Don Ballew of Fort Gibson Hobby Shop in
After reading the articles from Steven Olsen and Scott Proulx, I have decided that if more of us local core hobby/gaming shops spoke out then maybe the winds would indeed start to blow in our direction. As a small rural store owner struggling to keep my doors open for the community, it is already difficult to compete with mass marketing, but when not given a chance to compete at all in areas of pre-release what is one to do?
As I try and expand into new games I find it very difficult to even attempt to carry certain brands. Being rural, normally only the most popular games are being played here, such as Yu-Gi-Oh! and World of Warcraft TCG, but I still lose a lot of business to the pre-release system. I only get to sell a fraction of what could be possible if they used a core hobby pre-release system. I do have some players that can't drive or get a ride to the big city to get to play in an event but want to be able to participate in a pre-release event. As stated in one of the previous articles, those that do go normally buy all they can and don't spend it at the core hobby shop.
One of the main companies I have worked with in the past is Score Entertainment. I have only high marks for them. Any time I needed to speak with someone I have always been able to reach them. Erin Giddings, Community Manager, and Dan Pose, Organized Play Manager are always willing to try and help any way they can. They have always had a local pre-release system for as long as I have dealt with them and offer free monthly tournament support.
I agree that until more of the local shops rally and make some noise I don't know that any major change will happen. I know that a few manufacturers have started making changes, as companies like Score, WizKids and especially Sabertooth, which does not even sell product to the mass market but only the local core, continue to move forward to try and support the local scene, which is the back bone of the industry. I know I will, without a doubt, be pushing their products more so than others that don't seem to care if I stay open or not.
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