This is definitely a great idea to get the ball rolling.

P.S. Lastchance, maybe you can copy and paste how you wrote the letter so that other people can see a good way to do it.

Sorry to hear about your shop closing man, we recently closed our shop. But the owner totally renovated his garage into a "club house" so we're picking up were we left off kinda.

Please stop buying into their excuses. The event was a display of mismanagement of epic proportions.

CC

The title of TO requires that the person must be able to handle a crisis. Alex failed at that. He had access to 3-4 other stores in the area that had MUN product, yet he chose not to get emergency product for the event.
Getting a MVL box lended to him for sales doesn't count as emergency product, either, especially since it couldn't be used for prizing.

Also, Heralds sealed? That's an insult.

He failed, and never, ever deserves our business again.

A Heralds sealed we were told was for a complete set MUN, and turned out to be a set of MVL which totally burned me because it was the only reason I stayed at that point.

Oooh, I want to bash Alex and Kings Games too!

"Guys, I'm sorry to tell you that we do not have the required product for this tournament, so I have taken some Bella Sara cards and written the word 'Vs.' on the back. The winner will get store credit but will only be able to use it in another store. Also, here is an EA Light Armor."

Aaaah, that felt good. Nope, never going back there.

Too good. They will only get HALF-VALUE of the credit.

CC

Honestly, I'm surprised they Neutral Ground didn't pursue legal grounds of breaking their lease. If they got into the lease with the pretense of being told they could use the basement for events, that should be plenty. A critical part of their business plan is now destroyed due to the landlord giving improper information.

As for you guys being upset with Alex and King's Games, I get that. But let's be real for a second folks. The place everyone played at is gone. If King's Games has the space and the product, you guys might want to have a sitdown with Alex an work out something. Put your differences aside for a bit for the betterment of the game and your play group.

Also, after asking around, it appears that NG had been out of some key products that are steady sellers for a while now, that I know for a fact to have been in-stock at most distributors for a while now. That's not a good sign.

I can't judge another companies store without being there on a regular basis, but it appears to me that they were kind of all over the place and didn't have an identity anymore. This could just be caused by hard times though. Sometimes, a business can have that happen when scrambling to make ends meet.

I know that in my store, we do a lot of leagues and other special events. We also diversified into carrying used video games and DVDs. We also due a LOT of promotions with local stores, events, and organizations. That helps a bunch. But, it's a lot of work. Things have to be done differently.

Let Neutral Ground be a lesson to all of you. It was one of the most recognized game stores in the country about 10 years ago. Now they are going out of business. When you don't shop at and/or support your local stores, these things happen. The doors close and you are now scrambling for a place to play. NG is not the first. And unfortunately, they won't be the last.

The players need to put their differences aside, and find a comfortable place to play and help take care of it.

Dudes, if the place you like is shutting down why not just call your mates and arrange to meet up somewhere else instead?

Hell, why not meet at Starbucks, I hear they have chairs, tables and even coffee*.

Voila. Problem solved.





*Well, they claim it's coffee.

That doesn't solve their problem. Without a store to gather in, you lose almost any chance to grow your play group. As soon as someone's schedule changes or they move or whatever, you are down a player. This continues until the group is gone.

You need to find a place to sell the product and is willing to host events (or at least a league, gathering night). The more players you can ge tin one place, the better. And helping your local store helps the longevity of a lot of companies and the industry as a whole.

Well keep in mind comic book/hobbies stores are among the LEAST profitable businesses . With the economy crashing down we should all be looking out for our local shops whenever possible.

As for Kings Games, I'm sure if the local guys who love and support the game may make an arrangement with Alex, but a lot of people will feel "once bitten, twice shy".

"You hear that Mr Anderson? That's the sound of inevitability"

Also I said mates not play group. Big difference.

Yeah but if there is no place willing to sell the product...

Also on an unrelated note...and I mean that. This is one of my wacky personal opinions, like not playing decks that will automatically win through a broken combo...

Secret Hint:
If you need bonus rare prizes and new players to face every other week and organised tournaments and free cola and shiny buttons to entice you to play a game, then really you aren't that much of a fan of the game at all are you? (I mean sure you could want that stuff, but you shouldn't require it in order to be bothered playing).

Maybe if they didn't open AFTER I go to work and close BEFORE I finish and then clear out well before posted hours even on SATURDAY and place tons of crap I never ordered in my folder and give me those puppy dog we have to pay the rent please buy this junk we purchase in bulk by mistake eyes...

<Shakes fist!!!>

(Not aimed at anyone in particular...cough...local comic store...cough...cough)

Well, I never said you should support a store you don't like.

Good point.

Up here near Boston, Darrius works for YMG and takes the train. It's really not that bad. I suggest at least trying Cuba's plan before even considering having a conversation with Alex*
Exactly.

The ban against KG, imo, should remain in place.

*I'm disgusted to share a first name with him.