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TEC wrote:

 Alfndrate wrote:
Let me clarify...

No one here is arguing that this is a wide spreading GW thing, but like this thread has pointed out, GW King's Lynn is not alone with stores that have done this...

Nonetheless, The first post should REALLY make it clear that this isn't a widespread things that's suddenly happening to all stores.

But every month or two another store rolls out the same policy, so while not sudden it certainly is widespread (have seen threads for throughout Europe, Australia and the US in the past year). They definately favor this format over actually being an environment that fosters gaming.

BTW, Read the BoLS thread...doesnt seem as though anyone is assuming it is a global thing...most seemed rather indifferent.

 Grimtuff wrote:

 BryllCream wrote:

Or they did some market research and found out that having a load of regulars in the store all the time makes the place look tacky. They may be trying to "clean up" their high street image.

Yeah, an empty store when you're trying to sell a social hobby is a good idea.

Blue knights gonna blue knight.

Maybe they will hire out a bunch of the guys who look like the Apple computer commercial guy to hang out and pretend to be gamers...


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 MeanGreenStompa wrote:

 Sean_OBrien wrote:
BTW, Read the BoLS thread...doesnt seem as though anyone is assuming it is a global thing...most seemed rather indifferent.

These threads have been popping up regularly as folks get told no gaming in their store, it is occurring globally, just not simultaneously.

Oh, I know that...mentioned as much a couple posts up. My responce was the claim that the sky was falling on Bols.

Id guess the collector terminology is another attempt to avoid the toy issues, and designs versus copyrights. In the same way they dropped the claim of making the 'Best toy soldiers in the world' claim from their website.

 precinctomega wrote:
Not really pursuant to this thread, so much as inspired by the several comments concerning the different gaming cultures between the UK and US:

US historical gamers have, for decades, formed associations and clubs to arrange games and provide a common space for social gaming. Why does this seem to not be the case with speculative gamers? And what, exactly, is stopping speculative gamers from doing the same? I know you have churches, schools, community centres, town halls and other hirable private spaces, many of which might also offer a limited amount of storage space for an additional fee.

So surely it can't be any more complicated to start a club than it is on this side of the Pond?

R.

It isn't and that (or playing at home is the manner in which most people play miniature games). The numbers make it hard to imagine any other way. Even just looking at 40K which has around $50 million in sales in the US - you would need 50,000 people paying $1000 a year to get to that number (or some variation there of...though the 50,000 is likely the smallest the 'base' might be). Split evenly between the 2500 some odd game stores in the US - that would mean that each store has to have facilities for 20 people to game. The majority of stores have 1 or 2 tables tops - while even the biggest stores can barely squeeze in 20 tables for large tournaments (of which there are maybe a dozen in the whole country). While I guess you could say it is possible that they do game in stores predominantly - the numbers become improbable when you start actually looking at population splits and the like...and it doesn't even begin to address the smaller games like those produced by PP, Wyrd, Corvus Belli, Reaper, Catalyst/Iron Winds, FFG (with their X-Wing entry) or any of the hundreds of other games...not to mention historical gamers which have long since left the LGS (or rather the LGS had left them in most cases).

 Gentleman_Jellyfish wrote:

Relapse wrote:

PhantomViper wrote:

Relapse wrote:

 Da Boss wrote:
It could be a strategy to deal with a particularly odious local group, you never know.

This is a fair point right here. I have a friend that owns a store where there was a group of the great unwashed that would be near the front on a table and saw a fair number of people come in, get a look at them and turn right around and leave, having come only a couple of feet inside the store. These guys would only buy something once in a while, but monopolize store space and tables.
The owner, a friend, finally got tired of losing business and told this group not to come into the store again until they had cleaned up their hygene and verbal act. They left and his place now gets more business.

Your friend obviously knows nothing about how to run a store!

Evidently what he should have done, as was pointed out by several people on this thread, was just ban ALL gaming from his store just to deal with this group, that is the right policy! /sarcasm

He's been in business for 26 years and grown while other game stores that have allowed this have come and gone. Tell me again how he doesn't know how to run a store.

Did you really not detect the sarcasm that was so heavy my monitor collapsed?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qzeflmJvEU

 squall018 wrote:
I went into the local store up here in New York City (i'm visiting the area) and the redshirt there said that this is flat out not true. I know that GW has done some dumb things, but the manager there said that one store did this and that it was by no means a GW wide policy and that the rumor has spread out of control. I guess time will tell.

One store did it this time - though if you look back through the past year...you will see a couple dozen or so "one stores" which have done this in the UK, US and Australia. Likely in other countries that GW has stores in, but they tend to gripe in their native language forums. While it is not an across the board action right now (as in all stores stopping) the trend does point towards all stores stopping gaming eventually (barring a few flagship stores which might be kept...).

Yes, like this one:

http://apocalypse40k.blogspot.com/2013/01/games-workshop-to-close-los-angeles.html

or this one:

http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?363602-Games-Workshop-Cambridge-No-casual-games-or-casual-painting-Intros-and-lessons-ONLY

or this one:

http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?353512-GW-store-bannes-play

or this one:

http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?352385-cambridge-GW-(and-many-other-UK-GWs)-changing-hours-Sign-of-things-to-come

Not really even a hard look - first page of Google results. Most of those threads also mention other stores that are cutting off open gaming as well (or have cut hours to the point where they only people who could reasonably game are soccer moms and kindergarten students on half days).

 Happygrunt wrote:

 Ravenous D wrote:

 stubacca wrote:
There's no money to be made with kids just taking up space when you could have demo tables, or stock, anything that'll help you make money in place of annoying, swearing, messy, smelly kids. So it's great news for the GW.

And that's the best form of interaction! Who wants some mouth breather pestering you about what army you play, only to try and sell you the super shiny new thing, that you don't actually need?


It probably means the store will stay around for longer. Business rates are ridiculous for some towns. Like in my home town, some stores in The Mall are paying £100,000 a year in rates, and that's some of the cheapest! If you're staying open till 8pm but after 5pm you're paying out more in electricity and wages than you're making I can totally understand GW got cutting back, it's for the good of the long term life of the store. Sure, it'll affect some people but if it means people are in jobs for longer, that's all good

There's no money to be made if no one goes to your store because everyone thinks you're a bunch of raging dickbags either.

So because I like to play walk in games at the local GW, I am a "raging dickbag"?

Pretty sure GW would be the DB...not people at the stores.

In context - the quoted text says good riddance to in store gamers because...well he finds them beneath him. In response to a store that has no gaming, Ravenous says why go there at all - especially if everyone thinks they are a bunch of DB. Since there is no gaming...the reference would be to the proprietor of the store as opposed to the patrons.

Also I wouldn't say I consider myself above them, the kids in the Preston/Manchester store, even the ones playing Magic at my local FLGS are a bunch of ill-mannered ass hats

If you don't consider yourself to be above an ill-mannered ass hat - you might want to consider seeing a therapist.