Independent shops, the way forward!

Perhaps foolishly I've always just gone to GW or the internet to buy my gaming supplies but today I decided to go off the beaten track a bit to find an independent gaming shop in Bristol that I'd heard was "quite good".
I managed to buy a whole handful of bitz for 50p, 8 kroot carnivores on their sprues for £5 (new they cost £18 for 16 of them) and the new ork gretchin boxed set that doesn't even come out 'til Saturday.
Guess who's never going to Games Workshop again!

Yeah - I rarely shop at GW. In Calgary, we've got the Sentry Box, which if I'm not mistaken is the largest gaming store in Canada, if not North America. Hell, I can sill buy Mordheim blisters, boxes, even old Town Cryers there last I checked.

Also, they sell boxed sets in pieces (instead of a box of say 8 silver helms, you can buy sprues of 4), or sprues of 2 ogre brutes, stuff like that.

I wish I had some shop like this nearby

Eliazar wrote:

I wish I had some shop like this nearby

Me too...

I remember when I stayed with my friend in Brighton and he told me about a nearby shop that had recently got a load of old GW stock (the shop was about 4 meters square), but by the time we got their there was only one measly pack of middeheim wotsits (the proprietor said they'd had a load of 40K core rulebooks and any box-set for £5 ).

Yeah - there's always something new (or old) to find. I remember, just before Christmas I think, I came across a couple of small boxed sets of plastic minis: one called Bretonnian Erantry (A knight, a couple of footmen, a few archers) all in plastic, and another boxed set called Chaos Warband or something (which was some plastic skaven, beastmen, chaos warriors and such i think). All old, old style from God knows where and when.

I'm green with envy.

Here in Mexico we only have a few, REALLY FEW, stores with miniatures, and of course they charge you whatever they want.

I usually buy my stuff with on line stores or ebay.

But then Mexico has the WORST postal service in the world, so you always have a risk of your packages getting "lost" and there's nothing you can do to it!

Of course you can go to the central office and fill a form, but that NEVER EVER fixes anything.

Don't talk to me about bad postal services! My brother is at my throat about his Christmas pressy! But it's only the couriers her that are rubbish, but that's what come sof not using post codes and addresses (they just want a vague description of the house and location)...

Ii gotta admit I've NEVER been to a GW shop. The nearest one is in Manhattan, which is an all-day trip that entails some serious commutation $s. The local stores are fairly well stocked.
AND,magokiron, if you're ever up this way, I've got a store that you WILL LOVE. it's called The War Store [ www.thewarstore.com ]. It's not so much a store, but rather a Minis Warehouse occupying a VERY LARGE Quansit Hut on the owner's parents farmstead. It's packed from floor to ceiling with Mini/War Games goodness.

Just playing devil's ad for the sake of it: is this why GW aren't bothering with Mordheim?

Chad wrote:

Just playing devil's ad for the sake of it: is this why GW aren't bothering with Mordheim?

Beats me why they wouldn't carry their OWN stuff in their OWN stores. For that matter, I can't fathom why they won't allow independent retailers to stock their Specialist Games items other than being too greedy to wholesale them.

'ere, Jack, where was that? The only place I can think of is Area 51 on Glocester Rd...haven't been there for aaaages....is it there? If so I better check it out again. If not where the hell is it? Want to go!!

yep yep, that's the one! You should def go back, luckily it's quite a trek from where I am on Whiteladies Rd so I won't end up spending all day every day there!

Our LGS can still stock Mordheim warbands, Necromunda gangs, and Blood Bowl teams.

Lord Xi wrote:

Our LGS can still stock Mordheim warbands, Necromunda gangs, and Blood Bowl teams.

I hate you.

chad wrote:

I hate you.

Yeah, I think we should abolish such threads!

My local gaming store has the Bloodbowl starter kit for half it's beginning price because they over-ordered and it isn't selling too well.

I may buy it, provided I can find an opponent...

For half price buy it! That is a great deal and find people later.

Oh man!

I think BB is one of the best games ever produced by GW.

I own more than 12 complete teams (with side staff et al), but as you say, this days is difficult to find opponents.

Anyhow, at half price BUY THE GAME!

You will not regret it.

There is also the issue of my current income...

Stupid education fees...

Buy it and don't open it, sell it in twenty years!

I'll put it into consideration.

In regards to independant retailers though, one less-than-moral friend I have claims that GW just sells at full price to make up for the fact that they have NO SECURITY SYSTEMS to prevent theft, whereas independant retailers have a full line of security, or failing that are quiet enough for the employee there to notice theft.

I think GW stores operate on trust: if they make themselves like a fun gaming-club then people will view the employees as friends - and people don't tend to nick tat from their mates.

Wow, thanks for the heads up on an idependant store in Bristol! I don't know the place well, but I'm only an hour away so shall have to visit sometime!