LGS probs
General forum
Posted on Jan. 2, 2016, 1:55 p.m. by ThisIsBullshit
So I live in a fairly small town (20,000) and we only have one LGS, that just opened up last year or so. We have FNM and such but we only ever do draft and occasionally standard silverblack.
So the real problem is the owner (and the only employee) doesn't know how to play Magic. He's got a basic idea of mana and such but doesn't know the difference between constructed and limited, legacy from Modern, etc.
Does anybody else have an LGS owner like this? And how did you handle it? I just don't know what to do about it because I don't want to pay $15 to go draft cards not worth $15
I'd go to a different store but the closest ones are 45 min away.
Gidgetimer says... #3
Draft nets the most money from the actual tournament so it is a bit of a default format for most stores. My suggestion is to talk to the owner about doing another format either for FNM or express interest in doing your format of choice on the weekend (It is unclear what format you would prefer from your post). Once enough players express interest then it is likely you will get a tournament in the format you are asking for. If enough people show up for the non-draft tournaments then it is likely that the owner will continue having them.
My one LGS owner knows nothing of magic but he does modern the first friday of the month, standard the third, and draft the 2nd, 4th, and if applicable 5th. He has been open for some time so I assume that people convinced him of the worth of supporting a standard and modern environment so that the singles move better.
January 2, 2016 2:17 p.m.
I work at an LGS where I live.
I'm the longest remaining employee so far besides the owner himself.
Fortunately the owner understands magic, but he's not versed in it and hardly every plays it.
However our Manager, both our new one and the one prior, did/does understand Magic and they each had been playing for quite a while. (Our former was playing back in it's early days, but he had attitude problems to say the least.)
If your LGS wants to get a solid grip on Magic he should consider hiring somebody who is well versed in it as a Manager or just side help.
Besides the Owner and Manager, there is myself and four other employees. We aren't actually contracted employees. It's basically paid volunteer work. We get some cash and store credit every shift, which is fine, because it's a god damn card shop. We sell Sports and Magic. The hardest task is the arduous process of sorting out thousands of cards on a daily basis. It's not difficult.
Our owner's tactic? He hired people who were there regularly, enjoyed and understood Magic and customer service, and were trustworthy. He approached us. He has almost never hired somebody who asked to work there.
That's just so you understand how it works in my neck of the woods. Granted it's entirely up to your LGS owner how he runs his business, but our not so much a competitor store in town did the same thing when they came under new ownership. The owner quickly hired somebody well versed in Magic.
Once you have somebody at the helm who understands Magic and it's competitive and political world, as well as business principle, your Magic community will flourish. You'll see increased attendance, sales, and more sanctioned tournaments. And with all that your store level will go up with WOTC, directly increasing your allowance of product.
Best of luck to you.
January 2, 2016 2:30 p.m.
ducttapedeckbox says... #5
The owner of the store I frequent is also largely illiterate when it comes to Magic. I'm not sure how it worked out, but he has an "employee" that only comes in to run the Magic events. He is a registered judge so it works out well.
You should talk to the owner and see (if you have the time) if you could help him out when it comes to Magic events. As DevoidMage mentioned, not for pay or anything, just to help out and create a better Magic environment for you and your friends.
January 2, 2016 3:11 p.m.
vampirelazarus says... #6
I guess I'm lucky with my LGS.. the only reason it's still in business is because of Magic. The owner absolutely loves the game, and has a very large, very expensive personal collection.
The other employee... Hates the game. But he understands the business of it, so he learned to play, read the rules, and knows how to run tournaments.
It's a fantastic store. Also, several of our regulars are judges, so it works out well.
January 2, 2016 4:28 p.m.
My LGS (it's not the one on my profile, that's just the closest one that's in the sites database) is pretty similar: the owner knows nothing about the game, other than how to host an event. The one full-time employee who knows how to play is kind of a jerk - he kicked a kid out of our early draft for making a face at another kid. Kind of a nightmare to draft at, but, y'know, it's the only one for 30 minutes on the subway (I'm in NYC), so it's not like there's anywhere else to go.
January 3, 2016 7:49 p.m.
Lol he did what???
God Wizards has rules on this shit.
Also, Maringam, you can add LGS's to the site when setting them in your profile.
Servo_Token says... #2
I mean, I have to travel 40+ minutes for an FNM, it's not too big a deal. If I were in your position and were unable to travel that far, I'd speak with the owner on like a tuesday or some other non-event day, and let him know your concerns. Maybe ask if they'd be open to different formats as they bring in different crowds, and if it's a real problem maybe volunteer to help with events (for no pay, ya know, to make it appealing) on fridays to help them run better.
January 2, 2016 2:05 p.m.