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https://www.facebook.com/GWSeattleBunker?hc_location=stream

So, like LA before it, the wide range of Seattle's Best Customers will enjoy an improved customer service experience.

Yes, my friends, it is a sad day in the State of Washington.

BAH!! Damn you GW!

+++ +++ Incoming Transmission +++ +++

On Sunday, July 28th the Games Workshop Seattle Battle Bunker as you know it will be closing its doors in order to be re-envisioned and remodeled as a Games Workshop Hobby Center. This remodel will take place during the final week of July and doors will reopen on Saturday, August 3rd.

This new Games Workshop Hobby Center format will allow us to better deliver on great customer service to our wide range of customers who are working on their own collections of models. This change also allows us to better focus on recruiting new customers to our great hobby. You can be assured that you will still have access to the same, great range of Games Workshop product as before, with the ability to enjoy a friendly game and improve your hobby skills in a smaller environment.

We thank all of you for your patronage and participation in the activities and events that have been showcased at the Seattle Battle Bunker over the years. We would like to invite you to visit the new Hobby Center beginning on August 3rd.

To prepare for this transition we will begin a new set of store hours starting on Monday, July 8th. The schedule will be as follows:
Monday/Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday/Thursday/Friday: 1pm – 8pm
Saturday: 12pm – 8pm
Sunday: 12pm – 6pm

I'd always wanted to go to the bunker. Had never gotten around to it though. Dammit GW

This is great news!!
Beat you to it, HBMC.

Also...the load of crap spewed in the letter about getting new people involved and helping people but stuff...that's a load of horse gak. My dad once told me that the day he stops being able to look at himself in the mirror is the day he screwed up royally. I wonder when GW broke all of their mirrors.

 timetowaste85 wrote:
This is great news!!
Beat you to it, HBMC.

Also...the load of crap spewed in the letter about getting new people involved and helping people but stuff...that's a load of horse gak. My dad once told me that the day he stops being able to look at himself in the mirror is the day he screwed up royally. I wonder when GW broke all of their mirrors.

umm...a marketing blurb is a load of crap? Tell me more

Well, GW has been reducing store presence over the past few years. It's sad but not unexpected, I can't remember the last time I had seen many people in there if it wasn't a tourney. But I also can't remember the last time I was in there. The Bellevue Bunker requires extreme patience to get to if you actually live in Seattle. Traffic is just a mess at the 405/90 interchange.

But the party supply store nextdoor also shuttered recently making me wonder if they are upping rents for businesses in the building, or if it's just time to sign a new lease.

Give it 6 months and those hours will get cut down to 12-6pm as well.

GW wants nothing to do with local support of customers anymore. They want your money, then they want you the hell out.

 Civik wrote:
Well, GW has been reducing store presence over the past few years. It's sad but not unexpected, I can't remember the last time I had seen many people in there if it wasn't a tourney. But I also can't remember the last time I was in there. The Bellevue Bunker requires extreme patience to get to if you actually live in Seattle. Traffic is just a mess at the 405/90 interchange.

But the party supply store nextdoor also shuttered recently making me wonder if they are upping rents for businesses in the building, or if it's just time to sign a new lease.

They are minimizing their store presence everywhere, and not because they are struggling financially. GW as a whole, that is. The stores just don't bring people in like they used to, and several of their Sales and Marketing higher-ups have stated they want to move more of the gaming itself into the FLGS. Their own store fronts will be introductory, educational, and nothing more. This allows them to devote more resources to the online and eContent, as well as pumping the releases out every other month for each system. The tournament organizers, FLGS campaigns, and gaming clubs will drive the hobby.

I know the last 3 or 4 times I made the trip to Chicago, their Bunker was completely empty on weekends too. People played in a basement, a tournament setting, or at their FLGS. The same people who didn't show up to the Bunker then complained when these things started going down.

It's sad to see an era come to an end, but GW is changing to meet the equally changing market.

 Aerethan wrote:
Give it 6 months and those hours will get cut down to 12-6pm as well.

GW wants nothing to do with local support of customers anymore. They want your money, then they want you the hell out.

Riiiight. Has nothing to do with the fact that people don't support the stores either; they go to the shop their buddy owns, or shop at a no-service online discount retailer. GW is still growing and making money, but the Bunkers themselves are just a sieve.

Wow, I haven't been in there in years!
That store used to be pretty well-attended from what I remember way back in the day.
I'll be sure to visit after August 3rd now, so I can see firsthand the new face of GW.

Riiiight. Has nothing to do with the fact that people don't support the stores either; they go to the shop their buddy owns, or shop at a no-service online discount retailer. GW is still growing and making money, but the Bunkers themselves are just a sieve.

My local store makes it's annual sales goals. My local store had the WORLD record for Armies on Parade entries the last 2 years running for all stores that aren't the HQ in Nottingham. My local store is and always has been a 1 man operation with 2 tables open for play. My local store gets plenty of local support, even from those of us who buy online at a discount, because WE like our manager and the community we have.

The LA bunker was not my store. And I agree that the space they had was likely too big. But GW ignores stores like mine which could very well double their tables and see them full on the weekends.

GW does zero marketing, zero sanctioned events, has zero prize support.

My store also does not have any cover managers, so if Chris is out, the store is closed. That same store had it's hours cut down to the point where people getting off work at 4 or 5 can no longer get a game in mid week.

You know what the response was to that? The random comic store across town buying out the space next door to itself and putting in like 5 tables for open play, to draw in those customers. And they are open every day until 7.

GW doesn't want GAMER's, they want buyers. It's a damn shame that all they care about is if EVERY store makes sales. Heaven forbid Store X's profit be carried over to store Y to make up for any missed sales, but to keep a foothold in that market. That might be sensible.

 Civik wrote:
But the party supply store nextdoor also shuttered recently making me wonder if they are upping rents for businesses in the building, or if it's just time to sign a new lease.

The frame shop also closed up but that was because the people retired or something. No, rent isn't really the issue. GW is "right-sizing" the Bunker because they don't want Bunkers anymore. This will also happen in Chicago, if it hasn't already. Don't know what the plan is for Memphis.

 brassangel wrote:
The stores just don't bring people in like they used to, and several of their Sales and Marketing higher-ups have stated they want to move more of the gaming itself into the FLGS.

Of course, as they move more and more items to "direct only," they're trying to move as much of the purchasing out of the FLGS as they can.

I remember working there...it was the worst job I ever had and that says lot as I was a grunt for five years in active army.

I would have supporedt my local store, if I had one.

Just like wolves on fenris, there are no GW's is Seattle.

 Breotan wrote:
https://www.facebook.com/GWSeattleBunker?hc_location=stream

So, like LA before it, the wide range of Seattle's Best Customers will enjoy an improved customer service experience.

Yes, my friends, it is a sad day in the State of Washington.

Why do they do such dumb stuff? Are they honestly trying to drive people away?


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Aerethan wrote:

Riiiight. Has nothing to do with the fact that people don't support the stores either; they go to the shop their buddy owns, or shop at a no-service online discount retailer. GW is still growing and making money, but the Bunkers themselves are just a sieve.

My local store makes it's annual sales goals. My local store had the WORLD record for Armies on Parade entries the last 2 years running for all stores that aren't the HQ in Nottingham. My local store is and always has been a 1 man operation with 2 tables open for play. My local store gets plenty of local support, even from those of us who buy online at a discount, because WE like our manager and the community we have.

The LA bunker was not my store. And I agree that the space they had was likely too big. But GW ignores stores like mine which could very well double their tables and see them full on the weekends.

GW does zero marketing, zero sanctioned events, has zero prize support.

My store also does not have any cover managers, so if Chris is out, the store is closed. That same store had it's hours cut down to the point where people getting off work at 4 or 5 can no longer get a game in mid week.

You know what the response was to that? The random comic store across town buying out the space next door to itself and putting in like 5 tables for open play, to draw in those customers. And they are open every day until 7.

GW doesn't want GAMER's, they want buyers. It's a damn shame that all they care about is if EVERY store makes sales. Heaven forbid Store X's profit be carried over to store Y to make up for any missed sales, but to keep a foothold in that market. That might be sensible.

You want to keep that quiet. Your local store gets too successful, your going to end up losing it to budget cuts.

Hate to burst everyone's GW hate bubble, but corporate stores are doing this all over the place. I work at Target and their new company concept is to use far fewer staff to cover the same number of positions for the same pay. I am often assigned to at least one extra department a night, saving the store 6 hours of labor. We are always short on cashiers, so that salesfloor people have to sprint to ring up customers. All of this added stress on the employees is to protect overhead and ultimately pay off the stockholders.

The sky is not falling and we are not victims. It is the new corporate concept.

 SoloFalcon1138 wrote:
Hate to burst everyone's GW hate bubble, but corporate stores are doing this all over the place. I work at Target and their new company concept is to use far fewer staff to cover the same number of positions for the same pay. I am often assigned to at least one extra department a night, saving the store 6 hours of labor. We are always short on cashiers, so that salesfloor people have to sprint to ring up customers. All of this added stress on the employees is to protect overhead and ultimately pay off the stockholders.

The sky is not falling and we are not victims. It is the new corporate concept.

Where is it written that we
a) Have to like it
b) That just because its the newy newness that its a good idea?

Many UK companies outsourced their call centres to India (I believe this happened a lot in the US too) for exactly the same reason. It was so unpopular, largely down to the wide variety of regional British accents posing a major barrier to communication to an Indian operator who had been taught English by a Dutchman or Californian or similar, that many companies have now reversed the decision to the point where "UK Call Centres" is frequently advertised as a reason to buy from a specific organisation.

Unfortunately, GW doesn't seem to be the type of organisation that is willing to admit when it's made a mistake, so no doubt the pillaging of everything that made many people choose to frequent GW stores over independents, or order online and play at home, is great news.

not saying we have to like it or that it is a good idea. Just informing you that GW is not the enemy. they are just going with the current corporate flow.

 SoloFalcon1138 wrote:
not saying we have to like it or that it is a good idea. Just informing you that GW is not the enemy. they are just going with the current corporate flow.

That's a crap excuse though. GW can't blame their bad decisions on trying to do what all the cool kid corporations are doing. They are making blatantly bad decisions for short term gains while shooting their long term presence in the face.

Here's a thought: Wizards of the Coast. They shut down 100% of their stores, and moved to LGS/Big Box only distribution with prize support and events for venues that would host them.

What GW should be doing is hiring a marketing team that supports LGS's with events and advertises those events to bring in new blood. They should be closing down every GW store that has an independent retailer within 30 miles of it and let those stores do the selling.

GMI Games in Riverside does plenty damn fine with no GW opposition nearby. They offer GW full lines as well as a mass of other game systems. They have regular players, they have gaming space, they run events, they offer prize support.

Hell, you know what the buy in is for their tourneys? Buying $25 worth of product. That's not even a fee at that point, it's just you getting stuff and then having the event to possibly get free stuff.

With how many non GW players are in that store, if GW sponsored events there for beginners, they'd have a TON of potential customers that already frequent that store.

There is no possibility of that with a GW only store. The people in those stores are already buying. The foot traffic is minimal unless you happen to be in a shopping mall.

GW's retail "system" is piss poor and everyone knows it.

Wizards had stores?

 SoloFalcon1138 wrote:
Wizards had stores?

They did. And they carried GW product as well. Those stores closing is how I was able to get my first army. They had a 75% off sale, and I managed to pick up the boxed game and 2 Empire battalions for about $100 iirc.

 timetowaste85 wrote:
This is great news!!
Beat you to it, HBMC.

Ye not be stealin' me thunder quite so easily next time! *waves hooked hand in anger*

 Aerethan wrote:

 SoloFalcon1138 wrote:
Wizards had stores?

They did. And they carried GW product as well. Those stores closing is how I was able to get my first army. They had a 75% off sale, and I managed to pick up the boxed game and 2 Empire battalions for about $100 iirc.

But unlike Wizards, GW has not been kind to independent retailers as well. They're opening up more one man stores, trying to get them into places where a LFGS exists nearby. Trade terms have been unsatisfactory or contentious or meh in all spectrums.

 Aerethan wrote:

 SoloFalcon1138 wrote:
not saying we have to like it or that it is a good idea. Just informing you that GW is not the enemy. they are just going with the current corporate flow.

That's a crap excuse though. GW can't blame their bad decisions on trying to do what all the cool kid corporations are doing. They are making blatantly bad decisions for short term gains while shooting their long term presence in the face.

Here's a thought: Wizards of the Coast. They shut down 100% of their stores, and moved to LGS/Big Box only distribution with prize support and events for venues that would host them.

What GW should be doing is hiring a marketing team that supports LGS's with events and advertises those events to bring in new blood. They should be closing down every GW store that has an independent retailer within 30 miles of it and let those stores do the selling.

GMI Games in Riverside does plenty damn fine with no GW opposition nearby. They offer GW full lines as well as a mass of other game systems. They have regular players, they have gaming space, they run events, they offer prize support.

Hell, you know what the buy in is for their tourneys? Buying $25 worth of product. That's not even a fee at that point, it's just you getting stuff and then having the event to possibly get free stuff.

With how many non GW players are in that store, if GW sponsored events there for beginners, they'd have a TON of potential customers that already frequent that store.

There is no possibility of that with a GW only store. The people in those stores are already buying. The foot traffic is minimal unless you happen to be in a shopping mall.

GW's retail "system" is piss poor and everyone knows it.

You know there are GW plants/Apoligists in here now do you This is getting so pathetic on hearing on how "Awesome" this is to the hobby on the closure of all the Battle Bunkers. The same kind of awesomeness I've heard about the Reduction of store hours back at 2010 (from 55 hours to 35 hours per week).

Piss poor retail system? Hell yes it is, but as I have stated in the past this is all part of their revenue streaming process. Because quite frankly they lost so much in the customer base that this is one of the results of the process. They are a company of smoke and mirrors now. An interesting amount of sales information was produced because of the CH lawsuit. I've thoroughly enjoyed seeing that bully mentality getting smacked in the face. It is really too late (IMHO) for any changes for the good of the customer base. But boy it has been rather comical of seeing a bunch load of low posting people suddenly coming out of the woodwork and trying to defend GW's corporate line.

The one-man stores are just a horrible concept. The one in Cincinnati that just opened last January is now on it's third "manager". They keep getting fired due to low sales numbers, when its not even really their fault. Poor location and having plenty of stores that give discounts is killing it.

What's worse is how the store is closed Monday and Tuesday, and is only open in the late afternoon the rest of the week. Even if I wanted to go there, for whatever reason, I can't because of my work and school schedules. Tuesdays are my only free day.

This is great news! Now that you won't have in-store gaming anymore you'll have much more time to spend on your favorite Hobby™, buying Games Workshop™ Products™.

This is off topic, but where did the, "This is great news!" meme come from?

 Seaward wrote:
This is off topic, but where did the, "This is great news!" meme come from?

One of the GW stores put up a facebook post about how it was "great news" that they were ending in-store gaming except for newbie intro games.

 SoloFalcon1138 wrote:
The sky is not falling and we are not victims. It is the new corporate concept.

Of course we're victims. We're a bunch of blind monkeys clinging to a rock hurtling through space and the rock itself is dying. That the excesses of capitalism are making things miserable everywhere is just par for the course.