Even with a brick and mortar store, you still want to have a huge online presence. I've noticed the stores that fail and close have ZERO or minimal presence online. They don't use TCGplayer or Ebay to their full advantage.

TLDR: no. -Rudy from alpha investments

You are describing most of my life in this video haha. I just opened my own brick and mortar store a week and a half ago. I’d be thrilled if you came and visited me in Ohio Danny!

You're right Danny, classic card shops don't work anymore. You have to be hybrid stops so that when cards slump that you have other avenues to rely on. That means other card games, other collectibles, video games, plush, and other kinds of products to make it work. A safety net is absolutely needed. I know that you'd be successful because you have the background there, but it is not without its risks, it's thankless hours, or the issues that all small businesses can struggle with. If you ever want to ask questions I'm always happy to offer up advice!

I’m currently in the beginning stages of opening up a collectibles and table top store. We currently sell Pokémon, dbz, yugioh, Pops, statues, toys, comics and do very well in a strip mall open just 2 days a week, generating $5k+ weekend in gross profit. We’ve just outgrown our 300sqft space and will be leasing out a 3,700 sqft space to hold additional inventory, get MTG and host events. Not only for tcgs, but rpgs, board games and pc/console gaming with a concession stand inside proving snacks like popcorn, pizza, hot dogs etc.

I was thinking of opening one here in Saudi Arabia for awhile now. I just need to study it and learn about shipping and the cheapest way to ship.

Depends on the area Danny. I live in NYC where pokemon exploded we had card stores in every corner from bodega to supermarkets selling cards at the counter. now in my area only 1 store remains out of the thousands that closed. I say online stores in the way to go now.

Yo wassup! Excited for the vid!

I have a good friend who opened a LCS a few months ago and does only retail prices. Hes doing EXTREMELY well because of his pricing.

I have two LGC around me that sell at MSRP, but they are 20 min and and hour drive away. Sadly I can feasibly make that trips or I would frequent their locations. The Colosseum is my LGC. Can't wait for Chilling Reign to drop!

vibing with that danny phatom pop figure in the back

Where I’m from we’ve only have two stores. I’m trying to start up a store but the problem I’m having is getting inventory for some reason nobody has enough to go around…..

Ok so i want to open a brick and mortar store but its more because i want to start family friendly leagues. I noticed how many ppl come to our local store and dont like the experience. It can be sweaty in all the ways u can think. I want to create an atmosphere that brings

I think its important for brick and mortar stores to have a welcoming environment, especially for women or others who might not look like usual TCG customers. I usually shop online just cause I've had so many unwelcoming or creepy experiences in physical stores. There's a particular store where I live that I refuse to shop at because the staff are super unwelcoming to women or anyone that's not in their circle of regular customers. So for a long time I strictly shopped online until I found more welcoming shops near me.

Keep up the great videos

Love the content! I am wanting to open my own physical store. But I want it to be the old style of shop from when pokemon just started. The old general store feel. Allowing us to provide many options for our consumers. We are also trying to work with local community leaders to allow our store to be considered a safe place for children in need of help, or need place to hang out after school.

Miss my local card shop in Grafton Wisconsin but he couldn't compete with the internet

My local shop sells for MSRP on day of release and after that they sell at market value. If you go often though you can usually haggle down 10-20% off the price

You could start hosting tournaments! That would be epic :)

Yes we would not survive on cards alone. We have new and used games, as well as in store gaming. But even then, I haven't pulled any $ from the business to pay personal finances. Don't think you would head to Oregon, but you are more than welcome to! But open to an online chat/ video interview/store walk through if you go that route.

I always had the impression that you did have a brick and mortar store....

Just a heads up, most of the forever stamps being sold at a discount are counterfeit.

as someone who is starting up one alongside my other business and seeing the inventory from the distributors, no one in their right mind will be able to live off selling pokemon only simply due to the fact that the distributors are constantly sold out. So they make you get a brick and mortar store, but when you get it and cannot get any products in, you are SOL! Thankfully my other business covers everything and pokemon is simply side money.

I think a lot of the money card shops comes from the second hand market and the trading

What part of Wisconsin are you from? I’m from there as well!

So do you not have a distributor

So I'm just catching up on your videos but have you thought about having a physical shop but not necessarily a brick and mortar? Just thinking the equivalent of a food truck but pokemon. Maybe pay a brick and mortar a small fee to sell outside who don't sell pokemon? Only cost for something like that would be a vehicle but definitely a smaller cost than an actual store. Just a thought

Where?

Answer is no, but we all want to do it !

I feel like most successful brick and mortar stores have the highest profit margins on singles/display case sales. Buy peoples collections for 50% of value cash or 70% trade-in, then sell for 100-120% book value. Use profit to buy more singles/collections at 50%, rinse and repeat. The more events you hold, the better your singles sell. Hold a PTQ or Super PTQ and people have to get their Tarmogoyfs and Dark Confidants to build their decks in time for the tournament-- they will buy from you to get their cards instantly because they're on a time constraint and can't afford to wait 5 days for something to arrive off ebay.

I would never want a brick and mortar, personally. But I've been working on my eBay store and want to ultimately deal in only/primarily singles and donating a portion of every single sale. Then combining it with streaming while doing pack openings, playing Pokemon Online/various other Pokemon games, charity events, and just creating a relaxed, open, fun community to talk Pokemon and cards. It'd only be me as well, so I wouldn't need a huge amount of profit. So far, it's been working very well. The missing piece is, since I'm online only, not a single distributor will allow me to get an account, so I'm still buying misc items at above retail, most of the time, so no profits. But patience is a virtue! Maybe one day.

❤

Anything you can do without needing an actual brick and mortar store you shouldn't. Anyone with any sense of business knows this fact, especially given the recent pandemic showing a lot of things can be done remote.

I’ve been to several comic book stores recently and everything can be found cheaper online, employees are clueless about anything Pokémon related and usually their websites are pretty bad as well. Needless to say I’m done with brick and mortar stores down here.

You really think they would do that make it so you have to have a brick & mortar to get from your distributors. Even if you’ve been with them for that many years ?

I'm going with online. I'd love to own a store but I'm fine with just being online.

While opening a brick and mortar store isn't a good business idea for the many reasons you pointed out, you could still host tournaments, new product release parties, sell products, snacks, & clothing, etc. by being creative and renting a room at a local community center. The weekly rental fee - which might be negotiated to less for regular use - wouldn't require you to pay for water, electricity, insurance or more. Instead, you could start with a small room, then move up as your group of regulars grows. You could even start by hosting monthly tournaments, then moving to a weekly schedule as demand grows. By having an online confirmation sheet, and limiting how many can attend the first few events, you can keep the size of the room down, and excitement high. To your success!

I have to drive 40 min to card store but it worth it cuz it sales retail price

LGS or LCC are charging 3x to 4x the price in MN. No thanks.

😊👏

Ayeee

Commercial rent is way too high for a brick and mortar store to be feasible. That's why a lot of them close down within 2 years. I think it is pretty backwards in today's time that Konami, Wizards, and other game makers require a brick and mortar store to get product. Time's are changing and most businesses are closing their doors to go online only. It's just way cheaper to run an online store and only hire people to pack orders if needed. Maybe when everything calms down these game makers will reconsider this in the future but I highly doubt it. All of the risk is on the storefronts and not on the makers.

my dream card store if i had one, id create a discord channel that only i can invite people in, and id only invite my local/daily customers and do msrp codes and drops for them with a limit of 1 of course

The thief's doooo

So I have a local game shop(video games) that often gets booster boxes and etbs in stock, they offer an options $10/year membership that earns me about 10% off on their product and a free $5 I store credit a month, so they may price the hidden fates etb for $120 but it’s still cheaper than scalpers and just definitely worth me coming back with that 10% off

I think is a huge risk but thats my opinion

No to brick n mortar unless your 100% sure you can run enough events to keep people interested enough to buy on a regular basis. Pop up events at Hotels/conference centers/malls might give you a feel for local interest. Do what makes you happy tho mate, if you never try you never know.

An online store with a physical store as well seem like the way forward

Hello!

My lcs stores around me are really pricing everything up on msrp even sometimes 3x the msrp price. So my experience with my local lcs has not been great

You want to do something special - sell me some stock in bulk so that I can make a profit too. (smile)

dude your biggest thing going for you outside of most LGSs is your following. What if you gave customers the chance to be a part of the stream?

All my friends are Done with Pokémon,

I don't get what you want...By Target and WalMart stopping their sales of Pokemon, a small business has a fighting chance. You want Pokemon cards cheap, but you want an LGS to succeed. When a WalMart closes in a small town, suddenly the town flourishes in new businesses.

Nice... More middle men to Jack up prices

If only my local owners interacted with women :/ I went in every week for months and they didn’t give a shit about me but a guy comes in and they’re super interested. Really disappointing honestly

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Danny rocks

First again ! :)

I’ve never ever had a good experience at a hobby shop. There absolutely horrible. HOBBY STORES ARE THE REAL SCALPERS RIGHT NOW!! I’m not joking. I’m about to make a video on how scandalous, these hobby shops are.

First

My LGS look like a bunch of homeless bums live their.

It isn't a good idea

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