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Second-hand Citizen
(12-22-2008, 02:35 AM)
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So, apparently, my town has a "prototype" Gamestop.
#1
(Searched and found nothing)
As I was heading to my local Wal-Mart in Gainesville, Florida (Go Gators!) to pick up party balloons, I glanced out my window to behold my familiar old Gamestop. Except, it wasn't my familiar old Gamestop. It was bigger. And shinier. And so I had to go see (picture A). According to the employees, the store is one of only a few (and possibly the only) prototype stores in the nation. There is ALL kinds of fuck-awesome shit in this store. First off, it's three times as large as a standard Gamestop, with two separate wood-inlaid counters and high-quality flooring. There were no less than EIGHTEEN separate demo kiosks around the store, including a giant custom kiosk for Guitar Hero: World Tour. They were even demoing Valkyria Chronicles(!). Also littering the outer walls, amongst the games, stood high-definition touch-screen displays that you could browse the store catalog (picture D), as well as manually search for any title to check for a game description, price (both new and used), and whether or not the game is currently in-stock. Both these touchscreen displays and several of the kiosks feature those high-quality audio cone things mounted above. Also, thanks to these displays, I found out Prince of Persia is selling for $40 new due to some Amazon price drop. Awesome. I bought it. The front of the store had several more high-definition displays showing the newest releases (picture C), and near the back was a four-person DS/PSP congregation with some spiffy modern-look red chairs (picture B), which looked oddly like a hookah. It was quite an experience, and despite my loathing of physical media, I'd head over to Gamestop more often if they were all like this. The employees stated that more would pop up soon, if this one (these ones?) did reasonably well. Sorry for the picture quality, my cell phone is old. = ( [IMG]http://i41.************/2ywh5w6.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i39.************/2s85rgm.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i39.************/fjzsbq.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i44.************/2ihldft.jpg[/IMG]
Last edited by Feep; 12-22-2008 at 05:23 PM.
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(12-22-2008, 02:40 AM)
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#13
Where the fuck are the magazine racks? What am I going to knock over on my rages out of the store?
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Member
(12-22-2008, 02:43 AM)
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#17
Originally Posted by drohne:
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Member
(12-22-2008, 02:43 AM)
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#18
Originally Posted by drohne:
Originally Posted by feep:
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Second-hand Citizen
(12-22-2008, 02:43 AM)
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#19
Originally Posted by drohne:
I was never fully against the Gamestop practice of "gutting", but I'd imagine that hasn't changed. The experience was just...nicer than your standard GS. Way nicer. |
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Member
(12-22-2008, 02:44 AM)
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#21
I remember seeing one similar to that when I was in California last year. It was near Universal Studios, in some outdoor shopping complex called the Park or Boardwalk or something.
It's already bad enough as it is, imagine parents dropping off their kids for cheap babysitting into a place like that. |
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(12-22-2008, 02:48 AM)
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#25
Well if they really acknowledge DD as a threat I guess this is something to consider.
Otherwise I don't know why an owner would just want to eat into their profits with more floorspace. |
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Member
(12-22-2008, 02:50 AM)
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#29
Originally Posted by Mindlog:
I like the current look of GameStop, it feels cozy. The only thing I don't like is the rip-off prices for used games, there are other stores in my city that sell used games for lower prices. |
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Member
(12-22-2008, 02:52 AM)
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#31
They must have taken a look at GAME stores in the UK and Europe. Clean, well lit and laid out. They really invest in their stores and make it the same experience where-ever you go, much like Starbucks. Obviously people are willing to pay a premium for this because they're invariably the most expensive on the high street but year upon year they grow.
GameStop have taken it a step further and made it a social experience. |
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Second-hand Citizen
(12-22-2008, 03:00 AM)
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#38
Originally Posted by MvmntInGrn:
Anyway, it may be because it just opened, but even at 9:20, FIVE employees were in the store. I asked them some questions and they responded cordially, but of course, it wasn't very busy, and employee friendliness will vary from store to store.
Originally Posted by AzureJericho:
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A little fluff between the ears never did any harm...
(12-22-2008, 03:01 AM)
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#39
Damn, I used to live in Gainesville. Is that the one on Archer? I might stop by when I'm in the area this week.
Edit: Heh, just answered it above. Did they turn the other Rhino on 13th into a gamestop too, or just close it? |
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Second-hand Citizen
(12-22-2008, 03:04 AM)
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#41
Originally Posted by Galactic Fork:
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