So, you’ve set aside some funds and you’re finally ready to take the big business leap to open your very own local game store. It’s the perfect opportunity to take what you’re passionate about and transform it into your livelihood, and here at Binder POS we want to support you as much as possible. Here, we’ll walk you through some of the decisions you’ll need to make and many of the best tools and resources you can take advantage of as a new LGS.

Starting Decisions

First, you need to determine if you’re fully striking out on your own or if you want to become part of a franchise. A franchise comes with a greater baseline of support, including potentially cutting initial costs, but it can severely limit many business decisions or otherwise cut into your personal profitability. Assuming you choose to establish your own brand, there are more decisions to consider.

As your next step, you must select a location for your business, and begin building your brand. Decide on a name, create signage and logos, and make sure that you’re comfortable with any location rental or purchase fees. This should also include making sure you’re listed with Google and similar search engines.  With all this squared away, you’re ready to connect with your local chamber of commerce to ensure that your business is properly licensed and registered.

Building Resources

After having a location and making sure all your licensing is to standard, it’s time to more thoroughly consider and optimize your business plan. Determine exactly what kinds of product you want to offer your customers, while giving substantial consideration to diversification. An LGS that is selling both board games and TCGs is infinitely more likely to succeed than a store that focuses on just one. 

Final Steps

After making a business plan and considering your inventory, it’s time to get down to the individual details. Purchase shelving and displays, set up a POS system that meets your needs, and otherwise prepare yourself with the gear and tools that you think will best support your business model. Build an advertising budget, join up with helpful communities like GAMA (The Game Manufacturing Association), and start planning out events. With all this established you're ready to set your hours, hire on employees (make sure you always have coverage for peak hours!), and finally open your doors to the community.