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Well i always tried to stop in there when i was passing through the area and hung out for a bit (i'm in N Idaho, so not my home turf)

 Empchild wrote:


When I worked there in 06-07 our hours were
Mondays: closed
Tues-Sat:12-9
Sunday: 12-6

Be mindful I had to be there by 11am to prep the store and generally left around 930pm. We had a 1 hour lunch break and that was it and if we were over our weekly time then our Regional MGR would fix the hours so we weren't. Like I said worst job I ever had was working at the Seattle Battle Bunker. OOOOH I forgot we were encouraged to play games with customers but we were forced to clock out to do so as the Regional didn't want us wasting the companies time (his words).

That's pretty nuts (and of course, as you and others have pointed out--doesn't adhere to labor law).


As Mik pointed out, I thought one of the golden rules of sales was to keep them around your product for as long as possible--as the more they stay--the more likely they are to buy. I don't see how limiting your customers chance of frequenting your store--with the advent of online sales is a good thing.

Unless of course, their path is to freeze out retailers all together--and move to direct only on all their products.

I wasn't aware of it but I guess there used to be a Games Workshop store in a strip mall about 5 minutes away from Pegasus Hobbies in Southern California which is pretty close to where I live.

The signs were still up the last time I drove past it. I'm assuming this was something recent? It must not have been in business long as the shopping center itself isn't more than a few years old at this point.

Come to think of it I haven't even seen a GW store in my neck of the woods since the one at the Ontario Mils closed years ago.

I would love to go to one just for curiosity's sake. I can't help but imagine it looking like a dealer's booth at a con or something the way you guys describe these one man shops.

They don't want people hanging out in the stores, distracting the sales rep from buying customers.

I don't think that the way to go, myself, but...

 Moopy wrote:

 curran12 wrote:
How is Games and Gizmos for pickup games anyway?

There's (currently) not a lot of people hanging around looking for games, but if you go with a friend you'll have a great time. Now that the Bunker's dying, the amount of 40kers might go up. Call a head because on their D&D night and MTG night, they're packed to the rim and you won't find play space.

I am going there for my games now and I am sure that the 40k players they have there will increase. I live too far away from card kingdom for it to be worth the trip.

We (the now displaced bunker players) should try and organize ourselves around either G&G or Card Kingdom to keep the community going. Who knows, maybe we could run tournaments. I have always wanted to try.

Come Play at MuGu games in Everett WA guys Monthly tourneys for 40k with 100% going to prize support 20% off all minis!!!! Soon with a new location doubling play space! Tons of warmachine events and stock at 20% off.

Durring football season they have big screen TV's so you can watch the game and play 40K a great Sunday!!!

 MDizzle wrote:
Come Play at MuGu games in Everett WA guys Monthly tourneys for 40k with 100% going to prize support 20% off all minis!!!! Soon with a new location doubling play space! Tons of warmachine events and stock at 20% off.

Durring football season they have big screen TV's so you can watch the game and play 40K a great Sunday!!!

For those of us south of lake washington, that is one hell of a drive for 40k.

It's Better than nothing just come up for tourneys guaranteed 3 games of 40k!

 Happygrunt wrote:


We (the now displaced bunker players) should try and organize ourselves around either G&G or Card Kingdom to keep the community going. Who knows, maybe we could run tournaments. I have always wanted to try.

Agreed!

MDizzle wrote: It's Better than nothing just come up for tourneys guaranteed 3 games of 40k!

MDizzle wrote: It's Better than nothing just come up for tourneys guaranteed 3 games of 40k!

I might check it out. I guess it seems far because I was less than 10 minutes from the bunker. The times they are a changing.

Moopy wrote:

 Happygrunt wrote:


We (the now displaced bunker players) should try and organize ourselves around either G&G or Card Kingdom to keep the community going. Who knows, maybe we could run tournaments. I have always wanted to try.

Agreed!

Excellent! I know we have a few on dakka and the Facebook page for the bunker exploded after the announcement. I am sure we could get some semblance of a group going. I am thinking G&G will be the better choice as I believe they have more tables. We could set up a day for "open gaming" and give it a few shots. Maybe we would be able to talk the owner into a tournament eventually.

I don't see the appeal of a GW store, anyhow. Lots of independent stores have better play spaces, available stock, staff and hours.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Empchild wrote:

 Aerethan wrote:

mr.man_lightning wrote:
The one man store i went to regularly is supposed to close at the end of July. I now will have to make an extra 30min drive to the Chicago bunker as the next closest place. But then again many people i now have been talking about starting a game club.

I give it 6 months before the Chicago Bunker is closed as well, seeing as that was about how long between the 2 West coast ones closing.

Doubt it because that has been their highest grossing store in the U.S for more years then I can count.

The Chicago bunker is a shadow of it's former self, however. Nothing seems immune to the 'improvements' that corporate GW has been pushing through the past few years.

Seattle Battle Bunker players we have a Face book page called northwest wargamers it's a closed group so if you post 40k stuff it stays with in the group so you can hide purchases from your wife and still show us all your great paint jobs!

Northwest Wargamers is a great way to schedule games meet other players and hear about events.

As bunker players you know if you head down you will get a game of 40k at FLGS many game systems are played so this might not be the case.

This is why you should join northwest wargamers facebook page.

I find if I get up in the morning and post hey I want a game at this time someone will say sure I can be there.

Face book is a great tool for getting games in and not wasting your time.

I haven't been to the Seattle Bunker since 2009. It is a bit of a drive for me to get there. The location is in a bit of a high traffic area. People not from Washington wonder why it's called the Seattle Bunker when its across Lake Washington and in Bellevue. When I did go or drive by the bunker it did have quite a few people in it (somewhere between 4-15 customers).

Someone said it was terrible working there. I'm not surprised. The manager, when I was there, may have been nice to the customers but sure was quick to anger on his employees.

I'm not surprised GW is reducing the store tbh. Considering this is how they have been reducing costs over the years.

I don't know who was there before 2010 but James was manager in 2011-2012 and now Aric is manager and both are really good guys. Aric is staying on after the Bunker gets renovated.

I'll be heading over to Card Kingdom, though I will probably be transitioning to Warmachine.

Pretty much the only reason I was still playing 40k is because the bunker was close by. I hear the WM community is much more developed at Card Kingdom though.

Hospy wrote:
I'll be heading over to Card Kingdom, though I will probably be transitioning to Warmachine.

Pretty much the only reason I was still playing 40k is because the bunker was close by. I hear the WM community is much more developed at Card Kingdom though.

Well, considering the game designer for Warmachine Prime used to work at Games and Gizmos...

Didn't know that. I was told there's a fair number of PP employees that frequent Card Kingdom though.

Hospy wrote:
I'll be heading over to Card Kingdom, though I will probably be transitioning to Warmachine.

Pretty much the only reason I was still playing 40k is because the bunker was close by. I hear the WM community is much more developed at Card Kingdom though.

Still it's easy to get a table and no one cares what game you're going to play. Please dispossessed bunker goers head over there plus they are expanding to a full bar soon so what do you have to loose?

mr.man_lightning wrote:
The one man store i went to regularly is supposed to close at the end of July. I now will have to make an extra 30min drive to the Chicago bunker as the next closest place. But then again many people i now have been talking about starting a game club.

Starting a game club with like minded players is one of the best bets these days. Not beholden to any particular store if you don't want to be and you can load up your house rules if you like. I pretty much play 40k at home nowadays with the "club" coming there to play. We all have a similar attitude towards the game: Winning is cool, but WAAC isn't really our bag. We also build a lot of theme forces centered around scenarios we play. Players also range from two players who each have a single army up to where I am with 9 armies or so...

Skriker

 Skriker wrote:

mr.man_lightning wrote:
The one man store i went to regularly is supposed to close at the end of July. I now will have to make an extra 30min drive to the Chicago bunker as the next closest place. But then again many people i now have been talking about starting a game club.

Starting a game club with like minded players is one of the best bets these days. Not beholden to any particular store if you don't want to be and you can load up your house rules if you like. I pretty much play 40k at home nowadays with the "club" coming there to play. We all have a similar attitude towards the game: Winning is cool, but WAAC isn't really our bag. We also build a lot of theme forces centered around scenarios we play. Players also range from two players who each have a single army up to where I am with 9 armies or so...

Skriker

So people can just show up at your house at any time of the day, to play a game with each other, regardless if you are home or not? That's pretty big of you to provide your fellow gamers with such a service!

PhantomViper wrote:
So people can just show up at your house at any time of the day, to play a game with each other, regardless if you are home or not? That's pretty big of you to provide your fellow gamers with such a service!

No we have regular "club" days to cover that, though if friends REALLY wanted to play I'd let them use the table. Some of them have keys anyway to care for my cats when I am away. No one in the club I wouldn't trust to be in my house if I wasn't there. I think the shortest amount of time I've known any of those in my 40k gaming circle these days is about 21 years, so my group is kind of a special case. Of course YMMV with your own club.

Skriker

Been going to that place since I started playing in 1997...I am really going to miss the place since it was so close to my house and the cost of gas is now so high. Somebody should start a kickstarter campaign to buy out game workshop (it is publicly traded so...) so it can be properly managed again.
Can somebody make a list of all the stores that hold 40k tournaments or have open tables in the Seattle area?

MuGu games in Everett WA has a single tourney and doubles tourney that swap back and forth monthly and 100% goes to prize support Best Gen, Paint and sports! 20% off all mini's. This month is going to be a doubles tourney 1250 shared force org no allies in your 1250. 3 games!

Lucinator wrote:
Been going to that place since I started playing in 1997...I am really going to miss the place since it was so close to my house and the cost of gas is now so high. Somebody should start a kickstarter campaign to buy out game workshop (it is publicly traded so...) so it can be properly managed again.
Can somebody make a list of all the stores that hold 40k tournaments or have open tables in the Seattle area?

Open up White Dwarf to the independent retailers section and pick up the phone, mate. Simple process.

Skriker

 MDizzle wrote:
MuGu games in Everett WA has a single tourney and doubles tourney that swap back and forth monthly and 100% goes to prize support Best Gen, Paint and sports! 20% off all mini's. This month is going to be a doubles tourney 1250 shared force org no allies in your 1250. 3 games!

That sounds amazing, but unfortunately Everett is just too far away to make it work for me. The additional time to get there and back would result in too much wife aggro.