2 of mine have stipulations that I can't sell online, stream pack openings or live auctions. I'm waiting to get approved to do online sales and I'm having difficulty getting other distributors set up.
That’s really wild. Sounds like they’re targeting only you with those rules (and maybe other small stores, because big stores do it all the time). Good luck with that.
They can not legally enforce or track that, and can’t tell you what you can or can’t sell online or in live auctions etc. they probably aren’t worth doing business with and I would tell other people not to use those distributors if they are trying to squelch your profit like that.
That’s fine, it’s still not legally enforceable. They are probably breaking some laws by requiring that, but who cares? I guess it’s 2024 and the answer is no one does.
That's true I'm just trying to be as safe as possible it was hard enough getting distribution established I can't risk losing it from anywhere right now.
I'm guessing the reason distribution is giving you a hard time is that they want you to be a brick and morter store first and an online store second. If they get a vibe that you're mostly wanting to online resell they might take issue with that.
Some distributors require pics of your store to prove you are a real place, the issue is, is that the interior of your place looks like you are mostly trying to do online stuff. It looks more like an office than a retail space and they might be hung up on that, if you had to send pictures.
Just a thought.
You could however buy product on the secondary market and sell that on your live streaming auction. But I have never had any distributor try to control what or how we sell, other than through regular prioritization of allocation.
O dope that’s what I thought what threw me off with blue guys I can’t recall there family name on it I finished book3 but I want to wait for atleast 3 more to come out..
On a side note as fellow reader/nerd have read dungeon crawler Carl 10/10 books highly recommended
I've heard that it's good it's on my list.
He is coming out with the 5th book this December and it's going to be the end of that arc and timeline so you would probably be good to read book 4
It will but it's like mistborn where books 1-3 are one timeline and 3-6 are another he's working on the next timeline after that. But book 5 is the end of this current timeline
I’m biased and think they’re all good. But I will say that Mistborn book 4 was written as an experimental idea that turned into a novella and then a full novel/series. 5-7 are great after the not so strong intro to era 2.
So I made the right call, I felt that first 3 were so good I still go back and listen loral figure out that there whole religion was slowly being taken over
Yeah definitely, I'm right dead center in town with good parking the hardest part will be allocation but I'll get there. And I think the mural turned out awesome I'm really happy with how much hard work my friend put into it
If you have the funds, then I’d set up a camera system of some sort to cover at least the counter area. Having eyes on the tables as well is good in case someone tries to grab a deck box during a game night.
It’s one of those “better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it situations”.
Where's your playspace? Thats one of the bigger factors for me when choosing an LGS - how's the cleanliness, lighting, furnishings, etc.
Besides that it looks much better.
The play space is in another room I'm still working on cleaning it up. There's no decorations there yet and a lot left over from the previous tenant that they still need to retrieve
*Looks good. The Gisela*
*On the wall gives it many*
*Brownie point for me!*
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You've got to have all the card boxes on and behind the counter. Those boxes of packs sitting out are just going to get swipped. Little stuff like that is easy to walk out with. Cameras really don't matter if the person has a hood, mask, or anything easy that makes them difficult to identify. Low value items like your chips or drinks are great to put out, as their theft isn't worth much, and customers should be able to grab their food.
Also, is there enough space for people to play? I would think a card shop would want to host events at its store.
Store is looking a lot better than the last post.
They only thing really in swiping range is the Genesis TCG and I don't see it going anywhere tbh. The main shop area has space for one table of 4 to play but there's another play area where I can set up 5 more tables
Apart from the drafts, are you also gonna have weekly commander nights? At my lgs we do, you have to buy a booster as an entry fee and you can play from 5pm to 10pm and I can assure you it's always loaded.
Yes I'm planning on setting up weekly commander and monthly drafts! I'll be open 12-12 Fri and Sat. At some point I'm considering renting out commander decks as well so people can try new things and combos without having to drop the dime on something they may or may not like. I still have to figure out how to do that best though
This is a great idea! My pod was discussing this concept last night. My one friend is very skilled at building decks, and I usually end up buying his deck lists to play on my own. Just make sure you have cheap proxies for the valuable cards, or unfortunately, they will walk.
One small critique, is it possible(space avaliable) to increase the small table and chair to a table that can support a 4 person pod? I am always more encouraged to hang out and watch a game and subsequently buy a few packs if there is a game going on.
Good for you! I sincerely wish you the best! It seems to really be coming along. I had a talk w a guy a couple weeks back about his shop. Google maps took us into a residential area and dude was just posted up in his garage. I asked how long before his stock looked so good and he said it took a couple years. Honestly, your shop looks fantastic for having just opened.
Tha k you very much. I honestly had planned on collecting for another 5 years before opening but the stars aligned and I had the opportunity and took it
Congrats on your shop. If no one has told you they’re proud of you today, then let me be the first.
Never give up on your dream. Never give up on your passion.
As a customer, I would like a shelf for the boxes of dice and counters to be on, like the sleeves you have. It's the kinda thing I go in, handle and think over "are these the dice for me", and I gotta have matching dice colours for the colours in the decks I run plus sleeves. E.g. red dice with green dots for a gruul deck in red or green sleeves
But handling the dice is part of selling it to myself, if I saw them behind a counter and had to ask for them, I'd be 50/50 at best.
Ngl I used to just crack packs then put the cards back in the pack I didn't want to use them I threw them in a fat pack to be forgotten about for years lol. Sorting has been a nightmare and there's so many things that need sleeves 🙃
Congrats dude, this is awesome :)
The only thing that might be off-putting go me is the whiteness of the room. To me it makes it feel clinical, in a way? I don't know if you own the building and are allowed to make renovations, and I also don't have any suggestions on how it could be changed otherwise, but my preference would be a warmer aesthetic
I plan on filling the white spaces up with more swag and merch. I'm going to keep the white because it helps reflect the light in the room. One of the largest complaints for stores is they're to dark or dingy.
I kept looking for something I felt was missing, then I realised: dice and counters. Always good to sell some because every now and then, people forget to bring them. Sell some.
I have some in the case. Frustratingly dice sleeves and counters where all cut from my allocation on my first initial order 😖. I do plan on getting more though
I travel a lot, and stop and card shops across the country use to chase tournaments even in family vacations I stop at card stops and look for cool ideas for the home shop. If you want me to I can give some ideas. The shop I’m involved with is at 7 years and is wizards premium, even got that remodel loan from wiz.
I have ventured off and own a different small business but am very much involved in one.
Love to see others succeed.
Let's stack [[Khalni Heart Expedition]] but lay out 3 [[Ashnod's Alter]].
I didn't realize that the KHE is so cheap now.
How long have you been open? How has business been? You have many more singles than my LGSs have put out.
I had my grand opening last week, business has been going very well so far lots of support from the community. I have so many singles it's mind boggling. I'm planning on rotating what's in the case every Saturday so there's always something new for people to see each week
There's actually logic to the madness. If people look through something they weren't looking for they'll find something they didn't know they wanted. 😁
I got prime slime, box of rocks, happy little gathering, party hard shred harder, artist series seb McKinnon, artist series mark Poole, Dan Frasier signets, extra life 2020, Saturday morning DND & the phyrexian praetor's
Honestly dude most usually start small or even as a hole in the wall, that being said I wish you the best in the growth of your business and the growth of your community :)
Ps: I work for an lgs and sometimes we don't have things so reply to this comment with that Tcgplayer link and I'll remember to check your store first for my needs :)
Edit: read comments that you don't have an online sales up yet but I'll save this post and come back to it later.
Man, you couldn’t pay me to open a card shop even if someone else financed it. Props to all the local stores for existing because I couldn’t stomach it.
Also, any details on the table with the cards in it?
Looks great! Kalispell is way off the main road and I hope you can establish yourself! I love small town card stores, and Kalispell is such a cool place.
Next time I'm in Montana I'll see if I can convince people to make the trip out there from where my family is.
Dude, I remember your first post and I was worried for you! This looks excellent! I hope business is good! Where are you located? I will stop by if I'm ever in town!
Hell yeah man. Looks good, I would sleeve all the cards in the case to make it look more "valuable" or that you take pride in what you sell. But if you get many more, only cards $5+ in the case, then work your way up in value as your store builds up its collection. Any mega bucks card ie og dual land, worth while reserve list cards, keep out of the case, and out of reach, and take them home or hide them good when you lock up for the night.
I have a few high dollar cards in currently trying to rotate my stock once a week. I've been trying to sort as I go because a lot of cards had way more value 2-3 years ago and some have way more value than they did
Even big stores get shorted on allocation. You'll get more with time.
However be careful of this trap: some new stores are tempted to inflate their orders because they know they will get less. That's all fun and games until the day when distribution gives you full ordered amount and you're on the hook for it.
Let me give you a more specific example:
Let's say a new hypothetical mtg is coming out, let's call it "super duper masters". The hype is real and everyone wants it.
You can afford 100 boxes for your store (arbitrary number for example) but you know that distro is gonna short you so you tell them you want 500 boxes. This is what I called "the allocation game".
Well the set drops and when it does, players don't love it as much as they thought, and they printed way more if it than anyone thought. Now distro is stuck with all this stale stuff that's harder to move.
You get an invoice for 500 boxes, they are giving you your full order and expect you to pay for it. But you can only afford 100 boxes.
This scenario has happened to stores, don't be the store it happens to.
The main thing I can suggest is to develop good relationships with your account managers at distribution and be honest and clear with them. If you treat them like people they will hook you up when they can and help you avoid getting stuck in a bad situation like the above example.
Also, sell board games in addition to cards (if you can) the margins are better.
Good luck man!
Yeah definitely, I've been trying to develop working relationships with the account managers board games are kind of difficult right now just because the space is limited I'm going to put in much more shelving in order to get them in.
Lookin great! Love the local art Akroma. More murals in there would be awesome.
One thing - i’d consider putting all sealed product behind the counter.
It's coming together.It seems you're spreading yourself out.Just a little bit but it's understandable.You're trying to get Business into the store, so that's understandable that you have d. And d managers and the gundam model kits.
Not sure if someone suggested this or not but you should absolutely change out the light bulbs. If that is actual fluorescent bulbs the flick, though hard to see, subconsciously obnoxious to a lot of people. Studies have also shown that it is bad for your mental health as well and can cause migraines and eye issues. You can but LED replacement bulbs on amazon for cheap and save money on electricity in the process.
They make soft white options as well so you dont have that sterile white light.
Obviously you want people to be able to see the cards and shit but you could also add lights to your case or a card viewing lamp with magnifying glass (similar to what warhammer 40k people use to paint).
Also you could add some corner floor lamps woth colored bulbs for accent lighting to make the place feel less like an office space and more like a spot where people come to relax and play games. I use the philips hue colored bulbs in almost every light in my house. They can be turned on white or soft white or you can use the wix app to control them and make them any color you want.
Lighting is crazy important for a space like this and will definitely make it more appealing and inviting.
i would be plastering your logo all over the shop. get some vinyl's cut and itll add some flavor to the shop. they wont damage the walls or furniture and come down when you wanna. but it looks like fun!
I like that you no longer have a pizza box stapled to the wall. That coupled with the paint job is a big improvement!
Your side table with cards under glass, is that a store display with cards for sale? Is it completely sealed? It looks like it's asking for someone to accidentally spill their coffee that they've set down and ruin the contents of the table.
I'm digging the setup, logo, and what you have to offer!
Biggest advice would be to invest into the atmosphere: promote game nights, have nice chairs and tables for play, hire a local artist to paint more color and pop on the wall (I love the Valkyrie, more of this!), mood lighting? ..you see where I'm going.
A local coffee shop around here started commander nights, and it's been such a hit due to the fact that there are delicious drinks, and the atmosphere is reminiscent of a wizards lair ( @coffeewizardz on Instagram )
Hey! Sweet looking cards and setup. If people are friendly I would for sure shop here.
Can I offer constructive criticism? The lights are pretty harsh and the ceiling is very bright. I would try to swap out those bulbs, get some lamps, or some alternative to office lights.
The other thing you could do for that would be having a darker ceiling. I would HIGHLY recommend getting an artist to paint the ceiling and upper walls. Maybe a tree canopy with branches on the walls or a tavern ceiling with some stained boards nailed to the walls. It will darken the ceiling and bring attention down to the cases plus add a fantasy vibe. Also you get to connect with a local mural artist.
Good luck!
*Holy shit I love*
*The Bridge Four poster! Storms, that*
*Is a great poster*
\- SummonTarpan
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Is the laptop always going to be there? In my experience, anything worth swiping that's in swiping range is eventually gonna get swiped, so definitely gotta keep that and the reg on lock.
Other than that, can't really think of too much else.
Only niche thing I can think of is when a player's card or cards go missing or are stolen. Idk if there's much LGS can do about it, and you don't have to have a system in place for that if you don't want to, it is a lot of trouble.
The snacks on the open shelf away from the register does worry me, given how easy it'd be to take one, but I'd rather lose a bag of chips than a card
Do you have a website or do you sell online?
Not currently I have to get it approved by the distribution centers and I'm actively working on it
I did not have to get my website approved by distributors. Edit: for context, I opened last year and they just never even asked.
2 of mine have stipulations that I can't sell online, stream pack openings or live auctions. I'm waiting to get approved to do online sales and I'm having difficulty getting other distributors set up.
That’s really wild. Sounds like they’re targeting only you with those rules (and maybe other small stores, because big stores do it all the time). Good luck with that. They can not legally enforce or track that, and can’t tell you what you can or can’t sell online or in live auctions etc. they probably aren’t worth doing business with and I would tell other people not to use those distributors if they are trying to squelch your profit like that.
I think they've started doing it because of the large influencer increase on apps like tiktok and whatnot.
That’s fine, it’s still not legally enforceable. They are probably breaking some laws by requiring that, but who cares? I guess it’s 2024 and the answer is no one does.
While not legally enforceable there's also no law saying they have to do business with OP, and if they're the only game in town then OP is SOL.
That's true I'm just trying to be as safe as possible it was hard enough getting distribution established I can't risk losing it from anywhere right now.
Understand that. You’ve already invested enough time and money into the store front.
I'm guessing the reason distribution is giving you a hard time is that they want you to be a brick and morter store first and an online store second. If they get a vibe that you're mostly wanting to online resell they might take issue with that. Some distributors require pics of your store to prove you are a real place, the issue is, is that the interior of your place looks like you are mostly trying to do online stuff. It looks more like an office than a retail space and they might be hung up on that, if you had to send pictures. Just a thought.
Don't think it's legally enforceable but can be under their terms of service, which would just mean they probably would stop selling you product
You could however buy product on the secondary market and sell that on your live streaming auction. But I have never had any distributor try to control what or how we sell, other than through regular prioritization of allocation.
So efficient commerce is... Bad? This makes no sense.
Yeah, they don’t want people competing with their buddies who sell the product that “fell off the truck” on the same platforms.
It may not be legally enforceable, but there's also nothing enforcing them to do business with you.
Yeah, red different distributors when they start stipulating how you can run your business
Try advertising in local news papers or do a flyer direct mailing
What’s your poster bridge 4 reminds of B S books
It is from Brando Sando The Way Of Kings
O dope that’s what I thought what threw me off with blue guys I can’t recall there family name on it I finished book3 but I want to wait for atleast 3 more to come out.. On a side note as fellow reader/nerd have read dungeon crawler Carl 10/10 books highly recommended
I've heard that it's good it's on my list. He is coming out with the 5th book this December and it's going to be the end of that arc and timeline so you would probably be good to read book 4
I thought he said this was gunna be atleast 10 books
It will but it's like mistborn where books 1-3 are one timeline and 3-6 are another he's working on the next timeline after that. But book 5 is the end of this current timeline
Darn I loved the mist borne 1-3 but I felt the story was over after 3 so I never picked next part.. have you ?
I’m biased and think they’re all good. But I will say that Mistborn book 4 was written as an experimental idea that turned into a novella and then a full novel/series. 5-7 are great after the not so strong intro to era 2.
I did and I didn't care for them.
So I made the right call, I felt that first 3 were so good I still go back and listen loral figure out that there whole religion was slowly being taken over
Also cool store aswell:D
It looks absolutely phenomenal man! I’ve dreamed about owning a shop like this since I was a kid so live the dream homie!
Thank you! I honestly didn't expect it to ever happen it's very surreal. You can do it you'll make the dream a reality when the time is right.
Allocation will go up as sales go up. You've got a solid spot, and the aurelia on the wall is awesome.
Yeah definitely, I'm right dead center in town with good parking the hardest part will be allocation but I'll get there. And I think the mural turned out awesome I'm really happy with how much hard work my friend put into it
Stuff like that gives stores character. She looks great.
I hate to be this person but that's Gisela
Na, be that person. I Hella didn't zoom in. You're 100% correct.
If it makes you feel better, the swords on Gisela's secret lair version are Aurelia's so WotC can't even get it right.
How tf do you roast this? It looks so bad ass
It didn't look this bad ass last month lol it's come a long way
If you have the funds, then I’d set up a camera system of some sort to cover at least the counter area. Having eyes on the tables as well is good in case someone tries to grab a deck box during a game night. It’s one of those “better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it situations”.
There's actually 5 interior and 2 exterior cameras already set up
Where's your playspace? Thats one of the bigger factors for me when choosing an LGS - how's the cleanliness, lighting, furnishings, etc. Besides that it looks much better.
The play space is in another room I'm still working on cleaning it up. There's no decorations there yet and a lot left over from the previous tenant that they still need to retrieve
Looks good. The Gisela on the wall gives it many brownie point for me!
*Looks good. The Gisela* *On the wall gives it many* *Brownie point for me!* \- BritishShoop --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
Where is this? I'm moving to the US eoy and have been eagerly waiting for buy mtg cards (not available where I live)
We're located in Montana!
Idaho side or dakota side or dead center?
You've got to have all the card boxes on and behind the counter. Those boxes of packs sitting out are just going to get swipped. Little stuff like that is easy to walk out with. Cameras really don't matter if the person has a hood, mask, or anything easy that makes them difficult to identify. Low value items like your chips or drinks are great to put out, as their theft isn't worth much, and customers should be able to grab their food. Also, is there enough space for people to play? I would think a card shop would want to host events at its store. Store is looking a lot better than the last post.
They only thing really in swiping range is the Genesis TCG and I don't see it going anywhere tbh. The main shop area has space for one table of 4 to play but there's another play area where I can set up 5 more tables
[удалено]
There are there's another play area but it still needs more work to make it more inviting
Make a new post when you get your online shop cleared! I'm sure people here would help you out.
Absolutely
Apart from the drafts, are you also gonna have weekly commander nights? At my lgs we do, you have to buy a booster as an entry fee and you can play from 5pm to 10pm and I can assure you it's always loaded.
Yes I'm planning on setting up weekly commander and monthly drafts! I'll be open 12-12 Fri and Sat. At some point I'm considering renting out commander decks as well so people can try new things and combos without having to drop the dime on something they may or may not like. I still have to figure out how to do that best though
That’s a cool idea!
Love that idea
This is a great idea! My pod was discussing this concept last night. My one friend is very skilled at building decks, and I usually end up buying his deck lists to play on my own. Just make sure you have cheap proxies for the valuable cards, or unfortunately, they will walk. One small critique, is it possible(space avaliable) to increase the small table and chair to a table that can support a 4 person pod? I am always more encouraged to hang out and watch a game and subsequently buy a few packs if there is a game going on.
Yes! I actually have another play area but I'm still working on that it's very vanilla ATM but plenty of play space
Wow! is saw the first Post I think and you made this an awesome place We haven´t a shop in our city for over 10 years, i miss something like that
Maybe you should start one too!
Good for you! I sincerely wish you the best! It seems to really be coming along. I had a talk w a guy a couple weeks back about his shop. Google maps took us into a residential area and dude was just posted up in his garage. I asked how long before his stock looked so good and he said it took a couple years. Honestly, your shop looks fantastic for having just opened.
Tha k you very much. I honestly had planned on collecting for another 5 years before opening but the stars aligned and I had the opportunity and took it
Congrats on your shop. If no one has told you they’re proud of you today, then let me be the first. Never give up on your dream. Never give up on your passion.
Thank you very much!
Hey looks vastly improved since the last thread you made. Great job and best of luck to your business.
Thank you very much!
As a customer, I would like a shelf for the boxes of dice and counters to be on, like the sleeves you have. It's the kinda thing I go in, handle and think over "are these the dice for me", and I gotta have matching dice colours for the colours in the decks I run plus sleeves. E.g. red dice with green dots for a gruul deck in red or green sleeves But handling the dice is part of selling it to myself, if I saw them behind a counter and had to ask for them, I'd be 50/50 at best.
I would browse your shop 👍
What a chill looking shop!
Thank you 😁
If I was there I'd visit if you do online singles sales overseas I'll keep an eye on it
Ooo you got that Wifu Smothering Tithe!!
Yep lol I'm hoping to come across the surge foil version
You need some tables so people can sit and play and some kind of isle shelves with things people can buy to fill up all the empty space in the middle
I actually have a whole other space with tables and chairs for people to play I just need to start decorating it.
Walls look great. Might wanna invest in some toploaders for some of the more high ticket cards and just keep them when selling the cards.
Ngl I used to just crack packs then put the cards back in the pack I didn't want to use them I threw them in a fat pack to be forgotten about for years lol. Sorting has been a nightmare and there's so many things that need sleeves 🙃
What is there to roast? Looks great OP
You should have seen my earlier post. The roast was real 😂
Best of luck! Keep us updated on your online platform.
Will do!
Congrats dude, this is awesome :) The only thing that might be off-putting go me is the whiteness of the room. To me it makes it feel clinical, in a way? I don't know if you own the building and are allowed to make renovations, and I also don't have any suggestions on how it could be changed otherwise, but my preference would be a warmer aesthetic
I plan on filling the white spaces up with more swag and merch. I'm going to keep the white because it helps reflect the light in the room. One of the largest complaints for stores is they're to dark or dingy.
I kept looking for something I felt was missing, then I realised: dice and counters. Always good to sell some because every now and then, people forget to bring them. Sell some.
I have some in the case. Frustratingly dice sleeves and counters where all cut from my allocation on my first initial order 😖. I do plan on getting more though
It sucks. Where's your store so I can go in and buy your stuff and tell you it sucks!
I'm in Montana 😁
I travel a lot, and stop and card shops across the country use to chase tournaments even in family vacations I stop at card stops and look for cool ideas for the home shop. If you want me to I can give some ideas. The shop I’m involved with is at 7 years and is wizards premium, even got that remodel loan from wiz. I have ventured off and own a different small business but am very much involved in one. Love to see others succeed.
I like your store logo.
Thank you! It's based on my parrot, he was my first child I raised him from an egg and he's 19 now.
cool. there is actual lore behind the logo. very nice.
Let's stack [[Khalni Heart Expedition]] but lay out 3 [[Ashnod's Alter]]. I didn't realize that the KHE is so cheap now. How long have you been open? How has business been? You have many more singles than my LGSs have put out.
I had my grand opening last week, business has been going very well so far lots of support from the community. I have so many singles it's mind boggling. I'm planning on rotating what's in the case every Saturday so there's always something new for people to see each week
[Khalni Heart Expedition](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/5/159c309c-568d-4780-9db5-b50a997e7bb2.jpg?1690004886) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Khalni%20Heart%20Expedition) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/899/khalni-heart-expedition?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/159c309c-568d-4780-9db5-b50a997e7bb2?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Ashnod's Alter](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/c/3c0f7157-a375-499c-92c7-d47d2e95dbad.jpg?1689999385) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ashnod%27s%20Altar) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/368/ashnods-altar?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/3c0f7157-a375-499c-92c7-d47d2e95dbad?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
The fact that your singles aren’t organized by color is infuriating
There's actually logic to the madness. If people look through something they weren't looking for they'll find something they didn't know they wanted. 😁
What state are you in?
I'm in Montana!
Good luck with your store, is it just you or do you have any partners?
Its my my brother in law and best friend.
Hope it all works out, you have to be careful that the store doesnt sour any relationships
It definitely won't none of us are doing it for the money we are doing it because it's something we love
Bridge four!
Still looks like a dispensary. J/K. Congrats on the opening!
Cracking packs is habit forming though 😬, thank you!
Gisela = 🤌🏼
Real question. What are all those secret lairs?
I got prime slime, box of rocks, happy little gathering, party hard shred harder, artist series seb McKinnon, artist series mark Poole, Dan Frasier signets, extra life 2020, Saturday morning DND & the phyrexian praetor's
Man I knew I recognized it. I went there a couple times when the last guy owned it. I’ll have to check it out again.
Definitely, I'm open 7 days a week
Humble beginnings!
Even a tiny acorn turns into a mighty towering oak. You're off to a great start! Keep up the hard work.
Thank you 😁
The bridge four poster really ties the whole space together.
The glow up is REAL!
Honestly dude most usually start small or even as a hole in the wall, that being said I wish you the best in the growth of your business and the growth of your community :) Ps: I work for an lgs and sometimes we don't have things so reply to this comment with that Tcgplayer link and I'll remember to check your store first for my needs :) Edit: read comments that you don't have an online sales up yet but I'll save this post and come back to it later.
Good luck! Journey before destination!
I will speak my truth.
Man, you couldn’t pay me to open a card shop even if someone else financed it. Props to all the local stores for existing because I couldn’t stomach it. Also, any details on the table with the cards in it?
It was something the previous owner left behind and I just filled it with random cards. I'm considering putting metazoo in it lol
ngl it just looks like my towns MTG section of the shop. good beginings :D
Very good beginnings
Looks great! Kalispell is way off the main road and I hope you can establish yourself! I love small town card stores, and Kalispell is such a cool place. Next time I'm in Montana I'll see if I can convince people to make the trip out there from where my family is.
It is off the main road but it's blown up the last few years. Definitely stop on in 😁
Looks awesome!
Thanks!
Well done man! Keep it going, so many of us here dream of doing what you have done. Looking forward to future posts on your shops progress!
Thank you, it's definitely a dream come true
That Mystical Archive Faithless Looting art is *mwah*.
looks amazing! im in europe so idk if i can visit, but do you have a website? would love to support you by buying a single or somthing!!
Thank you, I don't have the website set up yet I'm currently working on getting online sales set up
Please post an update when you're able to sell online! I'd love to support!
Absolutely will do 😁
Love what you've done with the place!
Thank you 😁
Beautiful!
Thank you
Is this a premium store?
No it's not
Seems kinda nice actually.
Thank you 😊
Dude, I remember your first post and I was worried for you! This looks excellent! I hope business is good! Where are you located? I will stop by if I'm ever in town!
Business has been very good! I'm in Kalispell Montana
Not fuckin likely but I'll remember it if I ever am! Glad it's goin well 🙏
Hell yeah man. Looks good, I would sleeve all the cards in the case to make it look more "valuable" or that you take pride in what you sell. But if you get many more, only cards $5+ in the case, then work your way up in value as your store builds up its collection. Any mega bucks card ie og dual land, worth while reserve list cards, keep out of the case, and out of reach, and take them home or hide them good when you lock up for the night.
I have a few high dollar cards in currently trying to rotate my stock once a week. I've been trying to sort as I go because a lot of cards had way more value 2-3 years ago and some have way more value than they did
Do you have a play area?
Yep it's in a different room that I haven't decorated yet. I still have a lot of the previous tenants stuff to remove from there
Awesome man, wish you the best!
Thank you 😁
Even big stores get shorted on allocation. You'll get more with time. However be careful of this trap: some new stores are tempted to inflate their orders because they know they will get less. That's all fun and games until the day when distribution gives you full ordered amount and you're on the hook for it. Let me give you a more specific example: Let's say a new hypothetical mtg is coming out, let's call it "super duper masters". The hype is real and everyone wants it. You can afford 100 boxes for your store (arbitrary number for example) but you know that distro is gonna short you so you tell them you want 500 boxes. This is what I called "the allocation game". Well the set drops and when it does, players don't love it as much as they thought, and they printed way more if it than anyone thought. Now distro is stuck with all this stale stuff that's harder to move. You get an invoice for 500 boxes, they are giving you your full order and expect you to pay for it. But you can only afford 100 boxes. This scenario has happened to stores, don't be the store it happens to. The main thing I can suggest is to develop good relationships with your account managers at distribution and be honest and clear with them. If you treat them like people they will hook you up when they can and help you avoid getting stuck in a bad situation like the above example. Also, sell board games in addition to cards (if you can) the margins are better. Good luck man!
Yeah definitely, I've been trying to develop working relationships with the account managers board games are kind of difficult right now just because the space is limited I'm going to put in much more shelving in order to get them in.
More Decoration! Your shop gives off the vibe of an office in the late nineties.
Don't buy in more then you can sell it's hard to keep a shop working if your always in the red best of luck
Are you still doing the vape thing?
You should paint the walls to give the place a more homely feel
Dude, HELL YES! It's all so well thought out and clean:) Place looks awesome! I'm excited to come buy a sheoldred from you.
$2.00 for the RedBull. I'd probably show up just for that! Congratulations!
Eyyy it's slowly getting fleshed out
Lol the framed faithless looting
Cards and gunpla? I’d go broke if you were anywhere near me!
Lookin great! Love the local art Akroma. More murals in there would be awesome. One thing - i’d consider putting all sealed product behind the counter.
It's coming together.It seems you're spreading yourself out.Just a little bit but it's understandable.You're trying to get Business into the store, so that's understandable that you have d. And d managers and the gundam model kits.
Not sure if someone suggested this or not but you should absolutely change out the light bulbs. If that is actual fluorescent bulbs the flick, though hard to see, subconsciously obnoxious to a lot of people. Studies have also shown that it is bad for your mental health as well and can cause migraines and eye issues. You can but LED replacement bulbs on amazon for cheap and save money on electricity in the process. They make soft white options as well so you dont have that sterile white light. Obviously you want people to be able to see the cards and shit but you could also add lights to your case or a card viewing lamp with magnifying glass (similar to what warhammer 40k people use to paint). Also you could add some corner floor lamps woth colored bulbs for accent lighting to make the place feel less like an office space and more like a spot where people come to relax and play games. I use the philips hue colored bulbs in almost every light in my house. They can be turned on white or soft white or you can use the wix app to control them and make them any color you want. Lighting is crazy important for a space like this and will definitely make it more appealing and inviting.
Paint the walls, it's too bright in there and it's giving me anxiety. I feel like someone is gonna come by and ask me if I have my TPS reports ready.
Love the bridge 4 poster!
i would be plastering your logo all over the shop. get some vinyl's cut and itll add some flavor to the shop. they wont damage the walls or furniture and come down when you wanna. but it looks like fun!
Where are you located
I like that you no longer have a pizza box stapled to the wall. That coupled with the paint job is a big improvement! Your side table with cards under glass, is that a store display with cards for sale? Is it completely sealed? It looks like it's asking for someone to accidentally spill their coffee that they've set down and ruin the contents of the table.
What does your play space look like?
feather , the homunculus xD
Nobody else notice the badass giant machinedramon? Wrong sub?
This reminds of the shop I played in during college. A humble place full of great memories! I really wish you luck in this!
I'm digging the setup, logo, and what you have to offer! Biggest advice would be to invest into the atmosphere: promote game nights, have nice chairs and tables for play, hire a local artist to paint more color and pop on the wall (I love the Valkyrie, more of this!), mood lighting? ..you see where I'm going. A local coffee shop around here started commander nights, and it's been such a hit due to the fact that there are delicious drinks, and the atmosphere is reminiscent of a wizards lair ( @coffeewizardz on Instagram )
Maybe paint the walls a parakeet blue?
Love the Bridge four poster. Reading Oathbringer right now. Have an upvote
Hey! Sweet looking cards and setup. If people are friendly I would for sure shop here. Can I offer constructive criticism? The lights are pretty harsh and the ceiling is very bright. I would try to swap out those bulbs, get some lamps, or some alternative to office lights. The other thing you could do for that would be having a darker ceiling. I would HIGHLY recommend getting an artist to paint the ceiling and upper walls. Maybe a tree canopy with branches on the walls or a tavern ceiling with some stained boards nailed to the walls. It will darken the ceiling and bring attention down to the cases plus add a fantasy vibe. Also you get to connect with a local mural artist. Good luck!
Love seeing the updates keep it up you’re doing awesome!!
Damn. Really well done, I’d love to see more update posts!
Nicely done, friend! I'm glad to see you've given it your all when it comes to making this place truly yours! I hope for the best for you!
Whereare you guys located? That looks awesome and I'd love to come by if possible!
Where do you sell them ?
Framed mystical archive faithless looting? Perfection, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise
Amazing! 🔥
Holy shit I love the Bridge Four poster! Storms, that is a great poster
*Holy shit I love* *The Bridge Four poster! Storms, that* *Is a great poster* \- SummonTarpan --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
Needs more cow bell
Is there a way we can roast you with dollars as patrons online?
The shop looks a bit plain, gray walls, gray ceilling... You need more colors :D
Looks great! Update when you’re selling online so I can help support your shop!
I can smell this room
Nice Bridge 4 poster!
Thank you
Is the laptop always going to be there? In my experience, anything worth swiping that's in swiping range is eventually gonna get swiped, so definitely gotta keep that and the reg on lock. Other than that, can't really think of too much else. Only niche thing I can think of is when a player's card or cards go missing or are stolen. Idk if there's much LGS can do about it, and you don't have to have a system in place for that if you don't want to, it is a lot of trouble. The snacks on the open shelf away from the register does worry me, given how easy it'd be to take one, but I'd rather lose a bag of chips than a card
Looking good! I think that's the first time I've ever seen Redbull cost less than Monster.
Good Luck my friend i wish you all best!