I'm opening up a brick and mortar this year and want some advice!! 7 7

[youmechooz]

On ‎8‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 6:01 PM, jsilverjanet said:

How's it's going for you?

good. just tired. how is everything going for u?

[Genesis Comics]

On 8/3/2017 at 1:25 PM, sckao said:

Hi,

First of all, good luck with your store. I just came across this thread and always find these threads interesting. 

I did take a look at your existing website and it could probably use some updating. 

I'm not sure if you already talked about this earlier as I haven't read the entire thread, but if you're planning on synchronizing the website to coincide with your Grand Opening, you should probably have your POS and Diamond system in place (mentioned by you earlier), which will then give you a continuous stream of content for your website. (At the minimum, Address, Store Hours, Directions, Email and Contact Information, New Releases information, Subscription Service information,  Events Calendar, Blog, etc.)

Is that also your logo and have you actually used it as your physical StoreFront logo/sign?

We did a little updating to the website and will add more in the next week.  Still working out whether or not to get the Diamond POS as the credit terms I got were over my budget, so I have to see where I can cut...the sign also came out a few hundred over budget so need to do some moving around of $$ lol.  Yes, that is my logo, and I will be using it as my sign.  There is also a marquis on the street that I will just have "Comics" on.

I haven't locked in my hours yet, so that's why they are not on the site.  Thanks for the feedback on the site!  I appreciate it!

[Genesis Comics]

So, here I am with another update!!  I know you've all been waiting at the edge of your keyboard!!  LOL...

Last week, when I was to receive my first Diamond order, I worked out with Diamond that they call UPS and hold it at the UPS facility for me to pick up (luckily it's 5 min away).  My rep told me to call on Tuesday of the next week if I needed that order held, so I did and she told me, oh, that's been delivered already!!!  What?!?  I explained that I did not receive it as I wasn't in the store yet.  I asked for details and she told me that it had been signed for and left at the front desk.  This was odd as I am on COD.  I asked what I should do and she told me to go to the location.  Ugh...the guy doesn't want me there and the landlord said not to go vs. my product!  Needless to say, I hopped in my car and went into the shop, hopefully it's there....

First, some good news ...when I walked in he was packing!  Woo Hoo!!

Secondly, he was such a nice guy!  He apologized about the prior week...he was upset/melancholy about having to close and just wanted to be alone, he told me whatever I needed to check out to go ahead.  He gave me copies of his bills as well as a piece of the floor (it's laminate flooring that's only in the front, I need to finish the back.

Thirdly,  he took the package in and reached out to the landlord to have him contact me to let me know it was there.  The box was not marked COD and came one day early! Really Diamond! But it was only box 1 of 2...box 2 was delivered today with the full COD.

Now a little history...when I first saw the place, the back room was so filled with suits/tuxes/shelves/boxes,  multiple poles hanging from the ceiling with tuxedos hanging everywhere!! You get the picture, it was hard/impossible to see fully into the back.  The landlord said, let's go a few stores down to check out another store (all the locations are the same in the shop, only difference is left store/right store (what side the doors are and what side the bathrooms are).  I went into the Cricket Wireless and went to the back which was wide open.  He explained that the tuxedo shop was a mirror image, a clean box as he called it.  Sounds good...

Now, back to the present...I finally get to see more of the back as the tuxedos are starting to be packed up.  Turns out when he said "mirror image" he did not mean a traditional mirror, but a fun house mirror!!  The bathroom is on the opposite side, however, instead of being at the back left corner, it's 8 1/2 feet away from the wall...basically a 6x6 foot box coming off the left wall, with 8 plus feet behind it...now while this screws up my floor plan that I had finalized, it's not the worst thing.  I had gone back and forth about having a storage area, I wanted one, but I also wanted enough room for 40 people to sit and play card games...so decision is made for me about the storage as I can't do anything else with the 8x6 space behind the bathroom, and you guys can be happier as I can't fit as many gamers ...can't put gaming tables behind the bathroom as I can't see it from where I would be set up by the register, also on the left side...so now I have a storage area!!  

Now, here is the worst part...first off the space is 15 feet wide by 64 feet deep, about 1000 square feet.  About 16-18 feet from the back wall and about 6 1/2 feet from the left wall, there is a pole, floor to ceiling.  This is, according to the tenant, an electric pole.  Not a super thick pole...probably about the same as the thick part of a baseball bat.  Tenant does not believe it can be moved, based on what he knows, but it was in his back room and not in the way so he did not bother with it.  Not real happy.  Called the landlord and he had not idea what I was talking about.  He said he was going to stop by and take a lookwhich he did.  I will be speaking with him tomorrow.  Now part (maybe most, heck maybe all) of this is on me, I know that, and I accept that.  But I should be able to believe what the landlord is telling me right?  He seemed legitimately perplexed on the phone and when I spoke to the current tenant today he told me that the landlord was confused when he came in and saw what I was talking about.  I'm thinking maybe if I can find a life size  Batman figure I can hang him from the top of the  pole and call it the Batpole! If anyone has any creative ideas that don't involve pole dancing (I don't have the body for it anymore) lol, let me know! Man, I am not good at this so far.  2nd big mistake on my part.

So, if you've read some of the previous updates, you would have seen that I was supposed to get the keys on the 10th...after my conversation with the tenant, he will be out by this Sunday (13th).  I started to feel angry/upset/annoyed with not only him, but the landlord as well, but then decided, it's not worth it.  Legally, should I have had the keys today? Yes.  Is it worth it for me in the long run to make it a big deal? No.  I'll just bank these issues with the landlord, let him know I'm not thrilled, but things happen...not going to let these things ruin my dream...I'm too busy anyway!!  And if I'm nice to the tenant, maybe he will leave that glass showcase...(me trying to find the positive)

Now onto other stuff that doesn't involve my whining about my bad decisions...

Picked out some colors for the shop, going with comic book blue/yellow/red.  Not sure exactly what I'm going to paint what yet though.  Have a few days to figure it out as the some of the sheet rock needs work.  Colors will match the logo on my website ( genesiscomicsandgaming.com ) And yeah, I know, it's a long name...lol...but Genesiscomics.com was no longer 2.99 for the domain, someone had bought it (a few days after I searched it on the Godaddy site ironically  and now it was for sale for over $1000...hence the long website name...so if you are ever looking for a domain name, don't wait after you have searched it on the site...pay the 3 bucks!!  Otherwise it will be gone!

Went to a few stores to see if I could match the flooring to the piece I had gotten from the tenant, but it was put in about 11 years ago and wouldn't you know it, they don't make it anymore (originally purchased at home depot)...going to try a few other flooring spots before I decide what to do...don't think I want carpeting in the back with the "gaming rats".  I'll probably just get a similar flooring and have to make it work.

Ordered shirts for myself (polo) and t-shirts for family/friends and my part time/sometime employee, Jason. I went with the polo to stand out and felt that the polo looked more professional.  Polo is black with small stitched logo on upper left.  T-shirts, also black, have large printed logo in center with Ronkonkoma, NY underneath.  I toyed around with address/phone number, but felt that it was too busy on the front and didn't really like it on the back, so I went simple.  Only ordered about a dozen or so so I could always change and get more.  I was thinking about coming up with a catchphrase, but I haven't come up with one I love yet.  My best (and I'm using that term loosely, is "Get your CGC's and TCG's at GCG!!"  

So, I'm looking for a catchphrase!!  What do you got???

I did get a call from a woman who I had spoken to a month or 2 back about a collection of comics that belonged to her son's friend.  He didn't  want them anymore and her friend was moving and gave them to her.  She said it was about 8 boxes of books from the 70's.  I reached out 3 or 4 times and each time she told me that she didn't have a car and the comics were in storage, she needed her friend to drive her.  I had given up as it had been so long, but then she called!  I meet her outside the storage unit, she's probably about 65-70 so I am hopeful that the comics are old.  Then I do the math and figure her friends son was probably about 40 or so and if he collected as a kit, the books would be 30 years old...copper...  I waited outside the unit for about 15 minutes as she fiddled with about 30-40 keys for the lock lol...finally opened the unit and the first box in front had water damage 90% of the way up to the top   Rest of the boxes looked ok, all comics were bagged and about 75% were bagged and boarded!  Good sign.  Pulled out the first box and grabbed a couple of books from the middle.........Quasar 19,20,21 LMFAO copper it is!...not quite 70's...good news is it looked like the comics in the water damaged box were not water damaged, no musty smell, no rusted staples, no signs of water damage at all...looks like at some point the box got wet and was just re-used.  All the books with the exception of 4 silver age ( 3 DD's in the 20's and one X-Men in the 40's) were late 80's to early 90's...comics were all in nice shape including a nice New Mutants 98 (9.4), 87 (9.2).  1st Squirrel Girl (9.6), Wolvie 1 (regular), X-Men 201, 221,266 (9.4), Harbinger 1 (9.4/9.6) with coupon, Infinity Gauntlet, Killing Joke (6th print), Marvel Age 97, bunch of other 10-15 dollar books  Total of 8 boxes.  Was happy overall, would have preferred 8 boxes of bronze but copper keys are nice as well.  May send a few in for grading...

Tomorrow is another phone call day...need to get insurance, internet/phone, electric, gas, cc processing, and POS/register sorted out, as well as get another estimate on signing.  

Man, I'm all over the place with this one, but there is so much going on.  Please forgive the randomness lol.   I will try to update daily at the end of the day once I get in there on the 14th letting you all know my issues as well as all the good stuff...I may be too tired some nights, but I don't want to disappoint my fans!!  LMFAO.  I'm hoping that the painting/flooring is done by Thursday so that on Friday I can load in the fixtures.  I will then spend Saturday and Sunday merchandising, I'll have a quiet opening on Mon-Thurs and hopefully if all goes well (I know, I know lol) I will have an official Grand Opening on Saturday August 26th!!  If you are in the area, address is 600-26 Portion Road, Ronkonkoma, NY.  feel free to stop in anytime after the 15th and introduce yourself!  If you like to paint, even better!  If you like lifting boxes and heavy things, we will be fast friends!  I pay in pizza and beer (and maybe a comic or 2)!!

So, to finish up here is your homework!

1) I need a catchphrase.  Family friendly please!

2) What do I do with the Batpole? Again...I cannot stress this enough, family friendly lmfao.

3) Check out the website, look at the colors, and give me your thoughts about how to go about painting the walls and what color combos I should use. (ceiling is tile and back wall is smallish).  Fixtures are mostly dark wood color (almost black) and new comic racks are grey.

Thanks again for all the feedback, constructive criticism, well wishes!!  Keep em coming!  I really appreciate all the feedback and kind words!

 

 

[thehumantorch]

I'm enjoying this thread.  Sounds like you're juggling 10 balls.

Could you hang lights on the pole?  Or perhaps lit Superman signs etc?  

Since you can't match the floor would it make sense to go with a totally different look for the area you still have to work on?  Might make it interesting if you have a drastic change in look.

[mrwoogieman]

Where is the store located again?

[SteppinRazor]

Do you have a drop ceiling?  Can you see the end of the pole?  Electrical pole is very unlikely.  Wires are typically run through the walls.  Supports for the building would typically be at least a 3" diameter pole, but that's what I would guess it is.  Landlord's not going to pay what it costs to eliminate it, so I would just take some drek Batman comics and glue pages onto the pole (I like the Bat pole idea).  If you've got anything that you sell that's light, you can buy hoseclamps and clamp on a few small bins to the post and use as a display fixture.

[Genesis Comics]

1 hour ago, mrwoogieman said:

Where is the store located again?

600-26 Portion Road

Ronkonkoma, NY 11779

It's in the Stat Health shopping center (known around town as the old Blockbuster Video shopping center)

[Genesis Comics]

6 minutes ago, SteppinRazor said:

Do you have a drop ceiling?  Can you see the end of the pole?  Electrical pole is very unlikely.  Wires are typically run through the walls.  Supports for the building would typically be at least a 3" diameter pole, but that's what I would guess it is.  Landlord's not going to pay what it costs to eliminate it, so I would just take some drek Batman comics and glue pages onto the pole (I like the Bat pole idea).  If you've got anything that you sell that's light, you can buy hoseclamps and clamp on a few small bins to the post and use as a display fixture.

I do have a drop ceiling, but have not had the ability to go up and see what's up there.  It's a metal pole, none of the other locations in the shopping center have one...I'm the lucky one lol.  Some good ideas there, thanks!

[BlowUpTheMoon]

Can't wait to see the pics!

[SteppinRazor]

4 minutes ago, Genesis Comics said:

I do have a drop ceiling, but have not had the ability to go up and see what's up there.  It's a metal pole, none of the other locations in the shopping center have one...I'm the lucky one lol.  Some good ideas there, thanks!

It could possibly be a plumbing vent stack then.  If no one else has one, and you're not in the center of the strip, that would be my second guess.  Electrical coming into the building shouldn't be coming up through the floor (or through metal), but a plumbing vent could.

Edited August 11, 2017 by SteppinRazor

[Genesis Comics]

1 minute ago, SteppinRazor said:

It could possibly be a plumbing vent stack then.  If no one else has one, and you're not in the center of the strip, that would be my second guess.  Electrical coming into the building shouldn't be coming up through the floor, but a plumbing vent could.

It's possible...I'm the 2nd store in from the left...I'm swinging by there today...I'll take a pic

[tv horror]

"A new beginning and Genesis for comicbooks!"

" A brand new Genesis for comicstores!"

As for the pole use a copy of the sign from the tv series "To the Batcave" I'm sure that will go down well (pun intended), good luck.  

[DeadOne]

Thanks for the updates... I'm so excited for you. I really wish I lived closer.

Is it possible to build (or have built) a small shelving unit of some sort (either square or even triangular) and place it around the pole? Nothing very deep, but maybe something you can use to hold trades or Funko Pops.

As for the catchphrase, since your store is new, how about " In the beginning... Genesis Comics and Gaming"?

[Mapleleafvann]

Some good ideas being thrown out here!  

For the floor, I agree with "thehumantorch".....if you can't match the floor, make it stand out.  Make it look like you made a conscious decision to have it completely different.  When people try to "match" things and/or hide elements, they usually end up looking far worse.  Make a statement. 

This leads to my next point---the pole.  Cover it with plaster and make it into an old school barber pole---sounds like that could fit your overall theme of trendy-vintage!

Many different ways to do it...cover it with sheet metal then carbon fibre.....plaster....even drywall....  I'm sure someone here can figure out a cost effective way that would look grand....

 

[1webslinger]

Can you take a pic of the pole?

[thehumantorch]

13 minutes ago, 1webslinger said:

Can you take a pic of the pole?

 

[Mapleleafvann]

"That Opie......he broke my barber pole".   HA!  Sorry everyone...obscure reference.  Here's a hint;. Eugene Levy said it.....

[Mapleleafvann]

OK....so after a pre-dinner martini, some vino during and now a post refreshment, let's put my "hey, this might be a good idea" to the test.  

So, I already mentioned the barber pole idea....

If you're game for that, why not make that flooring area black and white tile (cheaply of course), but that would fit with that barber pole.  Keeping with that theme, the east coast is such great ground for antiques and old strange things.  Why not get an old barber chair??  You could take your pick of a Darth Vader mannequin in the chair....getting a shave!  Orrrrrr....try and get a Khan Noonien Singh mannequin for the chair.....nice tie-in with "Genesis".....maybe get both and swap them out.  

Just some thoughts for people to run over after a liberal application of alcohol.....

[tv horror]

1 hour ago, Mapleleafvann said:

OK....so after a pre-dinner martini, some vino during and now a post refreshment, let's put my "hey, this might be a good idea" to the test.  

So, I already mentioned the barber pole idea....

If you're game for that, why not make that flooring area black and white tile (cheaply of course), but that would fit with that barber pole.  Keeping with that theme, the east coast is such great ground for antiques and old strange things.  Why not get an old barber chair??  You could take your pick of a Darth Vader mannequin in the chair....getting a shave!  Orrrrrr....try and get a Khan Noonien Singh mannequin for the chair.....nice tie-in with "Genesis".....maybe get both and swap them out.  

Just some thoughts for people to run over after a liberal application of alcohol.....

I just sing then drop to the floor but I'm impressed you can think?

[thirdgreenham]

This is why I would consider not using acronyms. "Get your STDs at GCG"

Here's a bunch of quick ideas. Many may be awful suggestions, but one might lead you to something a bit more clever and catchy.

Genesis Comics, first in gaming

Genesis Comics, first in everything

You have no nemesis at Genesis 

In the beginning, there was Genesis

Genesis Comics, your first and last stop

Genesis Comics, your only choice

We're your bro and your sis, at Genesis

For fun and bliss, try Genesis

The shop you don't want to miss, Genesis