Niagara Falls, ON is how easy it is for potential customers to just go shop in Buffalo or Niagara Falls, NY. Especially whenever the CAD gets stronger against the USD
That can definately be an issue depending on economic times. Right now the Canadian dollar sucks so that won't be happening.
I'm always amazed at how many hobby stores can exist in the Niagara area despite it being a relatively small population
I live in a smaller city in Ohio with two state universities in the metro. There are at least 5 tabletop gaming focused stores here. I grew up playing with friends, built a career and have returned to the hobby in the last decade or so. I don't have local friends to play at home so I rely on store space to meet people and gather to play. The store that I would consider my "home" store is a hybrid coffee shop/cafe with a large space to drink coffee, hobby, or play games. They are also a very inclusive space and cater to the LGBTQ+ community and host game nights at least once a month. It's a much needed niche in these times. Each night is a different group of players usually multiple systems in a night to fill the tables. I used to be an organizer for a game system there until work pulled me away from those duties. This shop is the owners (husband and wife) only income and business. It's undeniably a struggle, but they have created a loyal base of customers that want to support them and keep coming back.
I feel that as the hobby gets more expensive I worry that it will be tougher to bring in younger gamers/hobbyists...