Since BragGameRights didn't really live up to my expectations, I thought I would describe what I really did like in the world's best game store: Game Doctor in Casper, Wyoming.
Now, I couldn't find anything on the web about this place, so I think it might have gone out of business. And I'm also pretty positive that it is no relation to Gamer Doc, a new chain based on the East Coast. But I was taking a cross-country road trip with my family, and we stumbled across this place.
The store was probably about 1,000 square feet, and the whole place was filled with glass jewelry-style cases. These were PACKED with used games, organized alphabetically and by system. If you wanted you see one, you had to ask. If you wanted to try one, you asked the guy to boot it up on one of the many TV's set behind the counter. No charge, and you could try as many as you wanted. By keeping the actual games out of the hands of the customers they stayed nicer, and cleaner, and in a more valuable pristine condition. It may sound cold, but you would be in such awe of the sheer volume of classic games that you would not care at all. You and your friends would be darting around, looking in cases, and yelling, "Hey, come look what I found!" every time you stumbled upon a gem.
The prices were very reasonable, and they stocked games from pretty much every system you've ever heard of, including newer games. The really rare ones where held up on a pedestal behind the counter, eagerly awaiting someone with a big enough bankroll to drop $200 on a mint-in-box Legend of Zelda or a complete-with-map copy of Earthbound.
I don't know if the store is still around; I haven't been there for over ten years. But I do know that if I ever open my own game store, it's going to be a lot like this one. Try before you buy, a friendly and knowledgeable staff (one guy pointed out the differences between Mega Man 8 and Mega Man X4 for me when I was torn between which to buy), and more games that you know what to do with. There is still a huge market for retro games; people will always be nostalgic for their younger days. Now if someone would just take advantage of that fact, and do it right this time, the world would be a richer place.
Showing posts with label BragGameRights. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BragGameRights. Show all posts
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Store Review: BragGameRights
Good store name guys. I'm not sure exactly what it means... something about being the best at a game and trash-talking to everyone within earshot like it's your God-given right. No, it's not. Sore winner.
BragGameRights is a new game store that just opened in Duluth, Minnesota, right across the street from Best Buy. There is a GameStop-style wall of new games, food and drinks for the hungry gamer, and over a dozen individual gaming stations set around the wall like private viewing rooms at a sex shop. There is also a pitifully small retro gaming section in the back, with about 24 square feet of old games. I was expecting more... why would I come here instead of GameStop?
You see, BGR's gimmick is that if you see a game you like, you can try it for 30 minutes at one of their private HDTV's for $2.50. If you like it, you can buy the game and have your $2.50 taken off the price like a down payment. If not, then you only wasted $2.50 instead of $60. Also, there are in-store tournaments every Monday through Thursday. Most are $5 to enter, and the winner get $40 store credit or $25 cash. It'd be kind of fun to go there every night and take home a cool $80 a week. Still, at 2 hours a tourney, that's only $10 an hour. Not exactly a pro gamer living wage, but it's still cool that this is even an option. Before, you'd have to wait for GameStop to hold one of their tournaments, and those are, at the maximum, once a month.
The biggest problem with BGR is the lighting. Because of all the TV's lining the walls, the entire store has to be kept in a perpetual twilight to reduce glare. Whereas GameStop is comparable to Wal-Mart fluorescent bright, BragGameRights is lit a lot more like a church - subdued, quiet, and oppressive. Also, their old game stock is lacking and their new/used game stock is not very extensive either.
Maybe I just don't get the gamer lifestyle of Jolt Cola, Fritos, and all-night Halo 3 sessions. Maybe I just didn't show up there on tournament night. Maybe I'm too old to care about game stores. Or maybe BGR is just doing it wrong. You can check out their decent website and decide for yourself, or make a road trip to Duluth. Still, there's always room in the world for a GameStop competitor. But you HAVE to do some things better than them, or you won't survive. And that's sad.
BragGameRights is a new game store that just opened in Duluth, Minnesota, right across the street from Best Buy. There is a GameStop-style wall of new games, food and drinks for the hungry gamer, and over a dozen individual gaming stations set around the wall like private viewing rooms at a sex shop. There is also a pitifully small retro gaming section in the back, with about 24 square feet of old games. I was expecting more... why would I come here instead of GameStop?
You see, BGR's gimmick is that if you see a game you like, you can try it for 30 minutes at one of their private HDTV's for $2.50. If you like it, you can buy the game and have your $2.50 taken off the price like a down payment. If not, then you only wasted $2.50 instead of $60. Also, there are in-store tournaments every Monday through Thursday. Most are $5 to enter, and the winner get $40 store credit or $25 cash. It'd be kind of fun to go there every night and take home a cool $80 a week. Still, at 2 hours a tourney, that's only $10 an hour. Not exactly a pro gamer living wage, but it's still cool that this is even an option. Before, you'd have to wait for GameStop to hold one of their tournaments, and those are, at the maximum, once a month.
The biggest problem with BGR is the lighting. Because of all the TV's lining the walls, the entire store has to be kept in a perpetual twilight to reduce glare. Whereas GameStop is comparable to Wal-Mart fluorescent bright, BragGameRights is lit a lot more like a church - subdued, quiet, and oppressive. Also, their old game stock is lacking and their new/used game stock is not very extensive either.
Maybe I just don't get the gamer lifestyle of Jolt Cola, Fritos, and all-night Halo 3 sessions. Maybe I just didn't show up there on tournament night. Maybe I'm too old to care about game stores. Or maybe BGR is just doing it wrong. You can check out their decent website and decide for yourself, or make a road trip to Duluth. Still, there's always room in the world for a GameStop competitor. But you HAVE to do some things better than them, or you won't survive. And that's sad.
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