A board games shop should be more than just a place to purchase games. It should be a destination for gamers to come and socialize, discover new games, and learn about their hobby. With that in mind, here are 8 qualities every board game shop should possess:
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A Friendly, Helpful Staff:
A friendly staff is at the top of my list. I’ve visited many shops where the employees were either too busy or simply didn’t care enough about their customers to help them out with their questions or purchases.
It’s important that you have someone who can offer suggestions when you’re looking for something new to play or a good resource on how to fix a rule issue in your favourite game.
You also need someone who can help you find an appropriate game if what you’re looking for isn’t immediately available on the shelf.
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Regular, Interactive Gatherings:
A board game shop should host regular gatherings where people can get together and play games together. These gatherings don’t need to be formalized — they could just be impromptu gatherings with friends or strangers who share your passion for games.
These events can help bring people together and create a sense of community within your store’s walls. Plus, it gives gamers an opportunity to try out new games before buying them!
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A Properly Stocked Selection:
This one is pretty obvious. If you don’t have a large selection of games, why would someone want to come through your door? You need enough variety that people can find something they like or at least something they’ve never heard of before.
A good rule of thumb is to have at least 100 different titles available for sale on the shelf at any given time. It’s also important to keep up with new releases so you can get those games into your hands as soon as possible after they come out.
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Comfortable Seating Areas:
A great way to attract new customers is by offering comfortable seating areas where they can play games together with other people or just hang out with friends while playing video games at the same time.
If you’re lucky enough to own your own building, consider building a dedicated space for this purpose (or at least renting out space). Otherwise, look for nearby coffee shops or bars that allow such behaviour and make arrangements with them beforehand.
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Space for Structured and Unstructured Gaming:
A board game shop needs to have space for both structured and unstructured gaming. This means having tables with chairs that are comfortable enough to play at for hours on end (and maybe even overnight) and areas where people can play casually while waiting for their turn at a table.
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Comfortable Tables with the Right Lighting for Board Gaming:
Board gaming is an activity best enjoyed with friends and strangers alike. A good board game shop needs to have plenty of tables where people can sit down comfortably and enjoy their time together without feeling cramped or cramped out. The right lighting is also important so players can see what they’re doing on the table.
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A Regular Stream of New Games and Expansions to Existing Games:
The biggest challenge for any board game shop owner is keeping up with the demand for new releases and expansions. In order to compete in today’s marketplace, a good board game shop should strive to be one step ahead of its competitors by always having something new available for purchase when it comes out — even if it means ordering it from another store or pre-ordering online before it arrives at your local store location.
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Events that Bring in New Gamers and Experienced Gamers Alike:
Your shop can’t survive on only one type of customer. You need both the new players who just discovered what board games have to offer, as well as the experienced players who can help teach them how to play better.
Events like tournaments and demos are great ways to bring in new customers who will hopefully become regulars. Your current regulars will appreciate being able to show off their skills against other people who know what they’re doing.
Conclusion:
No matter how big or small, a board games shop should be welcoming and exciting for anyone who walks through the door.
