Would a wrestling only video store work out? I mean, if you through in Pride, UFC and all those MMA in too. I have a shitload of original video's, and probably enough to start up a little shop. Does anyone know if this has been attempted before? Would you go there to rent ROH, and old NWA, WWF, and everything else on tape? I think I could cater to a hardcore fanbase, and make a decent return on my investment. Where would be the ideal location to open up a store like this?
Originally posted by desperate_livingWould a wrestling only video store work out?
Even in a big city I think it would be a struggle. Too specialized, perhaps? I think if you had a broader selection focused on wrestling but that also included other things like: conventional sports; autosports; underground movies, comics, and books; etc. etc. then you might have something.
So sayeth Randy Stilton, the real Stinky Cheese Man!
(I'm told that, in the UK, my name is actually hilarious.)
I thik a "only wrestling videos/DVD store" would not work out. If this store would carry wrestling, UFC, judo,etc..types of fighting videos/DVDs, then maybe. Might as well throw in some action figures while your at it.
(edited by XPacArmy on 30.3.04 0201) It's like a koala bear crapped a rainbow in my brain!
One of my goals for a while(and hell, I dunno, still might be) is to open a wrestling/MMA store. Not just videos, but action figures(domestic and imported), shirts(new and classic), memorabilia, etc...
Originally posted by rockdotcom_2.0Look at it this way. The WWE, the largest wrestling company in the world opened a Store in the middle of Times Square and it didnt survive.
WWE New York/The world wasnīt even that bad!
But the merchandise prices were way too expensive! (The same goes for WWE shopzone!)
Plus: They maybe should have searched for a cheaper location then Times Square!
You would be entering a terrible market, one that has progressively died out over the years - the "Mom & Pop Video Store." I know of only a few independent video stores that have managed to survive the Hollywood Video/Blockbuster junta and they have done so only through being so wellknown in their respective cities that they have made a go of it.
Usually such stores have had to specialize in some way, mostly through art-films, hard-to-find items, and porn - essentially the type of material that Blockbuster would never carry (or at least shouldn't be carrying due to it being against the company's policies).
The problem with a wrestling video store is that many places carry at least a few of the better known titles like that. You also have the problem of trying to track down legal copies of tapes and DVDs to rent and sale in such a store. Considering how hard it is for WWE to even get a rating that is big for their nationally seen television shows (and, as pointed out, couldn't even get a store similar in concept to what you're saying going in the heart of New York), it would be very doubtful that such a store would survive.
One element that has been successful for some "Mom & Pop" stores is that of internet sales. No start-up for a building space and you can at least get some longterm customers that way. You could build from there, but it's a long haul and would be pretty hard work.
A wrestling store (with books, videos, clothing, collectible items, etc.) has some potential, but you would have to have a good location, good advertising, good connections with the wrestling federations, and a good reputation to make it a go. Plan on making it your life 24/7 and you MIGHT be able to do it. Good luck if you try.
As someone who was recently involved in forming a business plan for a video store, lemme put it to you this way...
In order to make a go of this, you'd have to average at least a couple thousand rentals per week. Weigh that against the number of different titles that people would likely rent and the size of your audience....you'd probably need each of your customers renting several times a week just to be viable.
With how easy it is to pick up most retro stuff online these days and WWE launching a 24/7 on demand service, I don't see a way you can make a go of a wrestling rental store. It's such a small niche market that you run into a bit of a dilemma...in order to get the word out enough to hit your customer base you need to go big, but in the process of doing that you're gonna set your expenses too high.
Thinking along Stilton's lines might prove more successful, but such a narrow focus likely wouldn't work.
A video rental store wouldn't work out, as many here have mentioned. But a store that sells obscure videos, DVD's, perhaps some bootleg copies, etc.... that may have a shot.
It would have to be a relatively small store (low overhead) in a decent market for wrestling. You'd probably have to sell some wrestling memorbillia as well to complement whatever video revenue that comes in.
But, as Grimis pointed out, this would have worked a lot better back when wrestling was at its peak.
This was already tried. RFVideo had brick and mortar locations which closed a couple of years ago. They used to have one in the Gurnee Mills outlet mall that I never got around to going to.
Toil not to gain wealth, cease to be concerned about it. Proverbs 23:4
Originally posted by spf2119This was already tried. RFVideo had brick and mortar locations which closed a couple of years ago. They used to have one in the Gurnee Mills outlet mall that I never got around to going to.
Those werent really "stores". They were mobile carts in a mall hallway. They had tapes and shirts and action figures. It was a neat idea, but I rather see them have an actual store instead of a cheap looking cart.
I think the best way to do it is how RF Video did it and that is have it online only. I guess that would rule out renting, but I think its the most cost effective way to survive.
This would work in a place that doesn't have normal exposure to wrestling.
My experience would be when I visited family back in Pakistan in 92. At that time I experienced culture shock for quite a few days and one of the things that hepled me settle down was going to the video store and getting some American culture shot back through my head. The guy would basically just videotape the weeks edition of Superstars, WCW Saturday night, and whatever else and I would basically get to watch it the day after it aired in the US/UK. I remember it was also my first exposure to some of the rare Colliseum video footage that somehow I was unable to ever track down in the states.
A few things to note however. Since then, Satellite TV has made inroads in even the most remote of places. Most of my family there now has access to many american tv channels and they actually pick up armed forces feeds etcetc so even PPV's are free to view.
Basically what i'm saying is, it would only succeed where people don't have another outlet to fix thier craving.
Originally posted by CANADIAN BULLDOGA video rental store wouldn't work out, as many here have mentioned. But a store that sells obscure videos, DVD's, perhaps some bootleg copies, etc.... that may have a shot.
It would have to be a relatively small store (low overhead) in a decent market for wrestling. You'd probably have to sell some wrestling memorbillia as well to complement whatever video revenue that comes in.
But, as Grimis pointed out, this would have worked a lot better back when wrestling was at its peak.
There's a place here in Winnipeg that does (did?) that sort of thing. "Jabronies" They rented out a corner of "Pictures, Frames, and More" and have a table set-up with some stuff. They've got t-shirts, videos, compilations (I think RF's stuff) and a few title belt replicas.
I can't tell you how many customers I see there at any given time... Oh wait, yes I can. I'm always the only one.