Your own shop

If you could open your shop and would get just enough money to sustain it, what would the rules be?

Would it be a chill only zone, no paying, bring your friends? Only wargaming? Only MtG or YuGiOh? Pay and do whatever?

I would take the money and run
fuck running an lgs, I don't want to pander to autists

Well, you can just make rules of hygiene and behavior.

We have a shop that we just get a few euros so we could sustain ourselves. I was wondering, maybe i could get some ideas on how to improve it.

>Only wargaming? Only MtG or YuGiOh?
Why would you? If you have enough space do everything.
If you don't, do dedicated nights/day.
In the eurozone the income from sales is so low you have to sell a lot, and it makes no sense to leave anything behind.
Clean often
Do it, fuking clean everyday before you open and before you close.
Hygiene rules, if you are in the US
And most imporetant:
ITS YOUR JOB, act like you're working. You shouldn't focus on your fun, but on acting professional.
I saw a lot of people opening stores and treating them as their private playground.
Don't.
People buying are not your friends, are clients.
Everyone is once inside. its ok beign friendly, but you should never forget you ar working and not playing.
Clients are the n.1 focus.
Don't ignore them, don't lose time chatting, always stay behind the counter, be professional.
Its ok to chill with friends once ina while if the store's empty, but as soon as someone comes you leave evrything and get back in work mode.

It is a good thing, that the boss is a chill man. I can pretty much just help around the shop and get a little money (below minimum, non-official). I just do it, because i feel a sense of companionship with the others and a part of something.

No YuGiOh, MTG only gets a third of the store, at most.
Food and drink allowed.
No vaping.

I'd set up shop right in the jagged rock fields of Tsingy, Madagascar. I would provide an assortment of essential wares such as hiking gear, first aid kits, and anti-venom. I could even expand into the pawn shop business and buy the unneeded equipment from travelers. All I would need to worry about are the lemur attacks.

Actually had something like this going.

I am part owner of a garden centre. There is a café/tea room. It's not busy in there but it gets people through the gate so we keep it going.

Decide that because it's so quiet my brother can invite his friends and they can have their games there id they want. They do want because they were meeting in a house the size of a shoe box.

I said fine, but no bringing your own food in.

Café did basic food but did it well. Bacon sandwiches, fried egg, anything that could be cooked in a halogen bulb oven or could be cooked elsewhere and brought in.

But they took the piss. Every week after the first one they would stop off for food on the way in, my brother was the only one with a car and so he provided lifts for them. I tell my brother not to but he still does because balless faggot that won't stand up to them.

I kick them about after about the 5th week and several warnings. They bitch at me like I'm being a tyrant.

Also they were very loud and annoyed the regulars.

>Also they were very loud and annoyed the regulars.
Why did you even wait 5 weeks.

I'd stock other paint besides fucking Citadel fuck you 6 dollars a pot they're not even that good.

Because there were not that many regulars, they would make temporary token effort and I know how much I would have valued the gesture at their age.

Basically I was too soft on them.

My lgs tried opening an attached cafe to the game shop. It was a little upscale, and they wound up closing it last month because it was a drain. I think they're missing a trick.

Just get a freaking tap, and a stack of cups, and charge $.25 a cup. I swear to god, people would pay for water, if you're charging $5/half-quart bottle, no refills, people are just going to walk off to an actual restaurant for that price.

As a 25+ year retailer, this is the most sound advice you will ever find.

Bully to you Sir, this is the secret to success!

Our shop is just a chill place. If the owner didn't need the money, he wouldn't charge anything at all. But that is his dream and hobby, most people do it for the money more.

My ideal would be to open three stores in a strip mall. A gym, a FLGS, and a bar, maybe with a shared beer garden.

If i had my own shop and was guaranteed to make enough money to keep it open no matter what, I would be a total prick. I've worked enough retail. I've seen what happens when you give asshole customers even an inch. I would dress down to look like a normal employee only to have a "manager" and "owner" hat on standby for fuckers who want to "speak to my supervisor" , I'd swear at 10 year olds, tell soccer moms to go fuck themselves. Oh it would be glorious.

I'd chillaxe allow wargaming and mtg only. And you pay a random amount. It is randomized using a random number gen and if you roll you must buy for that price. They will sign something first tho.

I'd rent it to the guy that's running existing LGS at 20% cheaper than his present rent. I'm fine hanging with regulars once or twice a week but seeing them everyday would get obnoxious real fast. And he's doing a fine job so why compete.

One additional condition - he doesn't get to wear the kippah when I'm around. I get to wear the kippah.

I'd give it the atmosphere of a magic item shop/tavern and and keep a stock of real adventuring gear along side dice, minis, and paints.

I'd also hire a big scary guy to be the brooding traveler in the corner to rough up the autists if they get to rowdy.

>keep a stock of real adventuring gear
Clarify please, by that do you mean like stuff you'd find in a legit outdoors shop, waterproof gortext jackets, neoprene lined balaclavas, tents, etc. or Mall-ninja(Mall-Adventurer?) fancy goods?

I'd serve craft beers and microbrews, as well as mainly have a coffee shop first and foremost.

I'd also cater to hipsters by getting with local artisans (like leather workers, blacksmiths, soap makers, etc. etc) and have monthly "trade nights" that people sign up for and pay a small fee to attend to "learn" how to do these things.

Oh yeah, and we'd have larger tables in the back in a not closed off but still sequestered area for groups to play tabletop.

Fucking this. Old shop I used to go to just had the guy behind the counter either chatting with his buddies or talking on the phone all day. When I have to call for your attention when I'm right in front of you 3 times, you're losing business.

Honestly, i'd rather take the bar/cafe approach with a library of games for people to play, regular themed events for various games and tournaments. Would be great having D&D nights with a menu inspired by medieval food.

I guess i'd probably end up making the place a little too hipster-y and scare off the groggiest types though who'd nurse a coke all night and never order any food, except to pop out to the mackies or pizza place around the corner, and then throw a hissy fit when they try to bring it in......

rules for an LGS? alright, i can do that.
>inb4 im an asshole for making these rules up

1. No vaping/smoking in or near the store (in accordance with provincial law)
2. DRESS CODE: belted pants, no permanently stained shirts or pants, wearing of yoga pants is strictly prohibited unless wearing shorts/skirt. no tank tops.
3.HYGIENE CODE: no foul odors coming from individuals, you will be asked to leave if people complain or management deems you inappropriate
4. you make a mess, you clean it up. we are shop keepers, not your mom, we WILL hand you cleaning supplies to clean up after yourself however
5. Food delivery to the shop is strictly forbidden, all food must be brought in containers that will not stain tables, floor or mats. Drinks are fine as long as they are in plastic or metal containers. read rule 4 if stains happen
6.Keep shouting to a minimum: Staff or other patrons may be doing phone calls of varying importance, keep your voice tone in mind.
7. No painting/assembly of minis in store. we do not want permanent stains on our tables, floors, and mats
8. no ante games or shadowrealm games or gambling. you are warned

these are some rules off the top of my head. for a lot of you, this may be appealing, other may think it's absolutely abhorrent. I think it's my personal likings and dislikes made as rules

>give me all of your vitriol

Probably a bunch of leather crafted belts and gloves. The kind of thing that'd look good for a cosplay, but could also hold up for a weekend camping trip

>Dress Code
This is a place to chill, not a fucking job, i guarantee this would kill the store quicker than almost anything else
Other than that everything else is pretty standard for most shops i visit, minus the food restriction, our shop has pizza guys and chinese take out coming in and out all the time.

Oh wow my goddess, what an absolute retard with terrible fucking rules, clearly thought up by a mentally challenged idiot. It's like you've never been young or passionate about anything, goddamn autistic manchild.
Who'd I do?

How'd I do, rather.

The only real problem I have with that is
>belted pants

Sell deodorant in the front

I'm assuming you have some sort of gaming room with at least one table. If you do, that's what most of the rules should be about. As for forbidding certain games, that sounds like it kills business. Here's a better approach.
> painting/assembly of minis not allowed for obvious reasons. It's supposed to be a place to play, not to work. Playing with them is allowed of course.
> Every system and every game is allowed
> Every group gets to use/occupy the room once per week tops. After that, they need permission of whoever else is using it the nexttime.
> Staff is to clean it together with the rest of the shop before opening hours

And aside from those
> If staff has friends for visitors, is to prioritize customers over friends on attention. A friend who has time to come to your workplace to hang out, can wait for two minutes while you sell a product. A customer doesn't necessarily have much time to be waiting.