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So I grew interest in miniature gaming and 40k last summer, courtesy of MWG (Thanks Matt) and let me tell you I have been enjoying it. It helps me relax after a hard day's work and the such. What really sucked about it though was not having someone to play with. I was the only person in my circle of friends to like tabletop gaming, and I live in a small town where the majority of the citizenry is seniors. That same summer a comic book store opened up in my town, and I was happy to see something new and different for a change.

I went to check it out and I was pretty surprised when I saw that they held 40k games on Sundays. Sadly, I was unable to attend most of them due to my job.

And then one day, out of no where, the comic book store owner decides he doesn't want to hold 40k gaming on Sundays. He starts to push the dates back, and eventually they were completely gone. When I asked the guy about it, he told me it was just temporary, that he was gonna bring it back over the holidays, and that he wanted to try something new on the Sunday slot. Makes sense, right? He is running a business after all, so no biggie.

But the holidays came and no 40k in sight.

It turns out he didn't like 40k in his store because, and I quote "It took away customers from what really matter: selling comic books." I understand the man is running a business with his wife, but never did I see 40k take away from comic book sales. As a matter of fact, people walking into the store that saw people playing would stay longer and eventually buy a comic or something. This store even sold models for a while, and once they stopped, they told everyone they could still order from them. Not anymore.

So I discussed it with the only two people I got a chance to properly meet from the 40k gaming days at the store, and they both told me that the owner didn't like 40k, Yu-Gi-Oh, or any other tabletop game, with the exception of Heroclix. He wanted to keep it superhero and comic book related as much as possible, alienating our group of tabletop gamers. It came to the point when he would ask us to leave if we didn't buy a comic.

Idk, I felt like blowing a little steam there. I don't want you guys coming down on me with a vengeful wrath. I'm just expressing my dissatisfaction with this particular establishment. The nearest gaming club from where I live is a two hour drive, so you must understand the frustration.

I don't.
Start your own club.
It's not that difficult.
Then you can play what you like, with hours that suit yourselves.

It does suck when sales become that important over fun. I seriously cant believe that he would lose sales over that. Make it a gold coin gaming entry on Sundays or something if you are that desperate, which you refund if a comic is bought. Problem solved!

The situation may be a bit different over in the states as comic books have a much bigger following than here in the UK.

I think most over here would kill to have the footfall that something like tabletop days would give them. Every single time I've been into an independent that stocks a wide variety (miniatures, collectables, comics, ccg etc) they have basically been empty.

You get one of two situations, either:
Solo store owner who watches you like a hawk
Store owner plus family/friends who look at you like you have 3 heads.

I may just have been unlucky but my experiences in NW England are that the FLGS is a bit of a misnomer. They don't come across very friendly at all.

Hence my point about footfall. More people = less intimidating atmosphere = more browsing = more purchases.

 marv335 wrote:
I don't.
Start your own club.
It's not that difficult.
Then you can play what you like, with hours that suit yourselves.

Clearly, you misunderstand that I live in a town in which wargaming is non-existing. The most popular hobbies around here are kite flying and RC vehicles. Those are already expensive enough as it is, and not very many are interested in tabletop. Trust me, I've tried with multiple demos and advocating to the hobby.

 BattleCapIronblood wrote:

 marv335 wrote:
I don't.
Start your own club.
It's not that difficult.
Then you can play what you like, with hours that suit yourselves.

Clearly, you misunderstand that I live in a town in which wargaming is non-existing. The most popular hobbies around here are kite flying and RC vehicles. Those are already expensive enough as it is, and not very many are interested in tabletop. Trust me, I've tried with multiple demos and advocating to the hobby.

If there were enough people for there to be a (now cancelled) tabletop wargaming day at the comic book store, then there must be gamers in the area.
They didn't just evaporate once the shop stopped the gaming on Sundays.
Find them.
Organise.
There will be somewhere that has a room you can rent/borrow, tables are not hard to make, neither is terrain.
If you want to game in your town, find the other people who also game (and they do exist, just outside your circle of friends, you admitted as much yourself in the first post), and sort something out.

That is strange since most flgs have a bit of everything to stay in business. He must sell a lot of comics for his store to single out just that area for income. Most store I've seen try to sell everything they can. My locale sells GW, comics, card games, board games, DnD stuff, action figs and probly a dozen other things just to cover as much as they can. The only thing they don't sell is warmachine/ hordes. They tried for a little while but nobody seem to buy it so they dropped it. Maybe he wasn't seeing much sales for 40k in his store and it was just eating up his shelf space.

I personally live in a gaming wasteland (near Fresno, CA, an ACTUAL physical and metaphorical wasteland) We dont really have places we can play without a long drive so i found some guys who like to play and now we play in my garage! We got some tables, i also use an old ping pong table, and in my spare time ive been making terrain out of foam board (its super cheap) and we game whenever ever we feel like it, or whenever my wife lets us.

Dont think of a lost opportunity, but instead of the ones you can gain! Im sure one of the guys who played have a spare room, or a garage, or something. Failing that, try the rec center or a teen center and trying your luck. If youre lucky and you know someone who works at a public building thats normally closed on those days, maybe they can let you use one of their rooms. Just weigh your options and go for it. The store owners loss is your gain. I think if it was really a problem for him I would have offered to pay a $5 gaming fee, and if he turns that down then you know its less of a money thing and more of a jerk thing.

 wowsmash wrote:
The only thing they don't sell is warmachine/ hordes. They tried for a little while but nobody seem to buy it so they dropped it. Maybe he wasn't seeing much sales for 40k in his store and it was just eating up his shelf space.

That might be it. From what I've seen, comic/game stores tend to focus on the money makers, and then branch out from there. I know a couple stores near me that rely on comic sales first (and it's taken me this long to finally start reading comics - I've been going to one for around 10 years now) and then Magic: The Gathering sales second, and then miniatures/miscellaneous. And I know a couple stores that eschew comics completely in favor of M:TG, Board Games, and Miniatures.

Looks like the OP's store just decided to focus on what keeps him in business. If you want to try and bring them back, get a club together, and order everything you want to buy through your local store - not only may in convince the guy that getting Minis back in stock may be a good idea, but you'll also be helping your local store to stay in business.

I think your right. When my local first opened they only wanted to really deal with mtg and while they had other things you could tell they were considered a nusance by the staff if wasn't mtg related. After we got a club together and started talking with the store owner he started to get serious about stocking GW product and we started up a gaming event a couple times a week. There also starting a adult game night on Sundays. Store closes a 6pm. Anyone 21 and older shows up after. The barbecue/ beer and game tell late. Doesn't even have to be 40k. They do lots of board games to. You just have to work with your local.

um... move?

Alternatively, this is exactly what a garage is for. Build a table, get some terrain, send an e-vite to those guys you were playing against, have a party. Make sure an appropriate amount of beer is involved.

The store owner will have access to his own sales figures,

Despite what you saw on the now cancelled gaming night his numbers may show it didn't make financial sense to keep them going

he may not have a personal liking for mini gaming, but as a business man in a tough economy he won't have kicked out a money spinner,

if he's closed you down you were either costing him money, or at best breaking even while adding a lot to his work load

I know that feeling. We had a wonderful FLGS where I live that used to hold wonderful events and such, and was a good place to game. It went out of business around the Holidays.

Sorry you lost your venue. Around here none of the comic book stores sell miniatures. Strictly comics, MtG and collectibles.

How do you guys space to make table top gaming clubs , wouldnt the cost of an monthly fee for gamers would have to be real high . renting a 30-50 square meter room cost tons of cash and you would have to find someone willing to rent .

You don't even need to do it at venue. Someone got a decent garage? Like a double car garage? Once a fornight or something, move the cars out, set up a couple of folding tables up, throw some battlemats and terrain down, and go at it. Keep an esky full of ice and beer/soft drinks. Order pizza when you get hungry.

It's how it's mostly been done in Australia, and as I understand it, the UK, for a long time.

I play mostly with 3 friends.

We made a table that one of us can store in his cellar (3 tabletops bought from IKEA and flocked/painted.)

We play about once a month. We order pizza or make tacos and drink beer and play games. After 40k is done, we play Zombicide or Talisman.

It's good times.

 -Loki- wrote:
You don't even need to do it at venue. Someone got a decent garage? Like a double car garage? Once a fornight or something, move the cars out, set up a couple of folding tables up, throw some battlemats and terrain down, and go at it. Keep an esky full of ice and beer/soft drinks. Order pizza when you get hungry.

It's how it's mostly been done in Australia, and as I understand it, the UK, for a long time.

I dont think anyone I know has a garge of their own , only very rich people own a house of their own. Cellers are out of the question too , they are very small and the janitors hate when young people get anywhere near them , even if those are their parents cellers .

Any spare room should be big enough to hold a 6x4 gaming table, so it could be somebody's living room even or an empty bedroom. You can get two 3x6 fold up tables for about $50-60 US, once the game is done, fold them up and store them away.

I currently play with a group of about five, with 6 different armies among us. My house has a 1.5 car garage that neither my wife nor I actually park in, so its mostly storage anyway. The table is a custom made fold up wooden table top that is heavy as hell, and its held up by two saw horses.

My group has 3 of these:

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/00251343/

That said, if you are completely unable to talk any of the parents into storing these things, it is harder.

There are a lot of us here that are old enough that we have our own houses and flats. It's hard to remember how you were the victim of your parents' whims and wants when you were a kid. If they don't want you to store three tables, then you can't store three tables.

Makumba wrote:

 -Loki- wrote:
You don't even need to do it at venue. Someone got a decent garage? Like a double car garage? Once a fornight or something, move the cars out, set up a couple of folding tables up, throw some battlemats and terrain down, and go at it. Keep an esky full of ice and beer/soft drinks. Order pizza when you get hungry.

It's how it's mostly been done in Australia, and as I understand it, the UK, for a long time.

I dont think anyone I know has a garge of their own , only very rich people own a house of their own. Cellers are out of the question too , they are very small and the janitors hate when young people get anywhere near them , even if those are their parents cellers .

A garage was just a suggestion. Any room will do. My brother usually hosts ours with friends, and we just throw a dining table in his living room and put a board on that.

A good solution for the table is folding trestle tables, the sort used at outdoor functions. You can get tables that are 6'x2.5' when unfolded, and when folded up are 3'x2.5'. Great for storage. Just get two, unfold them in a living room/spare bedroom.any spare room, throw a battle mat down, and play.

Really, gaming at stores is actually the more uncommon form of gaming.

A good solution for the table is folding trestle tables, the sort used at outdoor functions. You can get tables that are 6'x2.5' when unfolded, and when folded up are 3'x2.5'. Great for storage. Just get two, unfold them in a living room/spare bedroom.any spare room, throw a battle mat down, and play.

In most living rooms her we have 1 table and it is used to eat dinner , two wouldnt fit inside even If we somehow got the dinner table out of the room . You guys must have huge houses , most homes here arent bigger then 60-80 square meters and it is divided in to 2-3 rooms . The only way I can imagine two games in the same room is , if people played on the floor and there was no furniture in that room .


what is a spare bedroom ?

Makumba wrote:

A good solution for the table is folding trestle tables, the sort used at outdoor functions. You can get tables that are 6'x2.5' when unfolded, and when folded up are 3'x2.5'. Great for storage. Just get two, unfold them in a living room/spare bedroom.any spare room, throw a battle mat down, and play.

In most living rooms her we have 1 table and it is used to eat dinner , two wouldnt fit inside even If we somehow got the dinner table out of the room . You guys must have huge houses , most homes here arent bigger then 60-80 square meters and it is divided in to 2-3 rooms . The only way I can imagine two games in the same room is , if people played on the floor and there was no furniture in that room .

The suggestion I made was actually for one table. Two of those folding tables make one 6x5 table. So enough room for a game and some space on the sides for drinks or dead models.

Actually, dining tables make perfect game tables. Just get a 6x4 bit of wood to put over the top of it.

Also, I'm fairly sure you can time it so your game doesn't interrupt dinner. Unless you're eating dinner 24 hours a day, of course.

My local Comic store only stocks the 40k novels and RPG spinoffs, they do regular Magic tournaments though. Most of the comic stores I've been to don't sell 40k, the closest I've seen is a model shop that sells his comic collection as a side thing.

 -Loki- wrote:

The suggestion I made was actually for one table. Two of those folding tables make one 6x5 table. So enough room for a game and some space on the sides for drinks or dead models.

Actually, dining tables make perfect game tables. Just get a 6x4 bit of wood to put over the top of it.

Also, I'm fairly sure you can time it so your game doesn't interrupt dinner. Unless you're eating dinner 24 hours a day, of course.

Ok I just checked the averge size of US and Aus houses , they are 2+ times bigger then ours on the avarge. I cant imagine playing at home because of space and how live goes here. on weekends people clean up their houses , so playing at home at weekends is out of the question , as is playing when parents come from work . Everyone I know plays either at tournaments only or at shops and even shops dont have more then 2-3 tables and those tables have to be shared with WFB , MtG and other table top games . I wish we had clubs or something or those huge GW shops people talk so much about . We have one here in Warsaw and it has 0 tables to play on .

Something very similar happened with me, my FLGS stopped the gaming hall because it was costing too much..:(

Makumba, do you have such things a s church halls or community centres in Poland? Most games clubs in the UK are in something like this. They will hire out a room one night a week. Such venues usually have folding tables and are used for all sorts of community activities on different nights of the week. They are typically fairly inexpensive for local residents to hire.

You don't rent a space permanently and use it exclusively as a gaming club - you find an existing space and only pay for it when you need it. Other common venues include public buildings like libraries, schools, scout huts or sometimes function rooms in pubs. Anywhere you can rent a room for a few hours at a time.

well yeah there are few community centers , but the cost of renting a room or a hall is very high and I mean per hour , whole day costs so much that without a sponsor we wouldnt be even able to start . We tried it once to have small local tournaments every month , the cost was so high that even with 22-23 people attending we had to pay from our own cash . They are also very strickt as timing goes . If you rent 12-16 , then they want you out on 16:01 and if they find someone who pays more for the room , they probably will drop you.


I wouldnt even try to check churches , because they dont realy do anything that isnt linked to religion and explaining what those people playing demons etc are actualy doing would be impossible.

I feel your pain a bit the local gaming store I used to go to when it opened was all about wargaming and the owner built his shop off of our business. Then one day he decided to stock magic cards and that spelled the end of there ever being tables to play on due to the flood of magic rabid freaks being all over the place.

I personally have no interest in Magic and was quite peeved to have to find places to play 40k all over again.

My biggest problem is finding people to play with.

The guys I mentioned in the story no longer play. Actually, one of them doesn't because his wife had their second kid not too long ago, and he sold his Tau to keep up with the bills. And the other dude is MIA.

I tried convincing friends, family, and demo-ing the game to those who ask me, and they sound interested up until the moment I mention the price.