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Shin~The ladle monster!
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#1
Old 09-05-2013, 05:25 AM

Would you be interested in a comfortable, casual place to socialize and game in? Instead of focusing on selling merchandise, what if the venue operated more like a lounge or cafe with extra space and events?

This idea sprung to my mind and now I can't stop thinking about it. I'd personally love such a place to hang out and meet like-minded individuals in a setting that is social, new and unique.

I think features like the following would be pretty cool, and it makes me wonder about opening such a place and if there would be a big enough market for a place with the following features to offer:


- Café style drinks and snacks (latte's, espresso, all that good stuff)
- Offer free WiFi
- Have a handful of desktop computers available capable of some light gaming, social networking, etc (League of Legends, Warcraft, etc)
- A LOT of plug sockets available for laptop users
- Televisions and gaming consoles with couches, bean bags, etc
- LOTs of table space for board games, card games, etc (Also a large selection of these games available everything from monopoly, to Munchkin to Settlers of Catan.)
- A SEPARATE room where groups can rent out the space to hold their own gaming session with dice, paper, books, photocopier, etc available for their use? Also use this room for our own store-run tournaments. Our entire (very expansive) library of DnD, Pathfinder, WoD and other various books would be available for use in-store.
- Also run on-going RPG sessions on different days. (Dnd 3.5, Pathfinder, World of Darkness, Don’t Rest Your Head, Mutants and Masterminds, etc.) People can sign up either through purchase/first come first serve/win event ‘slots’ through participating in different store events
- DCI sanctioned Magic: The Gathering tournament play? Or just casual play? Friday Night Magic and Yugioh?
- Have an event calendar for scheduled video-game tournaments (Halo, Call of Duty, League of Legends, whatever, hell maybe even Mario Party and Mario Kart)
- Offer some merchandise for sale, booster packs for cards, miniatures, etc?


This is clearly a very rough list, but please help me out with your input. If such a place were in your community, would you check it out? Get a drink there, hang out with friends? What would you like to see?

I think the world needs more places like this lol.

KatMagenta
Starlet on the rise
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#2
Old 09-05-2013, 04:52 PM

This does sound like a great idea and a couple of places came to mind while I was reading your points.

There's a comic book/coffee shop in Glasgow that's a bit like this called Geek Retreat. It's all one basement room with a small area is for comic books and toys for sale and the rest is the coffee shop and seating. It's more geared towards table top games, board games and TCGs than video games but they seem open to ideas people have for using their space. I've been a couple of times for coffee and brought my 3DS along but there were people playing M:tG and some guys demoing the Game of Thrones board game.

If you can get to Australia there's The Mana Bar, co-ran by Yahtzee Croshaw of Zero Punctuation fame/infamy. It's a bar for gamers with lots of consoles and gaming events. Not sure if they're open during the day for people who prefer a more quiet environment or just as an evening venue.

Shin~The ladle monster!
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#3
Old 09-05-2013, 09:41 PM

Thanks! I'm glad to hear there are other successful places with similar business models out there. I would love to try and get something like this off the ground in my area, and so far I am feeling very optimistic about it. :3

I also kind of want to put in a small frozen yogurt bar, because that's sooo popular right now, and we don't have one right in our downtown area.

Dystopia
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#4
Old 09-06-2013, 01:57 PM

Its free WIFI. How could you go wrong?

KatMagenta
Starlet on the rise
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#5
Old 09-07-2013, 10:20 PM

Heh, free wifi could be a deal breaker. A lot of places here offer "free" wifi but when you try to log on you need a subscription with certain providers.

Sleepy Anarchy
Mad King - Sass Queen
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#6
Old 09-10-2013, 02:13 PM

Mana Bar is amazing. I've been there twice. Sadly, the games are a little lacking, but for some reason, Gamers are really friendly when drunk, so everyone gets along and watching drunk people play fighters is hilarious.

And WhenI get drunk and play fighters, I do better when I don't realize which chaaracter I am.

Stardragon
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#7
Old 09-23-2013, 02:40 PM

Yes I would especially if they have the Dead Or Alive games. How about selling action figures and statues based on the games through pre-orders.

 


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