CCG Warehouse Going-Out-Of-Business Firesale

[Bram]

Apparently, I bought something there once. I got this e-mail, and it checks out.

It's with great regret that I inform you CCG Warehouse will be closing it's online doors for good.
First I want to express thanks for being one of our customers and let you know about the CCG Warehouse 'Fire Sale' going on now. All products are marked 20% off! This includes all singles, boosters, boxes, repacks, etc. You should place your order quickly though, because once we're out of something, we won't be getting anymore in stock.

Customers with store credit should place an order and use their remaining credit by Friday September 1st. Any unused credit after Friday will be lost.


If you have any questions feel free to contact us by email via sales@ccgwarehouse.com. I will handle all requests personally.

Again, thanks for your patronage.
Sincerely,
Greg Spence - Owner, CCGWarehouse.com

Always a shame to see a ccg site go down (sign o'the times?) but maybe some of you can get a good deal or whatever. I guess I recommend the store, because I've bought there, and I don't remember having any problems with them

[Machinus]

Everything good is sold out. I guess if you need some old commons it might be worth it.

[Whatever Works]

Thats bad news... My local cardstore at Hadley mall closing on wednesday too... bad week for business everywhere =(

[yangtze34]

At least two stores in my area that I used to frequent have closed in the last 2 years.  One of them completely switched over to internet retail on the same things.  I just think the internet is taking over the ccg business, but I probably don't know what I'm talking about.  Some stores do thrive, because they are in the right area with the right amount of interest.

[Bardo]

When I got back into the game (2003), I bought two (NM) Force of Wills from CCG Warehouse for $12 each. And after Portal was legalized I got a set of Jungle Lions for a few nickles--when SCG jacked up the price to like $2/each; not to mention a bunch of other stuff.

R.I.P. CCG Warehouse.

[darkstar138]

I lost my local store (even though I called the owner an idiot for stocking type one cards and not supporting the format).  It sucks when any dealer or store shuts down.

[unknown.root]

yeah if your making a list add vroman's store to it.

another friend of mine closed his store last year. my family had to shut down one of ours last year as well.

From what i hear card shops everywhere are in trouble.

Kevin

[White_Ghost]

Straight up cards shops are in trouble.

That's why I don't have to worry about my local one as it is also a Paintball shop.  Hopefully other stores can adapt and compete with online businesses buy adopting other types of business.

[Godder]

I suggest selling food and drink, so that it's more like a nerd pub/bar than a card shop.

[Apollyon]

The summer is a slow time for sales. If you aren't doing well already, and the slow season approaches, you are generally in trouble.

I believe that there was a store in CT that closed down (Dragon's Lair).

Straight up cards shops are in trouble.

That's why I don't have to worry about my local one as it is also a Paintball shop.  Hopefully other stores can adapt and compete with online businesses buy adopting other types of business.

One of the secrets to having a successful card store is to diversify. One of the local stores does comics + cards/miniatures. The comics helps out the cards when the card sales slow down. The cards helps out the comics when the comic sales slow down.

The same thing is being said about comic shops, incidentally. Comic sales skyrocketed and in recent years, they have declined. In part due to trades (reprints of older comics in a book form) hurting sales of back issues.

It sucks to see places going under.

I suggest selling food and drink, so that it's more like a nerd pub/bar than a card shop.

Building up a local community is a big help. In general, what you aim for is to make it so that it's a place for people to hang out once or twice a week. They come in, talk, play, talk some more, play in a small tournament, and buy a snack or drink.

[Bram]

Our local store seems to be holding its head above water quite well. Probably because they combine a whole bunch of stuff. They have one of the larger Dutch online CCG stores as well which they run from the shop. They also sell beverages, candy and snacks, have plenty room for regular tournaments (magic as well as VS system etc.). Add a good poker table to that, and an assortment of fanstasy paraphenelia like swords, unicorns statues, D&D T-shirts etc., and you draw a fairly loyal crowd, I guess. I hope they can keep it going for many, many years.

[CrashTest]

One of my favorite local Magic stores closed down a few years ago. They sold comics, and a lot of video games. I really liked playing there, I used to go literally 2-3 times week when I was young and play with friends, and their tournaments.

         I'm not sure why they closed down, but when I used to go, business was doing very well.

[Bardo]

I'm not sure why they closed down, but when I used to go, business was doing very well.

Were they actually "doing business" (i.e. selling stuff), or did it just look busy. This is a sad state of affairs, but the store I usually frequent (Alternate Universe on Capitol Highway in Portland) often has dudes sitting around playing online game, MtG and other assorted stuff--but whenever I'm at a tournament, like no one buy's the owner's cards. Most everyone buys online and then plays with cards they bought elsewhere. I can't blame anyone, because I do the same thing. But I've learned that "looking busy" and "doing business" are two very different things for game stores.

FWIW, I try to buy a few packs of the most recent set from the guy ("pity packs"), just because I feel sorry for the situation.

[CrashTest]

The store was in a busy mall, so there would always be literally dozens of people coming in and out of the store. They were there for a while, so I guess business just took a dive down and they had to pack up.

[Apollyon]

They could have also jacked up the rent. Malls aren't particularly noted for being managed by nice people. They deal a lot with the Hot Topics and the Electronics Boutiques, who don't care what rent is because it's a necessity for them to be in every mall in existence.

[Implacable]

Hey, not to be a shill, but here in Lacey, we have one of the best stores in the state, if not the best.  If you have the time, check out Olympic Cards and Comics.  They're doing great because they're diversified into almost every form of gaming that you can thing of. 

[orgcandman]

They could have also jacked up the rent. Malls aren't particularly noted for being managed by nice people. They deal a lot with the Hot Topics and the Electronics Boutiques, who don't care what rent is because it's a necessity for them to be in every mall in existence.

This happened to a really cool card store in Salem, NH. The Verizon store approached the mall and said "Oh, we want that space, and we're willing to pay 3x as much as they are paying" so the mall chose not to renew the store's contract.

This sucked, as odyssey had just come out, but they were still able to carry a few revised boxes, as well as 1/2 an unlimited box, and countless urza block boxes.