Well, it was bound to happen. In Games Workshop's constant drive to eliminate costs, they have decided to close the second of the four battle bunkers that have been the cornerstone of Games Workshop's US Retail strategy. (Los Angeles closed earlier this year after posting a profit for 2012).
From the Bunker Facebook page:
On Sunday, July 28th the Games Workshop Seattle Battle Bunker as you know it will be closing its doors in order to be re-envisioned and remodeled as a Games Workshop Hobby Center. This remodel will take place during the final week of July and doors will reopen on Saturday, August 3rd.
This new Games Workshop Hobby Center format will allow us to better deliver on great customer service to our wide range of customers who are working on their own collections of models. This change also allows us to better focus on recruiting new customers to our great hobby. You can be assured that you will still have access to the same, great range of Games Workshop product as before, with the ability to enjoy a friendly game and improve your hobby skills in a smaller environment.
We thank all of you for your patronage and participation in the activities and events that have been showcased at the Seattle Battle Bunker over the years. We would like to invite you to visit the new Hobby Center beginning on August 3rd.
To prepare for this transition we will begin a new set of store hours starting on Monday, July 8th. The schedule will be as follows:
Monday/Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday/Thursday/Friday: 1pm – 8pm
Saturday: 12pm – 8pm
Sunday: 12pm – 6pm
I am of course, disappointed, having been to the Seattle Bunker many times. It will of course, be replaced by a one man store.
Loken
I live 10 minutes from the Battle Bunker. This totally blows.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking from experience in bunkers closing and re- opening, there are pro's and cons, and it's not as bad as you're making it seem.
ReplyDeleteHere's a guide to help you through the transition, and what you will expect from your new store.
Hobby Center Hours: average hours are Wednesday through Sunday and will either be open from 12:00 - 7:00 or 1:00 - 8:00 with a 30 minute lunch break some time around 3:00 or 4:00.
In reality the shop is only closing 1 hour earlier than it normally did when it was a bunker, so no big loss, and Mondays and Tuesdays are usually slow days anyway, so what ever.
Usually Sundays will probably close at 6:00 or 7:00
Space and Tables: At first glance you will be disheartened by the size, 20 tables shrank down to 2 tables, and the store isn't separate from the gaming room.
It's not all bad though because one thing you will notice is that when the space shrinks, the cliques dissolve and people actually learn to get along with each other more, especially now that there's only two tables to play on, and two tables to paint on, it actually puts all of you in the position to really get to know each other and you find your self forming friendships with the people there, as well as the manager working the shop.
It's amazing really, you even find your self playing games outside of shop at people's houses.
Everyone's first defensive response to a bunker closing is how awful it is, and how GW is making a huge mistake and that small shops will never be able to survive without all the space and tables.
Guess what... it's not true.
After being at a small shop for almost a year now, one thing I've noticed is that all that space was good for two things, Tournaments and Apocalypse Games.
one thing that Tournaments and Apocalypse games have in common are they bring out strangers and random people you never see except for those events, and they aren't there to support the shop, they are just there to use the space and then go back home to the shops they actually spend at, sure some may buy things from time to time, but in reality, they're just there for the space, that's all.
Things that will still stay the same, there will still be campaigns, still painting competitions, the stock will not change, the store will actually get a much needed re-vamp and overhaul, and you'll even find it has a more pleasant atmosphere.
So i say to you all, give it a shot, if you don't like it, Make your own shop.
I forgot one more thing.
ReplyDeleteThe store can still have Tournaments and Apoc Games, the one i'm at does not do Tournaments, but we're setting up for an Apocalypse Campaign that runs on the last Saturday of the month.
it's really just at the discretion the person who is running the shop.
Lufgt,
ReplyDeleteThat response of yours is not very convincing. I would not be inclined to support a one man store. It adds nothing to the community. Bunkers build community where the game can expand to players homes. Most people do not feel comfortable sitting in a closet sized retail store all day. Your 'cliques' dissolve into the 3-4 people who lack social skills and/or discretionary funds to have anywhere else to go.
No sir any type of community is all lost at a one man store. Hopefully there is/are local privately owned stores where a community can be fostered. In the early 2000's there were stores like this around and the GW stores all closed up. When the recession hit those private stores closed up and GW bunkers took their place. With the bunkers gone I hope the privates come back. One man stores are not an option.
Well that is your opinion, but I made a statement based on experience of the la bunker closing, off the top of my head I can name around 45 people I've made friends with and on Mondays we go to each others houses or apartments for gaming and bbq, granted not all show up,but back at the shop on any given day there's plenty of people there that play both fantasy and 40k.
ReplyDeleteAnd at the shop nobody talks cheap on anyone,and if any of has a problem with anyone we talk it out like adults, even the youngish do too.
I don't know how much more of a community you want than that.
Lufgt, you sound like a GW apologist. I ran the Apoc games at the LA Battle Bunker and your characterizations aren't even close to being right. Yes, playing at a freind's house is nice, but playing at a great shop is a lot of fun too because everyone can show up, including new people. All those friends you met you would NEVER have met at a one man store.
ReplyDeleteI will never go back to the GW Westminster store. I have no need to, it offers me nothing. A bunker did.
I know who you are Alec and I'm more than aware of the games you ran at the bunker, Name calling isn't nessecary either, if readers opinions aren't welcome here all you have to do is say so.
ReplyDeleteIt was simply an opinion based on my transition from being at the bunker to going to a one man shop.
the real tragedy is that to keep their profits at current status quo, people will be losing their jobs, prices are steady at what they want, hours will decrease for gaming, and less people will be able to play cause gaming is first come first serve if table space decreases.
ReplyDeleteThey are closing because GW sucks and business is terrible. SO is the one in Chicago. Good Riddance!
ReplyDelete