Just an idea, looking for some thoughts.

[sasami-riyo]

:j Hi, to get right to the point, I was wondering, since most of us here either buy manga at a store or online, what are some of the things that make you want to come back to a store that stocks manga/anime? would you rather have it located in a mall, or an individual building? the thing is a friend of mine (and me) are interested in creating a bookstore/coffee shop/anime store that is otaku friendly, but also stocks items for non-otakus (for businesses sake, of course).

For privacy's sake, the name is withheld-_-; but any feedback would be appreciated. ^_^ Thanks!

[Leader Desslock]

Good selection, cheap. Nothing else matters to me. The staff could be rude and completely ignorant of anime & manga, and I wouldn't care at all; I'm there to buy merchandise, not chat. The store could be in a mall, a retail strip, a standalone building or somebody's basement, and I wouldn't care. If it was a coffee shop, it could serve terrible coffee and I'd just buy my coffee elsewhere. There could be dust on the floor, and the room could be painted garish colors. None of that matters to me at all.

The only thing that matters to me is: Can I get what i want for the price I'm willing to pay? If yes, I'd be a frequent customer. If not, I might stroll in once, look around, wish you a nice day, and then never walk in again, never having spent a dime.

[Bernard_Monsha]

I am the opposite of Desslock, I tend to support my FLA/MS even if the selection is tiny.

[Holy Knight]

Generally, you'd want to be in either of the two locations, both if at all possible:

1) An area with a high concentration of anime fans (near a high school)

2) A highly populated area (a mall, as you said)

Now, I'd recommend making a survey to check out the location that would be best for you. Asking us is a nice step, but it is not relevant to your location. Since this is a business, you want the best location for a business, not the best location for the fan (these usually go hand in hand as you want the fan to come to you, but business is always first).

I wouldn't recommend starting up in a mall as the competition is huge. You want to be noticed. Unless you have the funds, I doubt you could start up in one of the main venues of population.

Ideally, you'll want to start up near a high school, as manga and anime are generally geared towards teenagers and young adults. You selling coffee can only make this a better place to set up. Teenagers are coffee fiends and have plenty of free time.

If you want to attract an older audience, you'll have to go half and half with manga/anime and your other items for sale, with a more subdued environment.

Well, that's my 2c for now. I don't have any experience in doing business, but if I were to start one up, I'd follow what I just wrote.

Good Luck. You could also ask the Animenation Staff how they started up at first, as well. :)

[Lord Timaeus]

If it's cheap and easy to get to, I'll frequently visit there. In other words, I'd like to buy anime at a minimal price, at a store that's easily accessible by bus routes. And they have to sell complete collections of anime I'm interested in, or I'm not sold.

[Leader Desslock]

...they have to sell complete collections of anime I'm interested in, or I'm not sold.
Yeah, that was the other thing. I'll by manga by individual volume, but I only buy anime in completed box sets. I wouldn't even look at the singles display. I'd walk to your collection of box sets, and if you didn't have good prices or a good selection of those, I'd head for the door.

One other thing, regarding staff: I don't mind if a clerk says, "If I can help you find something, let me know." I also don't mind if a clerk happens to say, "Ah My Goddess, eh? I really liked this series." when I'm checking out. That is the extent to which I want contact with retail staff. If your staff are inclined to come over and say, "Hellsing, eh? If you liked that, I think you'll REALLY like this other title...", then I'd be inclined not to come back. There are stores with good prices/selections that I no longer frequent because I found the staff annoying.

I can vividly remember an overweight ecchi manga fanboy clerk who kept insisting I try whatever the heck his favorite title was. I don't even remember what the title was, I only remember thinking, "get away from me, you creepy fat ****". I had to tell him to get away from me, he was that annoying. I nearly put what I'd come to buy back on the shelf, just out of general principle. I've never even considered going back to that store.

And while I'm on the subject, I don't care for manga cow tipping, so if I saw any herds of those in your store, I probably wouldn't buy anything, and I'd never come back. If your store looked more like a gaming store than a bookstore/coffee shop from the outside, I propbably wouldn't even walk into it. If you ran any contests or promotions that required me to provide personal information, I wouldn't participate. I would not be interested in your store's newsletter or sponsored events, book signings, etc.

[Sendo Takeshi]

I go with whichever one sells the cheapest and which ever one stays in business. After all, the anime store I go to is gonna be closing down next summer and they're not sure if they will simply relocate or go online only. Best Buy would be the next best thing, but they don't sell most of the stuff I like. And I wouldn't buy from this site because some of the DVDs do tend to be a bit overpriced.

As for manga, Midtown Comics has a huge selection and I'm only reading 4 titles at the moment anyway. I'll find more manga in this city than anime.

[Emi]

One other thing, regarding staff: I don't mind if a clerk says, "If I can help you find something, let me know." I also don't mind if a clerk happens to say, "Ah My Goddess, eh? I really liked this series." when I'm checking out. That is the extent to which I want contact with retail staff. If your staff are inclined to come over and say, "Hellsing, eh? If you liked that, I think you'll REALLY like this other title...", then I'd be inclined not to come back. There are stores with good prices/selections that I no longer frequent because I found the staff annoying.

I'm feel the same way about staff. Once I tell them that no, I don't need any help, I expect them to leave me alone. When I go into a store I already know what it is I want. If I really need staff, I'll go and get them.

As long as it has a good selection (of both singles and boxes) and good prices I don't care where it's located.

[VidelCoolGirl]

If it's cheap and easy to get to, I'll frequently visit there. In other words, I'd like to buy anime at a minimal price, at a store that's easily accessible by bus routes. And they have to sell complete collections of anime I'm interested in, or I'm not sold.

Same here. For anime stores, I like one thats easy to get to, and carry a reasonable amount of DVD's and merchaindise, or else I won't go there. Also, ones that don't jack up the price on everything are cool too.

[Tiiba]

I shop online.

[goddessofanime]

1. It better be on a bus route, since I have no car. That's the important thing, even before I find out prices and selection.

2. As long as it has something I like, I don't really care.

3. And the prices better be reasonable.

4. I don't mind friendly staff but don't push on me what YOU think I should be reading or watching either.

5. If it has coffee and yummies? As long as it's reasonable, that's fine with me too.

6. I don't mind one or two people in the aisles but don't make me have to climb all over you or else I will smack you.



On a serious note, just to add what Holy Knight said, location is probaly the most important thing. You have to ask, 'will anime and manga sell here? Could you make a profit?'. For example, if you lived in the country, I don't know if it would be a big seller. Like everyone else said, you'd have to sell other items in order to make any profit.

But the bottom line? As much as you might want to open your business, you have to make really sure that it can bring money in first. Ask AN staff or even do some research on other sites like rightstuf to see how they started.

Good luck to you!

[sasami-riyo]

Thank you so much!! I'll make sure to take this advice to heart when laying out the location, selection, blah, blah, blah. I guess I just want to know what the people like so that I don't open some store in the corner of a mall in the smallest space, and serve cheap coffee, passing out shonen jump magazines lol XD thanks for the advice!

[The Million Dollar Prons]

Yeah, that was the other thing. I'll by manga by individual volume,

'll by manga

by

I have finally defeated Leader Desslock!

[GreatNekoKoneko]

... c'mon man. even gods make typos. look at the Platypus.

[kenshinbebop]

I'd return if they have a series I'm interested in and is reasonably priced.
I'd be there every day if there was say, a music section...

[Leader Desslock]

I have finally defeated Leader Desslock!
I have finally defeated Leader Desslock!
I have a d r ess
You have a dress? How nice you must look. I had a typo.

[The Million Dollar Prons]

No, I don't have a Doctor named Ess, nice try though.

If I can ever find a way to counter Van, I will officaly be the ruler of the Internet, as I have defeated all adverseries thus far.

Notice how I managed to slip in a refference to the Ring 0 bootleg DVD that no one would understand even if I explained it?

[goddessofanime]

You have a dress? How nice you must look. I had a typo.

*spits out her drink on the keyboard*

[Haro!]

Well if it is "otaku-friendly" I would suggest air freshener or good ventilation. Oh and provide just enough room so that people could chill there and read but not enough room so that people bring a whole crew and then there is absolute need for the ventilation. Oh and serve boba tea as well as coffee if you go that route. Anime fans like boba tea, and more importantly Chinese girls (according to my research) like boba tea. Oh and I would definitely go to a place accessible by public transportation, and maybe most people would too. I don't like malls so I'd prefer a stand-alone store near other stores.

[Nami]

That's a nice idea. I'd like to own that kind of store or have that kind of store nearby my house too. =D

I think the most important thing is you have the large selection to choose-import-export series, wall scroll, art books, and anime merchandise. Price is average...yet if it's too cheap I have a habit to suspect it's bootleg. =P And in the neighborhood that is clean and doesn't look too isolated. ^^;

Mall or standalone store is fine. There used to be an anime store near my old apartment but it looks dodgy so I am afraid to get in. <.< >.> Oh and eacy access to public transportation. :3

Maybe you can sell anime related or the stuff you often see in anime in a coffee shop, ie; pockey, green tea, asian tea, Dorayaki, Taiyaki, Okonomiyaki, takoyaki, and the like..as well.

[Samurai Drifter]

For god's sake don't try to suggestive sell to or chat up customers. I had a friend that was shopping at a Suncoast and accidentally bought the second DVD of a series, because he was in such a hurry to get out of the store when one of the employees was following him around blabbering on about anime.

Also, I suggest having video games there; someone with an interest in anime almost invariably likes video games also (though the reverse isn't generally true).

I would also think you should be located not near a high school, but by a college. There was a gaming store located right across the street from my high school, but it closed down in my junior year due to lack of business, and that's pretty much the same crowd as the anime fans.

[GreatNekoKoneko]

^... this is true since college kids > high school kids in terms of having money. HS kids just tend to loiter and look cool while not spending a dime (you know im right). college kids, on the other hand, tend to splurge more with their carpe diem attitude. but hey, your call.

[sailornyanko]

I'm feel the same way about staff. Once I tell them that no, I don't need any help, I expect them to leave me alone. When I go into a store I already know what it is I want. If I really need staff, I'll go and get them.

As long as it has a good selection (of both singles and boxes) and good prices I don't care where it's located.

I remember having such annoying experiences going to random stores in the US. Strangely I've never encountered that kind of experience in anime/comic stores though. They already treated me the way I'm generally treated at a comic store I like to buy manga from: helpful and polite but distant.

--

I agree with the idea of aiming the store at a college. Unless you locate it near a HS with a bag of Inuyasha worshipers, HS students may not always have the money for 50 dollar DVD boxsets. At least *some* college students can spare a few bucks (no, not me though. That's the problem of not having a part-time job).

--

Good idea to have the store near a bus route or subway station. Also, a place with nearby parking spaces for those fans that actually DO have cars.

If you're considering to make the place a sort of caffé, maybe a smoking and non smoking section policy? Have the smoking customers near the entrance near an open window and have tghe rest of the place free of smoke. I personally wouldn't like to be coughing while I browse through the merchandise. Or, you could ban smoking all together, or have smoking tables outside of the store alltogether. I don't know about the smoking laws in your area so I can't be sure of this.

--

You could also try to aim for the Star Wars and RPG geek crowd. Have some Star Wars and other popular american comics. You may consider having occasional Magic tournaments where the winner gets a DVD or something. But only do this if you see a strong demand for people to buy magic cards and the sort.

--

The idea of selling okonomiyaki instead of the clicheéd créppe sounds interesting. Though you may need some sweet pastries since people generally prefer a brownie with their coffee instead of fried shrimp pizzas.

Good luck!

[sazae]

Ok, here is my direct advice as a businessman and as someone that ran an anime shop for a while. Don't do it. Invest your money into something else that will get you more money, and in this industry nearly anything will get you more money than anime. Wholesale prices are terrible for small places so your profit will be nothing, not nearly enough customers, and if you have a coffee shop you won't have enough paying customers. People love them as they can just sit for an hour or two and spent $2. Save your money and open a video rental place if you really want something with anime, lot more money to be made there.

[twinbanj]

Wish i could find the location of some comic book stores in the UK, near me... at the moment i have to get all mine of the internet, but the stock is always low, or the prices are in dollars...

[GreatNekoKoneko]

... if it were only feasible to open internet cafes here in the States. with the dawn of wi-fi and all, the future of internet cafes seems a bit cloudy.

[HSaabedra]

... if it were only feasible to open internet cafes here in the States. with the dawn of wi-fi and all, the future of internet cafes seems a bit cloudy.

It depends on who you're trying to target as a customer base.

[Old Ape Face]

Good selection, cheap. Nothing else matters to me. The staff could be rude and completely ignorant of anime & manga, and I wouldn't care at all; I'm there to buy merchandise, not chat. The store could be in a mall, a retail strip, a standalone building or somebody's basement, and I wouldn't care. If it was a coffee shop, it could serve terrible coffee and I'd just buy my coffee elsewhere. There could be dust on the floor, and the room could be painted garish colors. None of that matters to me at all.

The only thing that matters to me is: Can I get what i want for the price I'm willing to pay? If yes, I'd be a frequent customer. If not, I might stroll in once, look around, wish you a nice day, and then never walk in again, never having spent a dime.

It would be nice to get a recomendation for what's good, I mean buying stuff is cool, but I want to know what I'm buying, and if it's worth buying before I lay my money down. I understand that's what Animenation is for, but not everyone goes on the internet to buy anime or look for information. this also aplies to other media such as video games, movies, ecs... usually I don't walk into a store if I don't have money on me anyway. and usually I do research about a particulare anime/manga befor I go buy it, but that's just my order of buisiness.

It's also a good pride giver, I don't want people to tell me I'm wasteing my money on something I wont enjoy.

Example. there is one person who works at the cashregister at the borders I go to who's always dressed in a Hawiain style anime shirt, and is like the Otacku of the Borders I go to. and he's cool.

Now people who go out of their way to help me, deserve my respect, so I've made this particualr Borders my usual book store. Recently i've gone to the Barns And Nobel at the mall down the street, and i'm not too familiar with the people there but the book shelf seemed to lack a few issuse. now I'm not picky about what they have on the shelf, as long as it's going to be there within the week. However I'm still particularly unsatisfied by the store despite it's missing a few books. however, Boreders and B.A.N. are not Movie stores, and even though they have a movie section, I tend to go to the better store that holds the anime I'm looking for, and that I know they will be there, this happens to be Best Buy. now I'm not picky about prices either. that's why I don't enter a store with money on me. becuase while I have money with me. I might not have the right amount for what I'm buying but, at least I know it's there, and I have a partial of the amount I need to pay for. I have no problem waiting to to buy something, as long as i know i'm half way there.

[SDAnimeFan]

I usually buy online and go to places I trust the most.