But it will be done for good or ill. Then I can proudly say it was attempted lol

Competing with them in Montreal would be insane as they are already the go to people and the west island I think is close enough and smart enough to go to a Levalet store.

Online is ok but again you need to have some stuff the others don’t. Putting yourself in a potential niche market (specialize in one area) will liable to get yourself shot in the foot.

I am not sure about the Ontario region of RPG stores but from the hybrid comic / rpg store which we visited two various it wouldn’t be so bad to compete. I liked certain aspects but they were lacking in various areas. Either way both retail and online it will be all about price, product, service and marketability. Which is why you have to check with vendors to see what deals they can give you. Also were checking various properties and the rental fees.

So yeah it will be a lot of research but you have to go in it all with the positive mindset that you can do it which is what I’m doing. Cause fuck yeah it will be awesome lol

The big thing is you desperately need to have something that will set you apart from the rest. It is hard to do everything. IE comics, rpg’s, tabletop wargaming, board games, action figures, model kits, etc…the financial means to be able to lay your hands on so much at a time is tough. This is why you see places like CQ eventually just specialize in one area. Capitaine Quebec used to have wider variety but eventually found that for them comics was the best deal.

Ontario would be great because hobby stores are a big deal there. From what i have seen, not really a super informed opinion however, Ontario has a large hooby enthusiast population. Problem is, they already seem to have a thriving hobby store base. You would really need to be something unique to stand out.
Same thing with opening up online, it is tough. It is hard to stand out when literally thousands of other people are already established. Need more then just a catchy name

In my opinion, your best to do the research first. Find an area where you can capitalize by opening a small place to start with minimal competition, or take over an existing business with existing clientele. Save going online until you already have a physical presence and a stable local reputation. In a business like this word of mouth is what will boost you up, can’t have that if people do not know who you are.

Google comic shops, hobby stores, etc and your gonna get a lot of hits. Easier to make it if people start by actually looking for you online, rather then hoping they stumble across you by chance.

It is not a bad idea though. The whole reason i got into photography was because i was sick of doing things i hated. Just wanted to do something that interested me. This is why i had also been thinking of maybe one day trying to run a hobby shop. Working on my warhammer stuff lately has been proving to me how much i truly enjoy doing that kind of stuff. And seeing how badly retail stores are run, i see how to do it better. One bonus to all my years in retail, i guess. Only problem would be the upstart costs.