Games Workshop is opening a store in Raleigh, NC. While no official date is set, the two previous dates listed for store openings are for March and April, so this Spring/Summer seems likely.
I can't see a downside to having a GW store in the area. I don't think it's likely to hurt the two stores I really like, which have a lot of diversity to their product and don't rely solely, or even a great deal, on GW products. These stores also offer discounts which will keep their customer base happy and intact.
What having a GW store around will definitely mean is having a greater access to Finecast products, which I generally have to order online from GW at the moment. It also is another potential spot for tournaments, if it's a larger store, and should give our local group access to some of the contests and promotions that the GW stores sometimes run.
All in all, it's a good, if not earth shattering development for the local GW community, and I look forward to the store opening.
Here's the link from which I got this information:
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?aId=14700021
GW stores are very good at bringing new gamers into the hobby. Good local stores will benefit from a GW nearby, as once the "crack" has been given out the new gamers tend to go the independents (if they have the product).
ReplyDeleteThis is good news.
I have the opposite view of new GW stores. They tend to cause a reduction in sales at the other local stores. They also tend to not last in an area. So they hurt the local independents and then close up. In most cases triggering the lost of one or more local stores - since the independents tend to run on a very thin margin.
ReplyDeleteSorry Anonymous, but that is not the case at all. Metro areas like SoCal, Phoenix, Denver, Chicago, Philly, and Boston all helped the "good" local indy stores. I know because I sold to those stores. Maybe for the first couple of months their numbers take a hit, but after that the numbers improved. Indy stores that do not carry proper quanttities will suffer. Which sometimes is not a bad thing
ReplyDeleteThe reason GW stores do not last is that they go to the high rent/high traffic areas that most indy stores cannot afford. GW is happy to make $1 on a store if it gets a whole new generation of gamers into the hobby. If they don't get the numbers or their lease increases they try someplace else. GW is not made of money.