checkeredknight
Member
We all enjoy working together. My assistant manager needs to get things done, we're happy to go help him out. Can't say the thought hasn't crossed my mind though. I'm hoping if I go in tomorrow I will learn more.
UK Retailer GAME is dead | Brera's Lament
- Thread starter CrunchinJelly
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We all enjoy working together. My assistant manager needs to get things done, we're happy to go help him out. Can't say the thought hasn't crossed my mind though. I'm hoping if I go in tomorrow I will learn more.
flipping_heck
Member
I used to work at the Gamestation, Northfield Branch in Birmingham... looks like it won't close (?).. Quite surprised about the Birmingham New Street Gamestation branch closing as it was once touted the biggest Gamestation store in the UK.
As a previous sales assistant, my experience with Gamestation was quite good.. my manager was cool and respected my gaming knowledge and my hardwork! I remember getting very good prices for second hand goods (30% off) and it was just a cool place to work at.
Feel sorry for everyone who has lost their jobs today, a pretty sad day for UK gamers who like a bit of high street shopping.
As a previous sales assistant, my experience with Gamestation was quite good.. my manager was cool and respected my gaming knowledge and my hardwork! I remember getting very good prices for second hand goods (30% off) and it was just a cool place to work at.
Feel sorry for everyone who has lost their jobs today, a pretty sad day for UK gamers who like a bit of high street shopping.
zomgbbqftw
Banned
You would do better buying yourself a copy of the FT or Times if you want to know more about the administration proceedings. As of now the Game management are completely out of the loop.
I haven't been into the St Enoch Centre in years, I hadn't even thought about that. That would have made 6 GMG owned stores at one time within 10 mins walk of walk of each other. Ridiculous. There used to be a store in the Argyle Street Debenhams and on Buchanan Street too.
I definitely wasn't expecting the Game in Liverpool One to close, surprised at that as judging by the amount of people shopping around Liverpool One all the time I'd expect it to be quite popular.
That list doesn't seem to list either of the Gamestation stores, whereas MCV says Gamestation has closed. If it has, it must be St Johns as like you said, Lord Street is definitely still open.
It seems very weird that both Gamestations have survived yet there's no Game store. I was expecting Lord Street to survive, but would have expected the Liverpool One Game to be kept open too.
The Gamestation in Huyton has closed
I was planning to check there at some point if I was in Huyton, one of the guys in Gamestation Liverpool said they get a lot of retro stock. Too late now Seems that Gamestation in Warrington is gone, but no St Helens stores. Surprised about that, the last time I was there they had a Game and a Gamestation in the same shopping centre. Seems they've both survived for now.
Isn't there a Game concession in Hamley's St Enoch centre too?
JonathanEx
Member
List has all the closures, 277 item on it, just doesn't specify if they're Game or Gamestation. Earlier list was sourced from tweet.
bobs...onGaf
Member
Its a weird position to be in, even though the stores are going down, you still want a good reference I guess.
Its crazy how little the staff know, I really feel for them considering this morning they probably planned on having work for at least a little while longer. Really shitty position to be in, I hope everyone comes out ok, but for sure some people are going to have a tough time financially because of losing work.
Game didnt even have the decency to die without screwing people over. Staff losing jobs and customers who will lose store credit/ pre order credit all have a right to be annoyed.
zomgbbqftw
Banned
A lot of the time Gamestation is more profitable as gamers tend to shop there and buy LE/CE editions which have much higher margins. Also, Game had a lot of low yield stores with high footfall and super high rents, I expect the rent in Liverpool One was one of the highest across the country and if we've learned anything over the past few weeks it is that gaming and passing trade don't really mix.
s_mirage
Member
Same here. The strange thing about that is the the Game near to me was the nicer store to shop in and had only been renovated quite recently.
That's true actually. The rent would be pretty high as Liverpool One has a lot of brand name and well known shops so I'd guess competition for space was high. I assumed as the L1 store was pretty new and in an attractive location for any buyers they'd keep it, but if the rent outweighs the profits, then there's not much point.
Glad Gamestation has survived at least, the staff in the Lord Street one seem to be quite helpful and friendly, well except for one of them, but since they probably all knew things were bad at that time I didn't mind much.
Yep, but I believe they've closed that one.
Was quite shocked to find my local store (Evesham) closed down. It is the only store in the whole town that sells games. You have go travel out of town to the Tesco to find the next retailer that sells games. When you get there you find a very small section of games. Even though the store is massive.
Thought as there was no compition to the store and it was also quite buzy that the store would remain open. Might of been down to rent costs or somthing else.
Wonder what will happen to these stores now, I expect that they will remain empty for a long time.
Thought as there was no compition to the store and it was also quite buzy that the store would remain open. Might of been down to rent costs or somthing else.
Wonder what will happen to these stores now, I expect that they will remain empty for a long time.
Starwolf_UK
Member
My condolences go out to the 4000 people who've lost their job. Any gaffers among them?
Still those two stores were actually on top of each other in the shopping centre (I've said that before) but otherwise ran separately. The gamestation on Parliament Row has been spared for now.
Shopping centres have expensive rents so they're the first on the firing line I'd say.
Not your fault or anything but...this isn't 1903...
So it should be under Stoke-on-Trent (Hanley). Well the (Hanley) isn't really required but its best so people know what part of Stoke-on-Trent it is (given Hanley is the city centre/high street...)
Still those two stores were actually on top of each other in the shopping centre (I've said that before) but otherwise ran separately. The gamestation on Parliament Row has been spared for now.
There was until earlier today, according to that list. I completely forgot that one existed... and might have been rather well placed, seasonally...
Rawket Lawnchair
Member
The Cameron Toll store in Edinburgh was closed at the time I went (7pm), I don't know if it was open today, but the only thing in front was a message that preorders cannot be refunded etc.
Strange though, you would expect that in Edinburgh they would keep the one in Princes Street and close the rest, but obviously it's easier to keep 2 small stores than a freaking large one.
Strange though, you would expect that in Edinburgh they would keep the one in Princes Street and close the rest, but obviously it's easier to keep 2 small stores than a freaking large one.
AHA-Lambda
Member
Yeah that is still there, the one in Hamley's closed but the other one is still there.
Used to be one in the Border's too, and a separate GAME on Buchanan St many years ago.
Nihilistic Monk
Member
Leeds Gaf reporting in.
Sad to see the Birstall Gamestation go. I got served by a nice australian lady when I bought Rage, and she let me buy some old fifa title for 99p so I could trade it in and get the game for a £10 cheaper, and threw in the crappy pre-order dvd even though I didn't buy on day of release.
Didn't even push a warranty card at me either. Both that and the (sadly also shuttered) HMV had the nicest staff in Leeds.
Sad to see the Birstall Gamestation go. I got served by a nice australian lady when I bought Rage, and she let me buy some old fifa title for 99p so I could trade it in and get the game for a £10 cheaper, and threw in the crappy pre-order dvd even though I didn't buy on day of release.
Didn't even push a warranty card at me either. Both that and the (sadly also shuttered) HMV had the nicest staff in Leeds.
There are many, myself and checkeredknight among them.
Shotgun Kiss
Member
Apparently, stores were closed based purely on profit rather than location. Hence some areas seeing multiple stores in close proximity remain open, while others saw their only store close.
The new administrators didn't have time to look at the specifics of each store; they likely looked at a big list of all of them, and how money they make, and closed stores that didn't meet a specific number.
What this doesn't take into account is that if there are two extremely profitable stores right next to each other, closing one of them is still more financially viable than closing down a moderately profitable store in a town on it's own, as all the customers from the closed store would just go next door (or nearby, whatever).
Chances are a buyer will likely make further store cuts, as they'll be more selective when determining which stores they want, so they aren't going to want stores too close to each other.
The Gamestation store I work at survived. But all the staff are still really down, as we know that we're not in the clear; this is just the first round of cuts. There's a GAME very close to us, so we could be closed by either a buyer, or upon liquidation if no buyer comes forward.
We're also down because we have to deal with angry customers who can't use their gift cards.
The new administrators didn't have time to look at the specifics of each store; they likely looked at a big list of all of them, and how money they make, and closed stores that didn't meet a specific number.
What this doesn't take into account is that if there are two extremely profitable stores right next to each other, closing one of them is still more financially viable than closing down a moderately profitable store in a town on it's own, as all the customers from the closed store would just go next door (or nearby, whatever).
Chances are a buyer will likely make further store cuts, as they'll be more selective when determining which stores they want, so they aren't going to want stores too close to each other.
The Gamestation store I work at survived. But all the staff are still really down, as we know that we're not in the clear; this is just the first round of cuts. There's a GAME very close to us, so we could be closed by either a buyer, or upon liquidation if no buyer comes forward.
We're also down because we have to deal with angry customers who can't use their gift cards.
Mr. Luchador
Member
All 3 in Newcastle closed down. All 3 within Eldon Square which has crazy rent.
How exactly have the customers responded? Any particular examples? Just curious.
We had someone FUCKING ENRAGED at myself and other staff in my convinience store because we had ran out of Coke Zero. Threatened to punch us. True. Customers can be idiots.
Jeff Albertson
Member
All the ones close to me shut that's Blackburn, Burnley and 2 in Preston
AHA-Lambda
Member
I'm not surprised that's how they did the closures but personally I'm just surprised to see which stores remained open and which shut here in Glasgow. I genuinely thought the 2 in Sauchiehall Street would be the 2 to save but seems I am wrong.
Ah, that's Gamestation Lowestoft gone, then.
I remember when I went in there and they had all 3 Panzer Dragoon games for the Saturn in the glass case. £120, I think.
I asked the manager if he'd split the bundle for me, hoping he wouldn't realise how much of that amount Saga was making on its own, but he grinned, looked at me and said, "I'd knock maybe 10 quid off if you just want Panzer Saga, mate."
Sonnuvabitch.
I remember when I went in there and they had all 3 Panzer Dragoon games for the Saturn in the glass case. £120, I think.
I asked the manager if he'd split the bundle for me, hoping he wouldn't realise how much of that amount Saga was making on its own, but he grinned, looked at me and said, "I'd knock maybe 10 quid off if you just want Panzer Saga, mate."
Sonnuvabitch.
Coppertracks
Member
Shame that list doesn't specify if it's a Game or Gamestation has been closed.
The Game in Hanely is where I bought my Wii on Launch day. That's 5 years ago now! Some nostalgia for that store.
I'm in Scarborough tomorrow so I'm going to see if if it's Game or GS that's gone. As always they're only a good 30 feet apart.
I hope it's the Game not the Gamestation that has closed in York, if only because York is where Gamestation started. (The original store was admittedly closed many years ago)
The Game in Hanely is where I bought my Wii on Launch day. That's 5 years ago now! Some nostalgia for that store.
I'm in Scarborough tomorrow so I'm going to see if if it's Game or GS that's gone. As always they're only a good 30 feet apart.
I hope it's the Game not the Gamestation that has closed in York, if only because York is where Gamestation started. (The original store was admittedly closed many years ago)
Dr Frasier Crane
Member
A lot of the Birstall HMV staff went to the White Rose one, so my girlfriend who works there tells me.
I've been away this weekend, but came home to the inevitable news. I'm so sorry for all the GAF'ers posting in this thread who're no longer employed. You have my sympathies.
As for GAME itself, I hope that whatever rises out of its ashes isn't just a more "lean" version of the retailer, but one that actually tries to be a retail specialist outlet. It's the only way any new company can survive in the long term, in my view.
As for GAME itself, I hope that whatever rises out of its ashes isn't just a more "lean" version of the retailer, but one that actually tries to be a retail specialist outlet. It's the only way any new company can survive in the long term, in my view.
Shotgun Kiss
Member
We had one guy really kick off. He didn't swear or make any threats, but he was very loud, wouldn't stop arguing, and refused to leave despite being asked.
I have a nasty feeling things will get worse over the next few days, as people see reports on the news and rush out to try and spend their gift cards.
frankie_baby
Member
blackburn is shut?
i must have spent a small fortune in there when i was young and lived up north
xxczx
Member
The two gone in Preston are in town, there's another one open at Deepdale Retail Park. Gamestation still open though.
Absolute bastards. There was one manager on and he'd worked there for 17 years.
If I was him I'd loot the store of all the hardware and newish games as I doubt you'd get any money out of the company now.
Dr Zhivago
Member
4 of the 5 Sheffield shops gone. I'll miss GameStation on the Moor, used to pop in on the way into work when there was a big release.
As for Playtime, I was in there on Saturday and one of the staff was explaining to a kid why he wasn't offering much for his trade-in by saying that they didn't have to compete with Game any more :S
dunno, seems to me they looked at all the ones with big leases and ridiculous rent/rate bills, and kicked their faces off, since this is an easy way out of a 30 year lease
Psychotext
Member
There's rarely such a thing as a good reference these days. Most companies will only confirm that you worked for them when you said you did, and not much else (partly for fear of being sued).
Not to mention that there's a reasonable chance that there wont be anyone around to give you a reference anyway.
Really cause Game in Chevy chase were sending me tweets to refute it, wtf?
NOOOOOOOOOO!
Deepdale one just has 4000 copies of Fifa08.
You guys from the area? My GF lives in Fulwood.
MarshMellow96
Member
From what I've heard, the Rhyl branch of GAME is open, but the Gamestation is gone.
Am I right in saying that both GAME stores in Liverpool have closed?
Am I right in saying that both GAME stores in Liverpool have closed?
Jeff Albertson
Member
You should know by now I'm from Blackburn
This all lays credence to the fact that it's ones in precincts being shut first
Sad to have to close the store for the final time today. It happened very quickly and I guess we thought one of the Hanley stores would be safe. I guess rents played a part, the upstairs store I work in had some of the biggest square footage of most Game stores.
Q
Queen of Hunting
Unconfirmed Member
can you actually still trade in games if the store is open still
Wonder what they'll put there instead? Pretty major stores in a shopping centre that is otherwise pretty crappy. Could do with getting an Apple Store in and get rid of the fake one we have.
Edit: there are actually Stoke-GAF in here beside me? Woah.
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