After two weeks of being closed because the owner was out of town playing magic...

After two weeks of being closed because the owner was out of town playing magic, the LGS that I play DnD at wants to charge $1 a night per person in attendance
Is this normal?
I'd be supporting them in other ways, but they don't sell food or drink, and they don't sell anything DnD related (not even dice)
They're not asking for a lot, but it still feels off
has your LGS done something similar?

it's a dollar.

>After two weeks of being closed because the owner was out of town playing magic
Why is this relevant?

clearly the owner has spent all the 'keep my shop open' funds on something else.

Compare against the price of renting any other space for playing games. I assume 1 dollar is not too bad. But it's a bad sign for the store's future that they would charge for that.

If there's demand for limited table space, it makes sense that they'd charge for it. Mine does the same, but they also sell drinks and let you rent out board games to play.

Near where I live there's a game bar that charges 1 buck for table use, and I kinda get why they do it, they give you the spaces and the games to play and there's cheap fuckers out there who bring their drinks from home. The owners are also pretty cool and most of the time waive the fees if you bought something at the bar, or only charge for booking a table ahead of time (they have a front area near the bar and smaller rooms in the back).
I don't know if the game store nearby charges for the tables, because frankly I'd hang myself before spending more than 15 minutes in that hellhole.

jesus christ user, local lfgs' charge 5.00 a head per night.

50.00 for a 6 month pass.

Its a dollar, for a game space where your parents arent asking if you've won yet, just go with it.

Also, taking something away and bringing it back is a good way to get away with jacking up the price.

The owner doesn't run any of the games, if someone else had a key they would have all gone as normal
Half the store is empty most weeks, they don't sell or supply anything beyond the furniture
The DMs have to bring their own models too
I'd buy dinner there every week if they even had a kitchen
I know its not a lot. It just feels weird paying anything at all given the relative involvement of the owner
I can't even buy dice or minis there
It's basically just MtG and nothing else

>After two weeks of being closed because the owner was out of town playing magic, the LGS that I play DnD at wants to charge $1 a night per person in attendance
>Is this normal?
>I'd be supporting them in other ways, but they don't sell food or drink, and they don't sell anything DnD related (not even dice)
This is retarded, they'd make far more selling snacks and drinks (especially energy drinks). $1 is basically nothing but it's the thought that counts, it's a "fuck you" to the players.

Why would you play in an LGS? Don't you have a living room?

I would offer mine, but it's nice to have a place near everyone that whoever can just show up and jump into a game
I feel like if I did now it would put me on bad terms with the store owner

When I tried running D&D Encounters at my LGS, the owner demanded that each participant spend €30 per session.

It's a dollar. If you like the store and the people in it then I say go for it.

If the whole thing is too greasy for you then find a new store or rock gaming at a friend's or library

Look what it boils down to is:

>DO I LIKE THE STORE AND BEING THERE
If yes, then just pay a buck.
If no, then just stay out.

Thats all there is to it.

€30 actually sounds entirely reasonable, considering that a session could easily go on for three or four hours, and that's three or four hours that those people take up space in the store without actually buying anything.

Sure, except that space is unused, none of LGSs in the US I've been to ask anything of the sort, and you're asking that the group invest enough money into a simple demo to buy a whole set of D&D books plus dice and a few minis each week.

>30€ per player per session
So, did that store close down when everyone went elsewhere instead?

Nope, it's still afloat on obsessive MtG and Netrunner players.

It's weird as shit. My LGS is also an anime store that sells ramune and Pocky so they make their money. For a game store to sell nothing in way of food or drink is pretty crazy though, tabletoppers get pretty thirsty after a few hours of yelling about trading cards or Warhammer.

If you want anything but tapwater you're shit out of luck
just about everyone turns up with food from elsewhere, because if they don't bring something, they don't eat
I'm amazed my friends don't go mad from caffeine withdrawal given they usually go the full three and a half hours we usually play for without a hit

>each participant spend €30 per session
Was that "spend to take up space at all", or "spend on product to take up space"?

Spend on product. More specifically, on Fortune Cards (this was during 4e), only one pack of which can be used per session.

I'm a member of a gaming club, I pay $20 USD per month, they sell drinks and snacks and have a girl that will wait on your table. Club members get a substantial discount on merchandise. They also have a huge collection of buildings and terrain for use, and a row of workstations for painting as well as a sofa and big tv in a corner

Where is this magical place?

That's like $50 per person, fuck that. I'd take it as a sign he didn't want anyone playing there but he's too chickenshit to say no.

Thought for the day: If a new restriction or cost is imposed on something, and you dont feel inclined to pay it, chances are it was introduced to keep you out.

Wait, so you're actually complaining that you have to spend 1 dollar for the right to spend an evening in a place that you otherwise wouldn't spend a dime in?

Probably a major city.

Thats pretty steep, but I guess thats probably what MTG players spend, and they benchmark the entire nerd-economy on spending.

This. Stockpile some Monster, Coke, and bag chips (maybe) and watch the gamer money roll on in.

This, its classic "fuck off" pricing.

Ive been to a similar place in Albuquerque. You pay an entrance fee if you arent a member ($5 iirc) and you can pull any boardgame off the wall or run your own. They serve basic food (quesadilla, grilled cheese, italian subs and fries) and drinks. Absolutely worth it.

My LFGS charges $3 per game/event that goes on regularly. However, that money goes into gift cards given to the GM as thanks for running the event, which technically goes back to the store in the form of purchasing product.

So it’s kind of a win-win. Store gets money, GM gets rewarded, and although the players have to pony up cash they at least are guaranteed gaming space and don’t have to put up with poorfag drop-ins hovering over the MtG case.

>mfw stuck in the ghetto because family and no LGS

I’d pay a buck. I’d pay a buck an hour if I liked the place. Anything would be better than trying to Craigslist a party and end up with Tyrone and the Steal-Ya-Shit Gang.

What the fuck kind of game store doesn't sell dice?

A "hobby shop" that focuses mostly on models, puzzles, and prepackaged boardgames and collectibles.

So, not a fucking game store?

Yes.

>they don't sell dice
Shit game store, fuck 'em.

the place I go to play sell food and drinks. there are also boardgames. you pay something like 2-3 euros for a table. so if you go 4 people you all can just give 50 cent basically and sit for 10 hours.

but if you order food or drink worth of 2-3 euros you dont pay for the table extra. since we play for 7-8 hours each time everyone already eats at least once so we never pay for the table.

I mean come on 1 dollar? Its okay. do you even know how hard it is for hobby stores to stay alive? faggots pay 100 dollars for a night out at a club. you can pay 1 dollar to support a fucking gaming store.

there's a shop in town, but I don't know when they do MTG nights, and I only really do pauper or legacy so i'm not even sure they'd have something for me.

the local gaming club is every friday, 1 quid entry (first night free), 1800-2100.

>30 Euros
>To play d&d
>reasonable

are you actually retarded?

maybe he's from brunei or the UAE

>mfw this is pretty similar to the place I play warhammer in.
>mfw its in istanbul, roachland.

westernlets cucked once again. when will they learn?

Wait so what DO they sell? Even a store specialising in TCGs should sell dice and bags for said dice. I can understand not selling snacks if they don't want people eating in there.

if giving up a few dollarydoos a week is too much for you, then you probably shouldn't be in the CCG/wargames clique desu

>Ive been to a similar place in Albuquerque.
Empire Board Game Library? Also, is this gA?

Do you buy stuff every time you go? Do your friends buy stuff every time you go? Doesn't matter if its D&D related or not; if No, then consider the following;

The owner has to pay upkeep somehow and having you guys loiter around not purchasing anything while getting the full benefits of a playing space isn't helping him.

And yes, it is loitering. You being there without spending any money *can* send a bad image. In my own anecdotal personal experiences; I chase homeless people off all the time at my business, people who just want to sit around, be quiet and stay warm; even if they are polite about it, they don't belong in the store if they aren't going to buy anything, especially not for the average length most D&D games run - not counting all of the pre and post session bullshitting that normally occurs.

You guys being there without purchasing anything or generally supporting the store sends the wrong message. If you want a place to chill without having to pay for it try looking for a gaming hall or see if there is a school, a library, etc. that you can set up at. But a store during open hours is a business. They are there to first and foremost make money.

I don't have to worry about Kurds bombing my LGS.