Help me name a comic store

[Thalia]

There's a lot of other things going on that actually make it a very sound business choice. I was needing an office to work from already, which was going to run me 300-500 in my area. I've found a couple good storefronts for under $700 per month, so for an extra $200 I could get my office in the back of a location that people can buy stuff from. I find it extremely hard to believe we cannot sell $200 worth of merchandise per month. Of course there's more costs than just the store lease, but getting that as low as possible but still in a visible area is probably the biggest part of all of this.

You uh

do realize that there's much, much more to making $200 than simply selling $200 worth of stuff, right? I mean, this isn't a yard sale.

Signage
Advertising
Staffing once you/your family gets sick of working for nothing
Purchasing enough stock to have in your store to be able to sell $200 worth of it <- this is the big one

Of course there is more overhead then just the rent. I think Mike just didn't wanna bore you guys with the details and just threw in a few of the numbers. We have a business background, I have a BA in business administration, Aergis ran a t-shirt shop for 2 years until the partnership dissolved (this was during college), I worked for 12 years helping my parents run our family owned wholesale food warehouse (which is still in business after 30 years), plus we currently do run our own freelance business. So yes this is not a yard sale and we fully realize it and are preparing for it.

We are aware of the commitment and costs that go into this and thought long and hard about it and we really want to do it.

Pretty much what Aergis meant in regards to savings we would incur in the office space was that we where planning to rent an office this year anyway for him to freelance out of instead of home,but now we can just use part of the new store instead of renting an extra space for an office for him to work at as a benefit.

We pretty much have everything thought out as we have to present a business plan to the SBA, so I think we got most bases covered, though we welcome any advice, but mostly, we'd like advice on a cool name.

[Fivelives]

Couldn't you franchise another store? It sounds like you'd be a good target to operate a franchise from your backgrounds and experience.

[Punkss2]

The Avenger's Shield

I like Cap

[Aubade]

I like this idea.

[Aergis]

Couldn't you franchise another store? It sounds like you'd be a good target to operate a franchise from your backgrounds and experience.

That's possible, and an option we looked at. We'd rather risk more and potentially gain more. And overall the risk level is pretty low, in my opinion. Plus re-opening someone else's store just seems like less fun.

[Barathorn]

Whatever happens Aergis and Thalia I just want to wish you both good luck because you deserve it. These are troubling times for the world's economies so it is nice to hear people still have some motivation to start businesses and make it happen.

Needless to say when you want to open your UK office I'll be your huckleberry.

God I love that film.

[Esilence]

Right now Aergis has a life size Predator Costume that he is finishing up. It was uniquely molded and casted. He is painting it himself and it's coming out so bad ass..

I have an $800 full size predator in my garage waiting to be painted.

Pictures please!

[Aergis]

Finished up the hands last week, but they are from P2.
The mask and body and legs are still raw latex, so not much to look at yet.

[Esilence]

Holy crap. They look amazing..!

[fudomyou]

Please don't take this in anything other than the spirit in which it is intended.

But that is one UGLY motherfucker :O

[Thalia]

Update:

Meeting tomorrow with leasing agent for Crossroads mall, they loved our business plan so thinking 80% sure we will open there.

Aergis spent a week in St. Louis, we bought out a store that did what we want to do, so we have a haul being freighted in.....we filled up a whole trailer of stuff!

Set up all our wholesale vendors.

Got licenses etc etc etc taken care of.

Next: 2 months to go to opening I hope. Getting ready with POS system, making integrated magento site for online sales tied into our store and warehouse inventory as well as into ebay and amazon.

following steps = design store layout, get shelves, displays, put stuff up, make store look fun, get a little bit more merchandise, get signage... OPEN. Will keep updating as we go along.

OH we still aren't married to a name but we are seriously considering Sodium 16 or Fortress.

[Dorvan]

FWIW, Fortress may be a bit generic but it's a much better name for a game store. Good look to you guys!

[Shyrtandros]

FWIW, Fortress may be a bit generic but it's a much better name for a game store. Good look to you guys!

This

Fortress Comics sounds more cool IMO.

[Thalia]

Ya we have been debating what to put after the Name.

We don't just want to say comics, because in reality we will have a lot of comics, BUT, 2/3 of the store will be displaying toys, art, collectables, knick knacks, graphic novels, games, clothes and everything in between as long as it relates to comic book and sci fi characters and branding.

So dunno, Fortress collectables and comics, Fortress comics, toys, and collectables...dunno. And again not married to the name yet, will have to bee soon though.

[Kelaan]

Fortress of Fun
Fortress Gaming
Couch Fortress