Returning Member — NEW CARD SHOP MELB FEEDBACK WANTED

[411MissingHooPLa]

Hey my fellow tragics,

Massive collector of NBA/MLB Cards collector returning after a hiatus and years if only “dabbling”..

By “day” I’m a Retail Operations Manager, have been for 17yrs & have finally decided to stop making others the $$$ and am combining my LOVE/OBSESSION with my expertise, and proudly stating that I’m now within 180 days of opening my own CARD STORE in beautiful Sports-Mad-Melbourne!!!

As a result, further to market research already completed, I wanted to go to the horses mouth myself — my fellow trading card nuts — So I Need YOU

Boy id be grateful for ANY sort of feedback on what your idea of a “dream” store would be — Taking into consideration that many appreciate, love and adore (as I used to do and do often) and I am not looking to go and do another of those fine establishments I’m looking to be unique and perhaps more retro and more of a hub for die-yards to hang and say gday — If you will, cogitate on things you’d wanna see/buy/do/know/trade/sell/touch/discuss if given Total cart-blanche ...

In context of all things be it:

- Locale - Layout - Lineup - Focus - Identity - Engagement - Entertainment - Service - Supplies - Points of difference - Products - Offerings (Breaks? Grading? Consignment? Memorabilia? Meet+greets? Singles? Cases? Unboxings? Gatherings?

But with the duality of “no-budget” AND “low-budget” — to aid feee thinking openness and also to promote realistic wants without restriction yet also encourage budget conscience together as one family — ie: To get both dreams and clever frugal ideas at same time bearing in mind profitability will be required in some capacity to remain in operation

Without giving too much away, current potential locations are: — Eltham — Knox — Keilor — Ivanhoe — Niddrie — Heidelberg — Caroline Springs — Preston

Small carrots of Info: Family Friendly, Owner Operated, Small format, Low Profit high rewards, Basketball focused with some NFL/MLB/AFL/Entertainment Flavors mixed in, Loyalty driven re pre orders, buybacks and so forth..

No real feedback won’t be utilised, I am planning a very small but viscerally collector driven hub that’s low-key fun and not a clone as I could never be that awesome no way Jose... but a co-existent bizzaro-jerry-type deal that’s for collectors like myself to have for a different experience now and then that’s all. The market is surely now big-enough for a smaller style store to open up and ensure Sports-mad Melburnians have somewhere else to congregate and another reason to smile once a week or month or year

Many thanks in advance thx

JPW

 

[cotchin#9]

sounds awesome mate..the more LCS in oz the better.
wishing you the best of luck in your pursuits of your dream

 

[saintsforever]

Hey my fellow tragics,

Massive collector of NBA/MLB Cards collector returning after a hiatus and years if only “dabbling”..

By “day” I’m a Retail Operations Manager, have been for 17yrs & have finally decided to stop making others the $$$ and am combining my LOVE/OBSESSION with my expertise, and proudly stating that I’m now within 180 days of opening my own CARD STORE in beautiful Sports-Mad-Melbourne!!!

As a result, further to market research already completed, I wanted to go to the horses mouth myself — my fellow trading card nuts — So I Need YOU

Boy id be grateful for ANY sort of feedback on what your idea of a “dream” store would be — Taking into consideration that many appreciate, love and adore (as I used to do and do often) and I am not looking to go and do another of those fine establishments I’m looking to be unique and perhaps more retro and more of a hub for die-yards to hang and say gday — If you will, cogitate on things you’d wanna see/buy/do/know/trade/sell/touch/discuss if given Total cart-blanche ...

In context of all things be it:

- Locale - Layout - Lineup - Focus - Identity - Engagement - Entertainment - Service - Supplies - Points of difference - Products - Offerings (Breaks? Grading? Consignment? Memorabilia? Meet+greets? Singles? Cases? Unboxings? Gatherings?

But with the duality of “no-budget” AND “low-budget” — to aid feee thinking openness and also to promote realistic wants without restriction yet also encourage budget conscience together as one family — ie: To get both dreams and clever frugal ideas at same time bearing in mind profitability will be required in some capacity to remain in operation

Without giving too much away, current potential locations are: — Eltham — Knox — Keilor — Ivanhoe — Niddrie — Heidelberg — Caroline Springs — Preston

Small carrots of Info: Family Friendly, Owner Operated, Small format, Low Profit high rewards, Basketball focused with some NFL/MLB/AFL/Entertainment Flavors mixed in, Loyalty driven re pre orders, buybacks and so forth..

No real feedback won’t be utilised, I am planning a very small but viscerally collector driven hub that’s low-key fun and not a clone as I could never be that awesome no way Jose... but a co-existent bizzaro-jerry-type deal that’s for collectors like myself to have for a different experience now and then that’s all. The market is surely now big-enough for a smaller style store to open up and ensure Sports-mad Melburnians have somewhere else to congregate and another reason to smile once a week or month or year

Many thanks in advance thx

JPW

Are you doing any Nrl.

 

[OutlawNinja]

Welcome to the forum mate and all the very best with the upcoming venture.

 

[Billyhoyle]

Good luck. Knox and Eltham are good for tapping into the basketball mad kids that are in those areas. Might also be worth a look at some of the other stores already around to get a sense of some of the other formats around.
Search them and you'll find details
Ejs cards
Jajas
Bazinga
Ozzie collectables
Sunshine collectables

 

[Leopold09]

If I have any advice to forward to you, don’t solely rely on trading cards. The boom in Hot Wheels, Lego and Pop Vinyls should be integrated into a shop setup. Good luck with it.

 

[GarnettFan4Life]

Welcome back! Good luck with the shop!

a few things that would interest me would be

- chairs and tables for hanging out for a while,
-wi-fi (for uploading to social media or checking your online store),
-"dollar' boxes (to sort through to bargain hunt),
-old beckett/basketball magazines to have a look through,
-not sure if you'd be doing it but a drop off point for group grading submissions or even to give advice to new collectors
-maybe a card cleaning service/supplies etc for sure
-card value/comps lookup service ? may not be viable, may need to be fees

 

[411MissingHooPLa]

Are you doing any Nrl.

If there’s demand, yes I can see us having an NRL section & running some orders for other NRL definitely

 

[411MissingHooPLa]

If I have any advice to forward to you, don’t solely rely on trading cards. The boom in Hot Wheels, Lego and Pop Vinyls should be integrated into a shop setup. Good luck with it.

Well said my friend.

currently looking into rare pop vinyl, As well as entertainment memorabilia and movie props, authentic retro movie posters etc

 

[411MissingHooPLa]

Welcome back! Good luck with the shop!

a few things that would interest me would be

- chairs and tables for hanging out for a while,
-wi-fi (for uploading to social media or checking your online store),
-"dollar' boxes (to sort through to bargain hunt),
-old beckett/basketball magazines to have a look through,
-not sure if you'd be doing it but a drop off point for group grading submissions or even to give advice to new collectors
-maybe a card cleaning service/supplies etc for sure
-card value/comps lookup service ? may not be viable, may need to be fees

Love this post!!!

May thoughts exactly mate, looking at having an actual mini-lounge with tables and chairs to use as a collector hub, maybe even NBA League pass on for all hrs of operation and another screen for AFL too.

Cleaning and grading prep is 100% to be part of the offer in store as well. Also looking into sports card investing sessions too

 

[411MissingHooPLa]

Good luck. Knox and Eltham are good for tapping into the basketball mad kids that are in those areas. Might also be worth a look at some of the other stores already around to get a sense of some of the other formats around.
Search them and you'll find details
Ejs cards
Jajas
Bazinga
Ozzie collectables
Sunshine collectables

Thanks so much for your time!
Great Info.. looking at those suburbs especially considering their bball madness and also centricity to other good disposable income areas and general high level of collectors

 

[411MissingHooPLa]

Welcome to the forum mate and all the very best with the upcoming venture.

Thanks Ninja, so excited!

 

[Billyhoyle]

Thanks so much for you time!
Great Info.. looking at those suburbs especially considering their bball madness and also centricity to other good disposable income areas and general high level of collectors

Locality to transport is the other issue to consider. Personal pet peeve - hate going to the city for . Needs to be somewhere easily accessible and good parking

 

[411MissingHooPLa]

sounds awesome mate..the more LCS in oz the better.

wishing you the best of luck in your pursuits of your dream

Much appreciated Cotch, I couldn’t agree more - it’s time we had more than 1-2 on offer and that can offer some value hopefully but moreover a fun place for collectors to mingle, relax and share our passion

 

[411MissingHooPLa]

Locality to transport is the other issue to consider. Personal pet peeve - hate going to the city for . Needs to be somewhere easily accessible and good parking

Another very well considered point and why my Eltham locale is firming by the day.. right near station and buses and parking is solid if a lil busy in peak but overall

 

[GarnettFan4Life]

Love this post!!!

May thoughts exactly mate, looking at having an actual mini-lounge with tables and chairs to use as a collector hub, maybe even NBA League pass on for all hrs of operation and another screen for AFL too.

Cleaning and grading prep is 100% to be part of the offer in store as well. Also looking into sports card investing sessions too

old NBA Jam video game fit in anywhere? Ha!

maybe see if you can scrounge an old card vending machine too, those things were so fun - retro packs , even if they can’t be $4 packs , so many fond memories of coming across those machines in malls back in the day

 

[cotchin#9]

old NBA Jam video game fit in anywhere? Ha!

maybe see if you can scrounge an old card vending machine too, those things were so fun - retro packs , even if they can’t be $4 packs , so many fond memories of coming across those machines in malls back in the day

the old card vending machines are a blast from the past, thats for sure.
wonder were they have all gone in australia?
Occasionally see them in a youtube vid over in the states also in flea markets

 

[cotchin#9]

just saying hoops... understand your going for the basketball focused approach with the store
yet, i would think it would be very hard to run/ be successful in vic, without the AFL market being the big % focus.
biggest sport in vic and australia (and greatest sport in the world)

 

[GarnettFan4Life]

the old card vending machines are a blast from the past, thats for sure.
wonder were they have all gone in australia?
Occasionally see them in a youtube vid over in the states also in flea markets

long forgotten in storage rooms of big shopping centres, recycled and dumped - a few months ago someone on facebook shared one on the side of the road randomly in Western Sydney somewhere, suggesting someone should go pick it up and seeif it worked.

 

[KarmaKilla]

@411MissingHooPLa - Great post and good luck with your venture.

Some feedback (which I'm sure has already been mentioned).

• Easy access to transport - EJ cards in Box Hill is well located. Near Laburnum Railway Station and on the corner of two main roads (Middleborough and Maroondah Hwy). So looking at your location options and target market, perhaps Eltham or Heidelberg
• Do you want to be in a shopping centre (ie Knox) where rent is huge (as price per metre)
• Definitely need access to low-end inserts, PC's and commons to cater for all markets (not just the pointy end). Sitting at a table and going thru boxes of old cards is very theraputic!
• Marketing - Get onboard with a number of junior footy clubs - Fire out some common and low end insert re-packs to kids in Auskick to U12's. The industry is competing with onling gaming like never before. Excellent marketing and follow-up customer service is the point of difference.
• Offer a membership with multiple benefits (ie. Member only days for pre-release or specials, or a flat fee annually which gives members free postage).
• Set-up a portal or sub-directory on your website which allows members to list/trade cards and avoid the eBay/Paypal fees - Your store could be the conduit where cards are handed over (for a small handling fee).
• TV's showing live games or re-runs of classics (via NBATV or similar) - What you save in rent, you can put towards adding value to your customers. (Have a closed store session during NBA Finals to a handful of lucky members etc).

Just throwing a few options out there. Would love to be in your position, but it would cost a marriage.