Hobby shops
ately, our economy has been ripping the idea of non franchise businesses right from under our feet. I’ve seen shops that are able to stay open just by relying on their regular business but as larger franchises take over we lose the tiny shops that sold interesting items. Today, I am going to discuss the idea of a hobby shop and why these hobby shops should gain more of a following because it is a better place for children to be. In a world where most children are seeing terror on the television we should have a place where they can feel safe, secure, and spend time with people other than their neighborhood kids. Hobby shops are places to do what people love to do. I mean they are places we can play card games, spend money, and develop relationships with people we do not generally meet on the street. When I was ten or twelve I began to attend our local hobby shop called Arkham Asylum named after the prison in Batman. You can not go wrong with a name after a comic prison? The shop was made for comic lovers, and card lovers. By cards, I am talking about magic the gathering, and Yugo. I remember seeing video games set up every once in awhile but the real action was in the card games. It was a place people could gather and understand each other.
After so many years of being open the shop had to close for several reasons. The people were not spending money which can happen at a place where people gather to have fun. It changed names but the owner wasn’t well liked thus it only lasted for a year or two before that shop closed down. My town then had a lull. We had to travel to a mall or a casino in order to play magic the gathering or to get together. However, my town has recently gotten a new hobby shop called gilt leaf. The shop is structured as a magic the gathering shop mainly with days set up to play board games, a place to sit to play video games, and yugioh as an alternate card game to play. It’s main structure is solid with a relaxed owner who is just learning the inns of having such a shop. My only issue with the shop is that if it doesn’t find a way to make money off of all of it’s options for customers its revenue will fall sharp like the one’s before it. I don’t want to see another shop that is trying to fight the franchises fail. In my eyes, there are too many small shops that are failing with the way our economy is shaping up. I love this little places, and approve so much for what they stand for.
They are a place for children to gather to enjoy simple hobbies that some are not able to on an ordinary day. It opens a door for people to gather, and it brings about an atmosphere of friendship. The store has great potential as the owner is a friendly guy, and tends to have a good personality. I think the best way for a hobby shop to make money is to look at what needs to be done to bring forth a feeling of community. If you are a shop that prides itself on games you should charge for tournaments, video game play, arcade game play, and things like that. You want customers to walk in and spend their money not walk out without spending a dime. My best advice for this shop found at 276 west main street, Norwich CT is to find a happy medium where more customers are spending money rather than walking out. Anyways, if you live in my area please make a point to drop in, spend some money, and keep non franchise business in operation. Thank you. You can check out the shop on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/GiltLeafGames/
http://www.diaryoffantasticdiscoveries.com/2016/09/28/whats-trending-hobby-shops/
