Game Store In Trouble

Earlier today, I received this e-mail from Brian, who runs Phoenix Games (My FLGS of choice):

I apologize in advance if you receive this email more than once. Some of you may be on multiple email lists and I may not have caught all of the duplicates.

This is not your usual email from Phoenix Games. This one's a little different and was not easy to write. However, over the last few days I have been reminded that this store is not "my store" anymore. It truly has become "your store" as well. So, pride aside, this is a plea for your assistance. I need your help.

For those of you who have been with us since the beginning, you know there have been many challenges that we’ve been able to overcome and survive over the years. Never has the fate of this local game store felt like it was as uncertain as it does as of this writing.

The economic downturn left fewer shoppers coming in on a regular basis, but it has still been manageable. However, this recent deluge of snowstorms on what are supposed to be the busiest shopping weeks have kept nearly everyone away, rapidly depleting reserve funds and preventing the collection of the income necessary to finance Phoenix Games through the slow months of the first quarter.

This revenue likely will not be recovered and quite simply, the fate of Phoenix Games is dependent on this email.

My plea is simple-

If you venture out to do some last minute holiday shopping, please keep us in mind. We’d love to see you and your patronage will significantly help. Plus, a new game is a wonderful way to spend a day with family and friends over this winter break.

If you’re not venturing out at all, may we suggest calling us and placing an order over the phone? We’ll include free shipping on orders over $100. We’ve also got plenty of gift certificates that we can mail out same day. The US Postal Service can have each of these options delivered next day all around Puget Sound.

Please consider helping to keep us around just a little while longer.

We still have many contributions to make to this community and many new ideas to implement like our new board game rental section which is now available. With a little bit of help from you right now, we can still do it.

For your patronage past, present and future, thank you.

Special Holiday Hours
Tuesday 10:00am- 10:00pm
Wednesday 10:00am- 7:00pm
Saturday 11:00am-9:00pm
Sunday 12:00-8:00pm
Monday through Friday 11:00-9:00pm

Sincerely,

J. Brian Cobos
Phoenix Games
11811 Mukilteo Speedway, #110
Mukilteo, WA 98275
(425) 353-5584

Business Hours
Mon-Sat 12:00p- 9:00p
Sun 2:00p- 8:00p

Get tournament and event schedules, product release updates and more at:
http://www.phoenixgamesandgifts.com
http://www.myspace.com/phoenix_games

Sadly, I don't think this problem is atypical. And it's probably not limited to game stores. And, unfortunately, Phoenix Games isn't likely the only game store being impacted by the weather.

It seems like the entire country is currently having a particularly harsh winter. Here in the Seattle area, we have had a long stretch of snow - normally, it sticks around for one to two days before going away. And snow in Seattle is especially bad - it tends to hover around freezing, so the snow will thaw and re-freeze as ice and thaw and re-freeze. It leads to sheets of ice on the roads with an infrastructure designed to handle rain.

I suspect that a number of local businesses are struggling, but I don't have the same level of personal investment in the other businesses that I do in Phoenix.

In addition to the hours above, I'll be hosting our weekly Game Night on Friday. It'll be my first chance to spend Christmas Money and I plan to spend some. I don't think I'll be able to afford much, but every nickel helps.