Hello Everybody:

I have a dilema. I've started researching my area to open up a GC, and I thought that things were going perfect... but then I discovered something terrible... another GC!

I live in a city of 75,000+ and it took me over a week just to find out about this other GC. I'm wondering if it's worthwhile to pursue this dream of mine in this location, knowing that there is an already established GC to compete with.

I think with some hard work, and some new features that I may be able to still pull it off, but when I orginally started this process I thought I would be the only GC in the area. I'm still very early in the research phase of my GC, so I would love to hear what you all think before I start spending my cold hard cash! (My first step, sounding like the most logical, would be a membership to the hidden forums for your utopia of information)

 

Thanks,
Nic

75k depends on the distance and other towns you'd be feeding off of.  I joined the forums over a year ago and now Im the tech director for a center.  The forums have taught me more than I ever thought I would learn alone.   Just the the ability to post an issue and have another center respond within the hour on a fix, or that they are even having the same issue to confirm its not just you is more than enough reasoning to me.  I found out tonight our core management software is offline by a post on the forums.  Lucky I didn't go through with my planed reboot of my server tonight, we would be down for business tomorrow if I had done so.

---

The BattleGround

BattleGC.com
Im For Sale Thread

nate@digitalesc.com
810-891-7337
MSN: n_warnick@hotmail.com
AIM: DigitalEscNate
yahoo: naymiketim

Join iGames as an honorary center owner so that you will have access to the private game center owners forums where many can help you decide if your town can support two gaming centers.  how big is the other center and what is its name?

---

Co-Op Advertising and Marketing Committee
Game Support Committee Member

I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
-Winston Churchill

It's hard to say, the current GC has 30 computers, and a few consoles. However, doesn't seem like a very busy GC, and the computers look horribly out dated. So it's a very tough call.

 

Im all for joining up with igames, but at this point I haven't decided wether or not to pursure this idea of mine, or to just bail out while I have no invested interest. I don't want to get started up with things and then all of a sudden bail and be out whatever money I would have sunken into the GC.

 

PS: elangames.com would be the competition.

Any business is a risk.  Do your research, and then if things seem viable do some hard thinking.  Do you want to follow your dream, or do you prefer the safe route of a regular job?  Are you going to look back in 20 years and say would a, should a, could a.

I wanted my own biz since I was a kid, I kept saying when I'm 20 I'll do it... that became 25, which then became 30 and finally at 35 I took the plunge.  I didn't want to grow old workin for someone else regretting not going for it.  My only regret is that I didn't get my act together sooner and do it earlier then maybe the long hours wouldn't be as challenging as they are some times.  

It's a whole life change (was for me at least).  Your business takes up a lot of your time, but I personally enjoy it and really don't want to go back to work for someone else.  But this life is NOT for everyone.  I know a lot of people who shake their head when they hear the hours I work or the little money I presently make (I plan on eventually making a lot more).    

---

MrConsoleX
SPAR Games
Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada

Go big or go home!

My town size is just under 20k, but we are staying healthy. 75k would be a dream for us...however, we also provide alternate sources of revenue (cards, rpg, games workshop, etc.)

If you are willing to diversify, your chances will greatly increase.

---

Colin McLain
Citadel Games
Brainerd, MN 56401

Who says geeks have to be geeky?

njfrlng:

PS: elangames.com would be the competition.

I would say you have a good chance of competing well if they run their operation like their website.  Their website is pretty useless from what I saw.  You click on different canadian provinces in their "location finder," and it just gives you a blown up version of the province.  Not to mention the site took forever to load.

---

Todd Williams
Toad's Game Center
www.toadsgamecenter.com

We ar ein a town of 1300 people and doing better business than I could have ever imagined... I have seen some towns with 10 times the population that dont do even a tenth as good as we do.

 It's all in how you approach it and where you push your center.

 Find a great location and become a great after school hangout for high school/middle school kids, find a place in a mall near a popular hang out or fast food place, you will see your dream come true.

 In any case, find where your clients are and make sure they know you are there too.

---

Mike Ott
CrazyPepper Computer and Gaming Center
Montello, WI
http://www.crazypepper.com

Which city are you looking at, Lindsay, Peterborough or Belleville? I grew up in the Peterborough-Lindsay area myself.

---

"My brother Jesus got the job mainly because he had awesome hair"
Me