Alright, really long and random tangent that I will absolutely cross-post in Help/Advice, but thought maybe someone here wouldn't see it there, so here we go!
I've been looking hardcore for a job for about a year now, and the pipe-dream of "jeez, just open a comic shop or something" has inched closer and closer to a viable option over that time. Viable in the sense that my initial grand plan of "go back to school!" is looking sillier and sillier in this day and age. I have an associates degree, 10 years experience in my field, and I can't find anything over $9/hr. Talking with friends, and seeing people in my life with MASTERS degrees in very, very similar situations has made me realize that the cost of going back to school, in loans, would actually be GREATER than the cost of taking out loans to open a business. The debt vs. payoff seems to be roughly the same to me. The chance of finding success also seems to be about the same.
I've been looking more and more online about opening a business in general, since I literally know absolutely nothing. But I feel a lot of people start where I am, so I'm trying not to get discouraged. I know I'm not alone, and I know not every 31 year old in history who was totally lost in life ended up dead and pennyless, so there's absolutely hope I can do this. I'm well aware it's going to be a ton of work - and that's all the advice I seem to find online. "Oh its a horrible thing." "Oh its a ton of work." "Oh all businesses fail." "More specifically, comics are a horrible business and you shouldn't do it." But people DO do it. Because shops exist! And people make a living off of it. Not become millionaires, but spend their life doing something that they enjoy and excel at. So I'm growing tired of every avenue I look to for advice being "Don't do it." Because that's the advice for a lot of things in life right now.
So - with that said! - if anyone at all here knows anything about opening a shop, I'd love to talk about it. PM me if you think it derails too much here. But after yet another day of job searching it's time I really do my due diligence and look into my dream. It's corny, but it's true. I have all the time in the world to pour into this, I just have no idea where to start.
Thank you, and hail HYDRA.
I don't know anything about running a comics shop but I will say that please be VERY sure this is what you want to do
My dad opened a business that failed and he spent nearly 10 years paying off the debt incurred.
I agree that it would be a good idea to expand it beyond just comics: have a space for CCGs, RPGs, minis, etc and have events for them. You have to cultivate a culture that simultaneously gets you a group of customers and is welcoming to new people.
It might be worthwhile figuring out what comics/games stores already exist in your area, maybe there is an untapped market.
And you probably already know this but: this has to be a passion of yours, I don't think that anyone ever got rich off of running a store like this.
I'm not a huge Harley fan, but if they ever do Heart of Ice...
it's a good thing you're not a huge harley fan cause that shit is sold OUT
their crap goes faster than PAX passes
Funny thing is, this one seemed pretty obtainable. Usually their website just slows to a crawl and you have to be lucky enough to get through AND complete checkout.
I'm not a huge Harley fan, but if they ever do Heart of Ice...
it's a good thing you're not a huge harley fan cause that shit is sold OUT
their crap goes faster than PAX passes
Funny thing is, this one seemed pretty obtainable. Usually their website just slows to a crawl and you have to be lucky enough to get through AND complete checkout.
I'm not a huge Harley fan, but if they ever do Heart of Ice...
it's a good thing you're not a huge harley fan cause that shit is sold OUT
their crap goes faster than PAX passes
Funny thing is, this one seemed pretty obtainable. Usually their website just slows to a crawl and you have to be lucky enough to get through AND complete checkout.
I agree that it would be a good idea to expand it beyond just comics: have a space for CCGs, RPGs, minis, etc and have events for them. You have to cultivate a culture that simultaneously gets you a group of customers and is welcoming to new people.
It might be worthwhile figuring out what comics/games stores already exist in your area, maybe there is an untapped market.
And you probably already know this but: this has to be a passion of yours, I don't think that anyone ever got rich off of running a store like this.
boardgames too!
the other best advice I can give is do not limit yourself to 49% of the population. Far too many comic shops have a (deserved) reputation for being hostile to female fans, and that is a damn shame. Women aged 17-24 are the fastest growing demographic in comics right now, and if existing comic shops in your area aren't smart enough to pay attention to that, you could get a big boost off making your store open, welcoming, and safe to both genders. I talk up my local comic shop a lot, but that's because it's truly one of the best stores in the world. Like, Eisner-award winning, appeared in Superman comics twice despite being a tiny shop in atlantic canada, truly excellent. One of the things they've been doing lately is hosting semi-regular "Ladies Nights" to reach out to female fans. They've been a huge success, and really do a lot to help bring in new readers. Beyond that, there's the obvious stuff like having female employees and making sure your male employees both A) aren't the type to complain about "fake geek girls" or other bullshit, and CoolSmiley) are willing to call out customers who would otherwise make the store a toxic environment.
+12
UnbrokenEvaHIGH ON THE WIREBUT I WON'T TRIP ITRegistered Userregular
http://www.strangeadventures.com/ if you want to see more about them and how they do things. I don't think you'd find a better store to take inspiration from. They're not even a particularly large store, but well stocked, and super friendly/knowledgeable.
I had a nice discussion with my shop owner this Wednesday about how rad it is that Marvel is making a Guardians push as well as a big effort to make more female and minority led titles.
Another thing, the 'good' comic/card game shop here, aka that has everything most of the time, is also a labyrinthine nightmare of boxes and clutter.
Whereas the crappier shop , keeps the mainstays stocked, but rarely has much for less common stuff besides the ability to order it for you, but has a really nice clean interior, is the shop most of my friends prefer.
(Sad part to this, is the cluttered store, is the kinder one when it comes to tolerance and acceptance)
So selection no longer excuses the dungeon, keep this in mind as well.
Another thing, the 'good' comic/card game shop here, aka that has everything most of the time, is also a labyrinthine nightmare of boxes and clutter.
Whereas the crappier shop , keeps the mainstays stocked, but rarely has much for less common stuff besides the ability to order it for you, but has a really nice clean interior, is the shop most of my friends prefer.
(Sad part to this, is the cluttered store, is the kinder one when it comes to tolerance and acceptance)
So selection no longer excuses the dungeon, keep this in mind as well.
"my" store has a massive selection of stuff, but it's mostly in a back room. The main storefront has two double-sided shelves for current & recent releases in floppies, and then a bunch more shelves for trades/omnibus editions, toys, boardgames, etc
Thanks everyone, seriously. It's scary, and I guess that's why I reached out here, because all of your knowledge and experiences are a heck of a lot more helpful and inspiring than what my small circle of friends has to offer.
I've got a lot to think about but this is at least a baby step in the right direction. Thanks.
PSN: mxmarks - WiiU: mxmarks - twitter: @ MikesPS4 - twitch.tv/mxmarks - "Yes, mxmarks is the King of Queens" - Unbreakable Vow
@mxmarksThe Beguiling in Toronto is another iconic comic book store which would be great to take cues from. I've seen many comic book stores die but the ones that live build a community and provide a unique service. Something they can get from your store that they can't from just ordering things off Amazon.
Supporting local artists, writers and related groups is a great way to start.
Edit: Also, avoid the claustrophobic/overstocked trap of some comic book stores. I hate going into my local comic book store because its cramped and unorganized. It has too much merchandise in a very small space and its too much, I feel uncomfortable while in there. Standing still in any spot is standing in the way of someone.
Alright, really long and random tangent that I will absolutely cross-post in Help/Advice, but thought maybe someone here wouldn't see it there, so here we go!
I've been looking hardcore for a job for about a year now, and the pipe-dream of "jeez, just open a comic shop or something" has inched closer and closer to a viable option over that time. Viable in the sense that my initial grand plan of "go back to school!" is looking sillier and sillier in this day and age. I have an associates degree, 10 years experience in my field, and I can't find anything over $9/hr. Talking with friends, and seeing people in my life with MASTERS degrees in very, very similar situations has made me realize that the cost of going back to school, in loans, would actually be GREATER than the cost of taking out loans to open a business. The debt vs. payoff seems to be roughly the same to me. The chance of finding success also seems to be about the same.
I've been looking more and more online about opening a business in general, since I literally know absolutely nothing. But I feel a lot of people start where I am, so I'm trying not to get discouraged. I know I'm not alone, and I know not every 31 year old in history who was totally lost in life ended up dead and pennyless, so there's absolutely hope I can do this. I'm well aware it's going to be a ton of work - and that's all the advice I seem to find online. "Oh its a horrible thing." "Oh its a ton of work." "Oh all businesses fail." "More specifically, comics are a horrible business and you shouldn't do it." But people DO do it. Because shops exist! And people make a living off of it. Not become millionaires, but spend their life doing something that they enjoy and excel at. So I'm growing tired of every avenue I look to for advice being "Don't do it." Because that's the advice for a lot of things in life right now.
So - with that said! - if anyone at all here knows anything about opening a shop, I'd love to talk about it. PM me if you think it derails too much here. But after yet another day of job searching it's time I really do my due diligence and look into my dream. It's corny, but it's true. I have all the time in the world to pour into this, I just have no idea where to start.
Thank you, and hail HYDRA.
I don't know anything about running a comics shop but I will say that please be VERY sure this is what you want to do
My dad opened a business that failed and he spent nearly 10 years paying off the debt incurred.
I have worked at a few over the years and seen a few other's fail and here are a few tips that are specific to the type of buisness you are looking to open. I do not know anything about getting buisness loans etc..so hopefully others can help you there.
When it comes to comic book shops I know a few things though...so here it goes.
1) do not only stock things you like, I know it sounds like an obvious thing, but I had two bosses fall into this trap. At the height of pokemon one wasnt ordering any because he didnt " get it" another would order tons of expensive comic strip age superman stuff that nobody came in and bought ever and then order one or two of a solid selling title beyond what people had in their pulls.
2) have pulls ...these are your bread an butter customers these folks want to just come in and have everything they are planning to buy already set aside for them, take the time to do this, let them order their monthly books, set em aside and take the time to bag and board if they like it. SInce your just starting you may charge for the bags and boards...but never for pulls.
3) you arent a charity...if you pull for somebody and they dont come get it within the month...it goes on the shelf.
4) be very careful about adding staff. Comic shops have thin margins. The more you can be working the store and not paying employees the much greater chance of success. beyond that kids steal from the till, give their friends "discounts" break things when unsupervised. So not only is it not the best idea to be paying people to begin with but those same people need to be screened very closely.
5) Sell card games and have a space big enough to hold small tourneys....charge a nominal fee for this service. Even if it is just buying a pack of cards and you put up a small prize to the winner. Cards dont take up the kind of space or require the investment something like 40k does and a couple of card tables and bingo chairs + a small prize of a card or pack of cards is a low start up cost for a steady revenue stream.
6) expand slowly and deliberately. Dont get cocky and move into a shopping mall just becuase your making a little profit, dont start running 40k and buying terrain until your are certain the investment will pay back. Dont even sell hard back RPG books are first unless someone wants you to special order...Expensive things that sit on shelves arent any good to you. If the buisness takes off...do these things one at a time as demand presents itself.
7) a word on video games....unless you are charging for it, dont do it. Loitering around not spending money doesnt make people customers.
8) If somebody comes you and wants to run a game at your store and is supplying the materials to do so....provided they are willing to do at a time when you arent running a tourney or some such...by god let them and dont charge. It is free advertising. I had a boss charge 5 bucks an hour for table space...beyond stupid, why would I pay when someone I know is bound to have a basement.
9) last one is the one you hear for any buisness ...location, location, location. You need to be near schools if at all possible. Even better if non-drivers can walk to you and have enough space to have shelves of comics, a handfull of display cases and at least a couple card tables. In my college town there was an absoloute pit of a store that was open and making good profits for years and years, because there was a college, elementary school and highschool all withing a mile of it, if the guy who owned wasnt essentially a slum lord working out of a closet and actively ignoring the rules above he probably could have been rich. Even as it was he made a nice living...all based on his location.
I also don't know how you handle shitty customers at a hobby shop, especially while you're trying to grow, but you should figure that out because you are going to have shitty customers
Posts
I don't know anything about running a comics shop but I will say that please be VERY sure this is what you want to do
My dad opened a business that failed and he spent nearly 10 years paying off the debt incurred.
I don't think this is true
You should absolutely do this but the shop I usually go to the guy claimed he made more off of sodas he sold to players than actual entrance fees
DCI takes a cut and unless you're a crazy popular spot I don't think it's going to make you that much money
Fair enough
Yes, you should sell magic cards
Most players I know will buy like a box a set, so yeah that's probably a pretty good pickup
I'm not a huge Harley fan, but if they ever do Heart of Ice...
Steam
it's a good thing you're not a huge harley fan cause that shit is sold OUT
their crap goes faster than PAX passes
It might be worthwhile figuring out what comics/games stores already exist in your area, maybe there is an untapped market.
And you probably already know this but: this has to be a passion of yours, I don't think that anyone ever got rich off of running a store like this.
Events are only there to draw people in who are ready to buy more cardboard crack. Friday Night Magic is a cleverly disguised weekly advertisement.
It's probably going to vary by store
But anywhere I've ever been noone buys cards at friday night magic
They pay the entry fee and do trades
Funny thing is, this one seemed pretty obtainable. Usually their website just slows to a crawl and you have to be lucky enough to get through AND complete checkout.
Steam
about ten minutes they tweeted they were sold out
what's going on there
Steam
Yeah, it's usually like 2 minutes. Obtainable!
Steam
Ward's having a heart attack
Also Pokemon, Yugioh, and board games, and DND, the true mainstay Comic shops, are the ones that didn't stick to solely being comic shops.
boardgames too!
the other best advice I can give is do not limit yourself to 49% of the population. Far too many comic shops have a (deserved) reputation for being hostile to female fans, and that is a damn shame. Women aged 17-24 are the fastest growing demographic in comics right now, and if existing comic shops in your area aren't smart enough to pay attention to that, you could get a big boost off making your store open, welcoming, and safe to both genders. I talk up my local comic shop a lot, but that's because it's truly one of the best stores in the world. Like, Eisner-award winning, appeared in Superman comics twice despite being a tiny shop in atlantic canada, truly excellent. One of the things they've been doing lately is hosting semi-regular "Ladies Nights" to reach out to female fans. They've been a huge success, and really do a lot to help bring in new readers. Beyond that, there's the obvious stuff like having female employees and making sure your male employees both A) aren't the type to complain about "fake geek girls" or other bullshit, and CoolSmiley) are willing to call out customers who would otherwise make the store a toxic environment.
It is a good shop.
Whereas the crappier shop , keeps the mainstays stocked, but rarely has much for less common stuff besides the ability to order it for you, but has a really nice clean interior, is the shop most of my friends prefer.
(Sad part to this, is the cluttered store, is the kinder one when it comes to tolerance and acceptance)
So selection no longer excuses the dungeon, keep this in mind as well.
On the flipside, I wish just typing MTGO into google search didn't make my wallet scream out in terror.
Sorry Wallet, it's coming soon.
Plundered
"Oh no this weeks pull list is so gonna plunder my wallet."
"my" store has a massive selection of stuff, but it's mostly in a back room. The main storefront has two double-sided shelves for current & recent releases in floppies, and then a bunch more shelves for trades/omnibus editions, toys, boardgames, etc
I've got a lot to think about but this is at least a baby step in the right direction. Thanks.
It definitely had a certain charm, but the new spot doesn't make me feel quite so claustrophobic, and is less than 5 minutes walk from my work, so.
Supporting local artists, writers and related groups is a great way to start.
Edit: Also, avoid the claustrophobic/overstocked trap of some comic book stores. I hate going into my local comic book store because its cramped and unorganized. It has too much merchandise in a very small space and its too much, I feel uncomfortable while in there. Standing still in any spot is standing in the way of someone.
Steam: abunchofdaftpunk | PSN: noautomobilesgo | Lastfm: sjchszeppelin | Backloggery: colincummings | 3DS FC: 1392-6019-0219 |
I have worked at a few over the years and seen a few other's fail and here are a few tips that are specific to the type of buisness you are looking to open. I do not know anything about getting buisness loans etc..so hopefully others can help you there.
When it comes to comic book shops I know a few things though...so here it goes.
1) do not only stock things you like, I know it sounds like an obvious thing, but I had two bosses fall into this trap. At the height of pokemon one wasnt ordering any because he didnt " get it" another would order tons of expensive comic strip age superman stuff that nobody came in and bought ever and then order one or two of a solid selling title beyond what people had in their pulls.
2) have pulls ...these are your bread an butter customers these folks want to just come in and have everything they are planning to buy already set aside for them, take the time to do this, let them order their monthly books, set em aside and take the time to bag and board if they like it. SInce your just starting you may charge for the bags and boards...but never for pulls.
3) you arent a charity...if you pull for somebody and they dont come get it within the month...it goes on the shelf.
4) be very careful about adding staff. Comic shops have thin margins. The more you can be working the store and not paying employees the much greater chance of success. beyond that kids steal from the till, give their friends "discounts" break things when unsupervised. So not only is it not the best idea to be paying people to begin with but those same people need to be screened very closely.
5) Sell card games and have a space big enough to hold small tourneys....charge a nominal fee for this service. Even if it is just buying a pack of cards and you put up a small prize to the winner. Cards dont take up the kind of space or require the investment something like 40k does and a couple of card tables and bingo chairs + a small prize of a card or pack of cards is a low start up cost for a steady revenue stream.
6) expand slowly and deliberately. Dont get cocky and move into a shopping mall just becuase your making a little profit, dont start running 40k and buying terrain until your are certain the investment will pay back. Dont even sell hard back RPG books are first unless someone wants you to special order...Expensive things that sit on shelves arent any good to you. If the buisness takes off...do these things one at a time as demand presents itself.
7) a word on video games....unless you are charging for it, dont do it. Loitering around not spending money doesnt make people customers.
8) If somebody comes you and wants to run a game at your store and is supplying the materials to do so....provided they are willing to do at a time when you arent running a tourney or some such...by god let them and dont charge. It is free advertising. I had a boss charge 5 bucks an hour for table space...beyond stupid, why would I pay when someone I know is bound to have a basement.
9) last one is the one you hear for any buisness ...location, location, location. You need to be near schools if at all possible. Even better if non-drivers can walk to you and have enough space to have shelves of comics, a handfull of display cases and at least a couple card tables. In my college town there was an absoloute pit of a store that was open and making good profits for years and years, because there was a college, elementary school and highschool all withing a mile of it, if the guy who owned wasnt essentially a slum lord working out of a closet and actively ignoring the rules above he probably could have been rich. Even as it was he made a nice living...all based on his location.
Oh man I forgot this was happening
Our local one used to be a kids party/event place. Huge space, lots of room, still draws in more people than can reasonably play/read in their space.
I bet cap makes fucking delicious subs
Only if you like American Cheese....
And yes, I can hear all your eyes rolling and I am not sorry.