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| CrailingOldBarney |
 Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2005 8:48 am |
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Joined: 20 Dec 2004
Posts: 29
Location: East
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Hey,
Thanks for the responses so far - opening a shop takes soooooooo much work and all input is helpful.
I want to have a couch, tv, chairs - a place to hang out and watch skate dvds, etc - how do current retailers feel about that - good points/bad points.
Thanks again,
COB |
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| txrocker13 |
| Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2005 9:43 am |
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Joined: 11 Apr 2005
Posts: 1042
Location: Texas
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| Alot of them have started doing just that. Like a starbucks for skaters! Its a great way to promote products, hype them up for skating, and show parents that your trying to find productive things for their kids to do. |
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| skateindex.com |
| Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 2:38 pm |
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Joined: 25 Feb 2005
Posts: 186
Location: DFW, TX
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Kids get dropped off at the shop while mom goes to Target around the corner. They appreciate it.
It gives me a chance to get to know a lot of the skaters and it shows them that we think of them as more than just customers.
We're right next to a McDonald's & Burger King so we have to regulate on the food sometimes, but it's not that big of a deal.
Keep the videos out of reach if you want to prevent damage or theft. I trust the locals but sticky fingers (not the guy from Onyx) might show up when you least expect it. |
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| vaskateboards |
| Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 2:44 pm |
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ORDER OF THE SKULL
Joined: 23 Aug 2004
Posts: 8333
Location: DC
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skateindex.com wrote: but sticky fingers (not the guy from Onyx) might show up when you least expect it.
HA HA AH AHA |
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| Byrddog |
| Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2005 9:24 pm |
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Joined: 19 Aug 2003
Posts: 15
Location: Madison, MS
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I was just about to post this same question.
Byrddogz has been in business now for 8 months, things are going fine money-wise. I always said I wanted a shop that the kids can hang out and watch videos and such. It is my belief that this is the way it should be... but, I created a monster. At one point today I counted 23 kids in a very small shop and more outside on the porch. It's was crazy.
My shop is a free standing structure within a small, rather old shopping center. The landlord agreed at first to let the kids skate in the parking lot... well... that's all changed. The rule is now, or as I thought, was to only skate after 5pm and on Saturday, this was out of respect for the other businesses in the shopping center. The kids are out of school right now and yesterday they ingnored the rules and skated a small portable rail and a manual box. The landlord called the cops instead of coming over and speaking to me. Cop told me to curb the skating. No problem. Done, for that day.
Today I told the kids that it would be best if we laid low for a coupe of days. Though the day as I'm running the shop, noticed they were back at it. I told them to stop and I gave them the idea to go check this abandoned pool a few blocks away. They left in a pack. Cool, peace and quiet. A few minutes later, here come the cops, second day in a row. He had gotten a call about some kids skating down a main street and first thing he does is come to my shop. Am I responsible? Sort of, I told them to go check this pool but I'm sure not these kids keeper while they are not at the shop. If they go skate somewhere they shouldn't are the cops now coming straight to me? Not good.
As far as "dropping off", some parents are looking for a free baby-sitter. Some drop off at opening time or a bit after which is 10am and pick up at 6pm closing. IMHO They should be ashamed. I am a parent of two and would never drop mine off at a retail store to spend the entire day. School is out and this keeps the kids from staying at home by themselves or running the neigborhood unsupervised but it isn't fair to me, I'm tiring to run a business there.
My delima is, how do I stop the skating and slow down the all day drop offs. Some have said figure out a way to charge, but that will never work. I have no desire to keep up with who's paid and who's not, how long you've been here and so on. Then I am running a baby-sitting service. I hate to make a bunch of rules which I will have to enforce all day then I'm the bad guy and could taint my shop as being run by an ass-hole like the only other shop in town. This shop will run you out if you don't buy anything, within 15 minutes your gone.
Bottom line is, yes I want my shop to be a place they can chill but it's gotten out of hand and it hurts me to have to stop it. Our city has no public skatepark, there is a pay park across town but most of these kids can't afford to pay and have no tranportation.
Basically, I've been to nice. Watch out what you ask for, you may just get it.
And yes, I'm am missing some videos and a Tony Hawk PS2 game.
Sure, school will be back in next week... but then again... summer's coming! |
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| txrocker13 |
| Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2005 4:44 am |
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Joined: 11 Apr 2005
Posts: 1042
Location: Texas
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| That's a real bum deal byrddog. I hope something can be worked out. Too bad you can't set the rec area up as a VIP lounge with admittance going to regular customers and those that can be trusted to work with you when the heat is on. The rest need to shop and go. |
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| SkaterBonds |
| Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2005 5:08 am |
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Joined: 14 Jul 2005
Posts: 5976
Location: Denver
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disconnect something inside the TV for a week and tell them it's broken. Or take the TV away for a week or two and say it was broken. They'll get bored sitting on the couch there and go play video games at home.
Seems like it won't do much, but TV's make people sit around and do nothing.
Ever sat still for 2 hours without a screen in front of you?? |
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| bfg1971 |
| Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2005 8:28 am |
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Joined: 06 May 2004
Posts: 3915
Location: ohio
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SkaterBonds wrote: Ever sat still for 2 hours without a screen in front of you??
Yeah, it's called a book.  |
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| slob-air |
| Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2005 8:40 am |
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Site Admin
Joined: 27 Oct 2001
Posts: 63453
Location: S&B HQ
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| Byrddog - That free baby sitting service breeds long term customers�it makes your shop a hub for skateboarding. And it has apparently worked�even the cops think of your shop that way. You should be pleased. |
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| PlayGod |
| Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2005 8:53 am |
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ORDER OF THE SKULL
Joined: 05 Nov 2003
Posts: 3882
Location: Dirty South
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| ...plus, you could be the next Skipper. Be sure and run DT&Zboyz and LoDT 24/7 so the kids get the message. |
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