Next Level Videogames Store (Black Friday SALE!)

Congrats man, hope you make it work. Making a decent living off of an independent video game store is living the freakin' dream. How long did it take you to amass your stock?
 
Now all you need is a sign that says, "Must be 17 or older to enter!". :rofl: It is so damned organized, but I see kids fucking that up. Congrats and good luck. Also let me know if you're handing out schwag for the Grand Opening:)
 
Thanks guys for the well wishes :)

[quote name='nwaugh']Congrats man, hope you make it work. Making a decent living off of an independent video game store is living the freakin' dream. How long did it take you to amass your stock?[/QUOTE]

It took me a little over a year to set up the whole business...about 3/4 of the time was amassing stock.
 
The arcade machines are a great idea, make those kids pay for their in-store gaming!
I'm in South Jersey, and I live about an hour away from your store. I'll have to take a ride up to check it out when I'm home from school for winter break.
Until then, good luck!
 
Wow excellent looking store! I'm really liking the classic gaming stuff you got there, I'm located in Jersey so I'm hoping to stop by one of these days, best of luck.
 
Nice!! I live like 20 minutes from Statford!! (I catch the train at Lindenwold for work every morning lol)

Can't promise I'll be there SATURDAY, but maybe in near future!!
 
[quote name='neudog']Now all you need is a sign that says, "Must be 17 or older to enter!". :rofl: It is so damned organized, but I see kids fucking that up. Congrats and good luck. Also let me know if you're handing out schwag for the Grand Opening:)[/QUOTE]

I'd be more worried about shoplifters, too many accessible items. I wish you the best!
 
[quote name='mehunglo']I'd be more worried about shoplifters, too many accessible items. I wish you the best![/QUOTE]


yeap too many items are out in the open just asking for shoplifters.


best of luck to you and you got major balls. I wouldnt open a store today if i had the cash. Most people will want PS3 and Wii and Xbox 360 games and you will be stuck with tons of older ps2 games just sitting there. I know locally mcvans i still on 100s if not 1000s of PS2 games and they cant sell or even trade them away. Friend told me if they get screwed this XmAS you might see one of the stores closing since they make like 80% of their money around xmas.

one massive thing that i would love to see is in the arcades that you have. Try to get a massive score and then have a promotion.

Beat the high score and get either a free trade or 50% Off a trade. That way you got people putting money into those machines (that is if the machines take cash)


sort of looks like a gamestop around here but much smaller : )

best of luck/ at least you picked the best time to open around the hoildays . if you opened in june you probally would of went belly up by xmas


just wondering how much you got invested if you want to tell
 
[quote name='slidecage']yeap too many items are out in the open just asking for shoplifters.


best of luck to you and you got major balls. I wouldnt open a store today if i had the cash. Most people will want PS3 and Wii and Xbox 360 games and you will be stuck with tons of older ps2 games just sitting there. I know locally mcvans i still on 100s if not 1000s of PS2 games and they cant sell or even trade them away. Friend told me if they get screwed this XmAS you might see one of the stores closing since they make like 80% of their money around xmas.

one massive thing that i would love to see is in the arcades that you have. Try to get a massive score and then have a promotion.

Beat the high score and get either a free trade or 50% Off a trade. That way you got people putting money into those machines (that is if the machines take cash)


sort of looks like a gamestop around here but much smaller : )

best of luck/ at least you picked the best time to open around the hoildays . if you opened in june you probally would of went belly up by xmas


just wondering how much you got invested if you want to tell[/QUOTE]

I've taken precautions to deal with shoplifters. All of my CD games are not in their cases and are behind the counter. All of my boxed games are shrinkwrapped so no one can easily slip the game out (also so I don't have to put stickers on the boxes themselves). My more expensive items are all in cases that only I can open. Nothing is right by the door, so its hard to do a quick grab and run. Also, everything is in plain sight from any place in the store.

While its true about people wanting PS3 and Wii this season...what do you think happens when those sell out and people still need presents. I have a nice selection of 360 software and you'd be surprised in the amount of people who play games a generation behind the hardcore. Also, location is the key to any business. My store is located in walking distance of 3 schools (1 public HS, 1 public Grade School, and 1 Catholic Grade school)...a nice range of people. Also, I have a nice range of busineses around me.

Of course, theft will occur, as it does in any business...and even though everything appears right, the business may fail...I'm willing to take that chance ;)

As for the arcade games, I will be holding tournaments and such so I may use that idea. Also, they will be a quarter to play.

Thank you for the luck :D
 
how far is that from philly? I live near Rt1 where it crosses into trenton, would think of maybe checkin it out


good luck either way
 
Too bad the store is pretty far from NYC, at least for me, lol. I also own and work in a independent video game store and word of advice, DO NOT OVERSTOCK! DO you have a constant chain of supply (you can go pick up anytime) or you have to make orders and it gets ship to you?
 
Nice store! I would definately want to visit but I searched on MapQuest and your 80 miles away. Perhaps I'll make a stop if I ever go to Atlantic City.

BTW, this scares me a bit.

store07.jpg


Mainly because you have alot of games left in the open (looks so NEAT with all the games stacked though!). Just seems too easy for JHS students or teens to swipe them (damn hoodlums).

*Edit - Major props for some of those classic systems. Can't believe you have a boxed Virtual Boy, Saturn, Master System, etc.

store03.jpg
 
deffinately get one of those detectors that beeps if something is being stolen, and doesn't beep it you went to the register and bought it.
 
very nice layout...maybe you should get some cameras and put them right over the items most likely to be stolen and if you dont want to hook up an actual system you can put dummy cameras up so it may deter some people
 
and make sure you got all the games that you have cases for : )

just this week i saw someone kick a display at EB games after standing in line for 20 mins and the dude couldnt find the game behind the counter. The dude had to say at least 15 cuss words in 2 mins LOL
 
Congrats.

Being a small retail business owner (board games instead of video games) myself I know that just getting everything together is major work.

It looks nice, especially since the furniture looks familiar to me. It's the same stuff exact stuff I have.

Best of Luck.
 
Thanks for the tips all.

I'll just answer a few questions/points without quoting here:

1) I will be investing in a camera system...unfortunately due to some unexpected things I had to purchase I won't be able to get one for a month or two. It was a top priority obviously, but I couldn't open without the other stuff so. But that rack with all the loose carts is right by the resgister. If I see any groups of kids looking suspicious then it'll only be a couple of feet until I beat their asses with a bat :D

2) The store is not far from Philly...I'd say 30 minutes at the most if you take the highway. Very simple to get to...just pump it into mapquest. Coming from any direction it really isn't that hard to find.
 
Hey, I drive by that shopping center all the time!
I've never stopped in there, though I stop at the Wawa up the road all the time.
I'll make sure I check out your place next week!
 
If you want to make money this holiday season, get all of the PS2 component cables cheap and advertise them as PS3 compatible for mark-up. As for the Wii front, stock component cables and have a display near the Wii section.

Good luck and if I venture in NJ, I will try to stop by.
 
[quote name='Ikohn4ever']bah you are like an hour away from me, too bad good luck though[/quote]

Me too. North Jersey for me. :cry: Best of luck though!!!
 
wow 1hr 44mins is just too long and i live in Central Jersey. if there are any questions still lingering try and pm Defender. I dont know if you know him already but he owned a shop in upstate NY. He could give you some great ideas and tips for running a store like that . i even remember when they had his shop on MTV thanks to Just Blaze. i wanted to go to that one too. Will you be starting a web site for the store? i would love to make a purchase to support your store but unfortunatley i wont make a drive that far. anyways Good Luck and hope the Grand Opening is a hit.
 
[quote name='integralsmatic']wow 1hr 44mins is just too long and i live in Central Jersey. if there are any questions still lingering try and pm Defender. I dont know if you know him already but he owned a shop in upstate NY. He could give you some great ideas and tips for running a store like that . i even remember when they had his shop on MTV thanks to Just Blaze. i wanted to go to that one too. Will you be starting a web site for the store? i would love to make a purchase to support your store but unfortunatley i wont make a drive that far. anyways Good Luck and hope the Grand Opening is a hit.[/QUOTE]

No online store in the works yet....maybe down the line. If it ever comes to that I will be sure to post it here.
 
[quote name='the_deej']that looks awesome, I wish there were independent game stores around DFW[/QUOTE]

There are independent game stores in the DFW area, you just have to look. There is an independent game store just a couple of miles from where I live (Game Trade: Gross and I-635).
 
Do you any high-value N64 carts lying out there? I agree with other posters, it would be very easy to swipe a cart that small. But I suppose if it were nothing but $20 or less games the risk isn't as high.

That is a fantastic store, best of luck to you!
 
Jewelz will be checking it out.

I visit New Jersey often. just past Union City I believe correct? I'll definitely check it out.
 
I'd love to visit, but you're a few thousand miles off my normally beaten path. Going to have online at all? By the look of it, I'd be interested in your PS1 collection.
 
[quote name='ZForce915']Do you any high-value N64 carts lying out there? I agree with other posters, it would be very easy to swipe a cart that small. But I suppose if it were nothing but $20 or less games the risk isn't as high.

That is a fantastic store, best of luck to you![/QUOTE]

Yep...99% of my high priced items (~$30 +) are inside the showcases which only I can access. There are only a few higher priced titles on the floor, but I will be keeping extra eyes on that area during rushes. :)
 
[quote name='Jewelz23']Jewelz will be checking it out.

I visit New Jersey often. just past Union City I believe correct? I'll definitely check it out.[/QUOTE]

Actually I'm a bit farther south than that...about an 1 and an half away. I'm located closer to Philly than NY. But hopefully that won't stop you from making the trip eventually :)
 
Excellent! I work across the street at the elementary school and can actually SEE your store by looking out the window! I'll definitely stop by tomorrow and at the very least pick myself up some extra Dreamcast controllers.
 
Nice store. Keep an eye out on shop lifters. I wish we had a good store like that here in Indy. Ebgames and Gamestop has less than acceptable customer service these days.
 
Hope your location is good. i worked at a mom n pop video game store located in a farming community. All we basically got for trade in was hunting games.
 
Looks like a nice store. I'll check it out on my way back from Maryland some time. There is a store called The Digital Press in Clifton, NJ that I get classic stuff from. Your store looks similar.

Anyway, good luck and I'll probably see you soon.
 
[quote name='happyorangeman']Looks like a nice store. I'll check it out on my way back from Maryland some time. There is a store called The Digital Press in Clifton, NJ that I get classic stuff from. Your store looks similar.

Anyway, good luck and I'll probably see you soon.[/QUOTE]

Yep...I'm good friends with Joe, the owner. I even helped him set up his business and he mine. If you like his store, then you should like mine.
 
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