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/vr/ - Retro Games

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672000 No.672000 [Reply] [Original]

Thinking about starting my own retro gaming store. Help me decide on a name.

>> No.672013

120percentmarkup.com

>> No.672018

TurboFaggot-OP

>> No.672019

"Going Out of Business"

Retro game stores aren't going to survive. You're going to have to add modern games, too.

>> No.672028

>>672019

I refuse. That's the problem at all the retro gaming stores in my area. Its like 90 percent used Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 games and 10% shitty assortment of actual retro games.

>> No.672089

8-bitterness

>> No.672101

Video Retro
or
Retro Video

something simple, but to the point.

>> No.672112

Turbo-Bonk: Retro Game Store

>> No.672130

>>672000
Here we have a local retro video game store, it's called "Game Over".

>> No.672153

the only retro games shop in my city we have is a shop that fucking needs government support and looks more like a wholy featured museum of retro games rather than a shop.

it takes the whole retro thing to a whole "lol us nerdy retro gamers" level and is therefore just in it for namedropping and nothing else when you ask somebody to recommend a shop for retro games.

other than that there is just a gamesstop with heavy focus on e-selling shitgames.

take all this into consideration and ask yourself if it isn't smarter to do something more profitable.

>> No.672161

retro game storage

>> No.672179

Ultra Potato

>> No.672183

Hidden Treasures

>> No.672186

Earthbound markup general.

>> No.672196

Liquor Store

>> No.672193

>>672179
like any store that's not in japan can bear that glorious name

>> No.672194

We had multiple stores in Baltimore that did old school games - all out of business just like arcades and the record stores. Shit idea OP sorry.

>> No.672203
File: 19 KB, 500x632, GAME.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
672203

GAME

>> No.672206

>>672153

Honestly I don't really have the money to start a business that would be more profitable at the moment. The plan is to do this for a couple years and then save some money then hopefully build that business that would become more profitable.

>> No.672215

>>672000
A Retro Manoeuvre
only word i could think of with "vr" in it

>> No.672213

>>672028
Your store could have a better balance; say, 40% current gen stuff. I have a couple stores like that in my area, and since they both have multiple locations in the tri-county area I assume they must be doing okay.

>> No.672218

>>672028
A big reason because of that is a good majority are not interested in retro. Think about it, you have to take in trades, 90's of what people will have will be current gen and the one before that.
Once people pick through your good retro games all you'll have left is crap most people wont want and unless you get current gen stuff in you'll go under because you won't be getting enough retro stock and sales to pay the bills.

>> No.672229

>>672028
If you're looking to start a business without considering the realities of running a business (i.e. that you need to make money) you're destined for failure.

>> No.672227

>>672194

I live in a more suburban area. Retro game stores seem to thrive in wealthy suburban areas. My area already supports several, but there's one area that's ripe for the picking.

>> No.672236

>>672206
Trust me there are small business options that are way more profitable than retro gaming.

>> No.672238

>>672194
...and now the closest place to go is estarland in virginia :/

>> No.672248

>>672206
You be better off selling stuff online and picking through yard sales to sell more online.

>> No.672245

>>672218

Its not that hard to restock your fucking inventory. Business management 101. Christ.

>> No.672265

>>672245
Ok, everyone in the area is interested in Mario games for the SNES. People will only pay for $24 tops for them. You need to get them in at a rate of 10 a week to keep afloat. How do you pull that off?

>> No.672275

>>672248
This. You can usually sell for higher prices on ebay compared to a retro store. Depending where you live, a store may become a massive no matter what you do.

>> No.672278

>>672275
*massive flop

>> No.672280

>>672245
>getting 15+ year old, out of print games at a rate cheap and fast enough to keep a store open.
>not hard
It's a huge crapshoot at best.

>> No.672293

>>672245
Everyone wants Nintendo but people keep trading in Sega. That was a issue that shut down a retro store in my area. If no one is willing to sell the stuff people want you just can't survive unless you get into the more current gen stuff.

>> No.672291

>>672245
This isnt a regular business where you buy shit from a provider. He has to rely on people who come to the store with games to sell and local sales.

>> No.672296

>>672291
and don't forget they have to be cool with half or less of what it sells for
a retro shop is really just a pawn store just for games.

>> No.672307

Bankrupt in 10...9...8...

>> No.672335

Famished-con

Because you will be poor and unable to afford food.

>> No.672374

Learn how to make fake Earthbound carts

Sell them on Craigslist for less than ebay in a public place

Make more money in a day than you would ever

>> No.672375

>>672000
By thinking I assume you mean "man that would be so cool" because if you put any real thought into this you would have scrap the idea and look into somthing else.

>> No.672379

The retro gaming store where I lived didn't survive for long. They didn't really start making anything until they started selling VHS's and DVD's. It's surprising on how most of their profit actually comes from the sell of VHS's. Their retro games only account for 1% of their sells.

>> No.672390

Here my question OP:
Do you have enough to fill up a stores walls? Because you will need a huge amount of inventory to get that kind of store started. That or you'll have to be able to survive in the red for years while accumulating your collection.

>> No.672398

Ristarve
So-poor Mario Bros.

>> No.672416

We have a successful game retro store in our area but it took the original owners to go bankrupt and sell the store as is to an insurance company to get it there. When the new owner took over the stock was already there and he had the money to advertise on TV. Let me repeat that: to get a good retro store in our area it had to ruin a families life and be given to a big business that was eccentric enough to give it a go.

Those are your odds OP.

>> No.672453

My suggestion? Don't even attempt it, OP. You got to be one of the luckiest people in the world if you end up breaking even on this. Every single retro store, despite demand for it, here has always gone out-of-business due to lack of sales.

>> No.672626
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672626

We've got a new game store near me that seems to be doing well. He's located right by a university, but I still wonder if the novelty will wear off eventually.

Me personally, I've had this plan of opening something a video game/entertainment lodge. The idea is to find a warehouse and open up as a private club, such that we can play any game and watch any movie without having to pay royalties or screening fees.

I picture the walls lined with dozens of old CRTs and VCRs/DVD players and library style headphones. Old couches and coffee tables strewn infront of 60inch DLP tvs. Members bring their ID up front to check out their game or movie.

There would be an elevated VIP area for founding members and Platinum members with access to the more valuable games and consoles. Also, I think it'd be neat to have all the basic member TVs on a CCTV system, so the VIPs could see what each of the basic TVs are showing.

As a private club we'd be able to sell alcohol, food and have concerts/music nights on the weekends.

>> No.672648

>>672626

That sounds like an absolute cesspool of nasty neckbeard man-children.

>> No.672671

>>672648
They've got nothing better to do. But the idea stems from the idea that even neckbeards deserve a sports bar alternative.

>> No.672712

>>672671

Hope you have a really good fucking ventilation system.

>> No.672715

>>672000
"OP Is Faggot"

>> No.672731

Poornic the Homelesshog

>> No.672823

Mr. Friggle's Retro Emporium

>> No.673027

OP here. In addition to the games and systems I was going to sell Retro themed shirts, stickers, patches, etc. Also, I was planning on holding weekly tournaments. Really try to make it a full Retro experience. What else would you guys looks for in your ideal vidya shop?

>> No.673031

>>673027
Frolf equipment.

>> No.673063

>>673027
Why not make it a convienience store like all the muslims make in new york, and your gimmick will be the stack of retro games you sell over the counter. Keep an updated catalog of your inventory or something.

>> No.673085

>>673063
This, but the only food you can sell is Nintendo Cereal System and Pokemon Mac n Cheese.

>> No.673145

If you want to make really good money, this is what you do.

1. Acquire two thousand dollars plus money for a plane ticket to Japan.
2. Spend said 2k on Japanese games that are good, but cheap. Their inventories are loaded.
3. Come back to America.
4. Buy vendor booth at local anime convention, and sell your stock to neckbearded manchildren.
5. Walk home with 10k.

>> No.673321

>>672000
5hit4brainz's retro closing clearance

>> No.673346

>>672245
Sooo I've got a degree in business management and this thing called "inventory flow" that you learn in business 101 is coming into play. Do tell, where will you get a reliable stock from? You can't just open the bay to your parent's garage and sell your collection OP. You need to get a compliment to your business, maybe a hobby shop that sells comic books or magic cards or something.

>> No.673385

>>673346
He could just do an online store and stock things as needed that he finds and drags home. That's viable and has little overhead. But it'd also be harder to really stand out at all as an online business since well, everyone has that shit.

>> No.673394

Make a retro arcade/bar instead. Like a Dave & Busters but with retro games.

>> No.673404

>>672626
You talking about Flashback?

I wanna say so since most of /v/ and /vr/ seesm to be from Phoenix, or at least a large portion

>> No.673420

You could "hire" people to go out and scrounge garage sales and flea markets every week, and in turn pay them more for the games they bring in then you would for any normal person who brings in the same games.

>> No.673512

>>672019
Bullshit, my local retro game store is opening another shop not too far away from the city.

>> No.674115
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674115

Open a video game bar. That's right, a bar where you can play video games! Sounds like a bad idea? Well they are doing well in Tokyo. I go by the A Button quite often.

>> No.674127
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674127

>>674115
A button

Located in Akihabara. Drinks are a little pricey, but they are craft beers...

The owner has every console imaginable. Even an American NES and a PC88. You gotta bring your own games though... And there are only two TVs.

>> No.674146
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674146

>>674127
The bathroom is full of delightful imagery too.

But seriously, don't open a retro game. You will not do well. With emulators, PSN, XBLA, and handhelds, there is no market to be selling overpriced copies to anyone. Do a game bar! It is at least a nostalgic gimmick. Maybe you could sell a few retro games at the bar to drunk customers too? Haha... Or have Nintendo themed cocktails. (They do at another video game bar in Shinjuku called the 8 bit cafe)

>> No.675117

>>672245
>Its not that hard to restock your fucking inventory. Business management 101. Christ.

So where are you going to find your truck load of EarthBounds and Panzer Dragoon Sagas? Used game stores buy, sell and trade they don't simply order more rare games from the rare game distributor. Your inventory is largely dependent on what walks in your front door to be sold or traded. Are you going to buy shit on ebay and mark it up? That's not going to work, almost everyone has a smart phone to comparison shop against your store. Who's going to run your store while you're scouring craigslist and garage sales for more inventory? What are you going to do when you sell all the good games and have stacks of Madden 95 for the Genesis that no one fucking wants? It's becoming less and less common for people to sell their good/valuable games in physical stores. Why would I sell you a game when I can get full market value and not have to leave my house? I mean I can buy postage from home and have my letter carrier pick my shit up from my house. Selling shit online is infinitely easier and I get more money out of it, save time and don't even have to put on pants.

The more successful independent used game shops in this area definitely make their money from modern used games sales but also run tournaments and events of some type. The store I was at yesterday makes their money doing Yugi Oh tournaments. Another is more into table top RPGs and has half the store dedicated to books and game pieces n shit. Another does a ton of local movie events and vidya tournaments. If you're going to be successful I would recommend having weekly events that draw in crowds and build a community.

>> No.675168

>>674127
there's a video game bar in minneapolis.

>> No.675381

>>673145
This guy has the right idea but there are easier ways.

Japan basically has shit tons of excellent online retro game shops that only ship to Japan. Buy as much you want from them, have them ship to a forwarding service, and get the mail shipped to you from them for a fee.

>> No.675597

>>674127

Cant see this working in Murrika

all that shit would get stolen

>> No.675630

Your Grandpa's Games.
Go Turbo!
Retronica.
Videogame World.
Nostalgia Nexus.
Ye Olde Game Shoppe.

>> No.675639

Dedicated retro game stores are a pretty bad idea, video games are already something of a niche and retro games are a niche within that niche. You'd probably do decent business in the first couple of weeks but once the novelty wears of you're going to be treading water at best

>> No.675685

VIDEOGAMES

>> No.676886

retro + used games would be better buisness

>> No.676891

>>675381


a friend of mine who doesnt speak japanese does this for a living for more than 15 year now.


I think about trying it too. not sure though. I do speak japanese and have a japanese wife - so that makes things easier.


but not sure about it - I would need to make at least 2000-3000€ a month

>> No.676990

Shop

>> No.677028

The Old Man Gaming Shoppe - No Games Under 14 Allowed

>> No.677029

Vidya Gayman Palace

>> No.679798

Lord PWnman's VIDYA game STORE

>> No.680558

>"Mike's retro gaming store"
>"Where you too can remember a time when I had money"

OP, even /tg/ FLGSs don't make much money unless they're REALLY good.

Go into poultry or dairy farming, there's shitloads of money there if you know what you're doing.

>> No.680669
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680669

Retro Central 98: THE REVENGE!

Opening at a store near you. Good luck man!!!

>> No.680671
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680671

Hipster's Paradise.

>> No.680673

Fresh From The Basement

>> No.680702

Hank's Got Dang Vidya Games

>> No.680716

>>675381

I feel like the market for import Retro games is even more niche, though. I was planning on having a small, but well stocked, import section. I don't know if imports are that profitable. I was just going to have them to say that I gave imports because none of the Retro stores in my area have any.

Hell, the Retro stores in my area don't even carry TG-16. Pretty much their Retro stock consists of NES, SNES, Genesis, Game Boy, and like 3 Saturn titles. It's a pretty sad state.

>> No.680727

>>680673

Actually, The Basement - Retro Gaming Center was one if the names I was kicking around.