How do you guys find stores to buy stuff at?

[tafk]

I've been looking for stores near my area to find games. I always see shoes like LGR Thrifts or The Game Chasers where they not only go to Goodwill but to places that specialize in selling games. I refuse to believe that living near Chicago I can't find any of these places. I already have all of the HPB/Goodwill/Savers stores near me mapped so I know where all of those are but I can't find the niche game stores that others seem to be able to find. HELP!

[burningdoom]

In this order:

1. Goodwill

2. Trading on message boards/trade sites.

3. Used Movie/Music Shops

4. Thrift Shops

5. eBay/Half.com/Amazon

6. GameStop

I used to do the flea market, too. But the sellers in there get first dibs before the doors even open, and they will buy up cheap ones then resell them at their own table for more. It takes all the fun out of it.

[bikingjahuty]

Taking Burningdoom's format:


1. Second Hand Media Stores (ie. 2nd & Charles, Go Hastings, Bookmans)
2. Video Game Stores
3. Ebay
4. Thrift Stores
5. Flea Market
6. Pawn Shops
7. Craigslist
8. Garage Sales

[betelgeuse]

I usually do a video game search using Google maps, when I'm out and about. Sadly It usually leads me to a gaming store with a bunch of people sitting around tables playing Magic or some other card game.

I really need to start making phone calls first 

[segaomega21]

If Your Not Having Luck at your Goodwills, Thrift Stores, and Flea Markets try searching more thoroughly than you normally do. I tried it the other day and found some hidden games that everyone had skimmed over. And make sure to ask an employee in the store if they know anything. Other than that My best luck comes from garage sales, but I'm not sure if you have them in your area. Good Luck out there competition is getting tougher but not always smarter 

[tafk]

I understand WHERE yall go but how do you find these places? Maybe my original question was unclear.

[gf78]

I usually do a video game search using Google maps, when I'm out and about. Sadly It usually leads me to a gaming store with a bunch of people sitting around tables playing Magic or some other card game.

I really need to start making phone calls first 

For some reason, your avatar looks exactly how I picture you looking when you walk into one of those stores where everyone is sitting there playing Magic.   

[gf78]

There aren't many used media stores around my area unfortunately.   

There is two game stores within a 35 mile radius and that is Gamestop and a mom & pop shop called A to Z Games.  Unless I'm looking for something no older than the PS3 era, Gamestop is useless.  A to Z is a great place to find games and the folks there are always getting "new" stuff in.  You could literally go there every day and there are a bunch of new things to go through.  Unfortunately, I rarely have the time to go there because when I get off work at 3:30, go home and get changed, it around 4.  It's a half-hour drive from my house to the store and they close at 5.  They are also closed on Sunday and Saturday I am usually busy with my daughter's soccer games, etc.

I've scoured the local Goodwill on several occasions.  I sometimes find stuff, like sealed copies of Kirby's Epic Yarn a few weeks ago but most of the time, they are pretty bare for games.  There are quite a few thrift shops scattered around the area that I have to check out.  The Pawn shops around the area have pretty much done away with older games as well, so looking for anything pre-PS360 isn't going to pan out.

The other options I have are to go to the St. Louis area South County Mall.  There are two stores there, V-Stock and Slackers.  Both are stores that stock games, toys, movies, music, etc.  Of the two, Slackers is significantly smaller and their prices are pretty high.  I rarely buy something there.  V-Stock on the other hand, I usually don't walk out of there without dropping at least $100.  I find their prices pretty reasonable and the quality of their games is decent.  For example, last time I was there, I got the original Ape Escape black label in very nice condition for $12.99.

When it's a game that I can't find anywhere else, it's an import or I absolutely want the best quality/condition possible, I usually turn to eBay.  Sometimes it can be pricey and you have to really watch who you buy from to make sure your not getting screwed buying a "like-new" game that has rental stickers all over the disc and a dilapidated manual.  I've been looking for a black label copy of Spyro Year of the Dragon and found one.  I won it for $9.99 plus $2.50 s&h.  Likewise, I've always wanted a black label copy of the first Crash Bandicoot which is always pricey and hard to find.  Nabbed one freshly listed for $18.99 with free shipping.  I actually gambled on this one as their was only one  picture and a brief description.  But knowing how fast they get snagged up, I jumped.  The game arrived.  The disc has a few teeny-tiny scratches (which I expected from the description) and the manual's only damage is a small spine bend and "dings" where the little notches are on the case that keep the manual from just sliding out on it's own. 

Sorry for rambling on, but that's where I get the majority of my goodies.

[kashell]

I understand WHERE yall go but how do you find these places? Maybe my original question was unclear.

Word of mouth. Friends. Facebook. Anything, really. When I was living in Atlanta, I asked a guy at Game Stop as he was ringing me up if there was a place for retro titles and he mentioned Play N' Trade. It wasn't a great store, but it just goes to show you that it never hurts to ask around.

[gf78]

I've been looking for stores near my area to find games. I always see shoes like LGR Thrifts or The Game Chasers where they not only go to Goodwill but to places that specialize in selling games. I refuse to believe that living near Chicago I can't find any of these places. I already have all of the HPB/Goodwill/Savers stores near me mapped so I know where all of those are but I can't find the niche game stores that others seem to be able to find. HELP!

Also want to point out that flea markets and garage/yard sales are a good place.  I don't usually have the time to go to yard sales, but my buddy Dave is always sending me pics of his "hauls" where he gets complete systems with a ton of games for about $20.  A few weeks ago, I had a few minutes and went to a local storage shed/flea market.  Got a complete copy of Resident Evil Code:  Veronica X for the PS2 in good condition for five bucks.

Another good place to look is Facebook.  For example, there are pages you can join for your area like "St. Francois county buy, sell & trade" in mine where you can list items or post that you are looking for items. 

[amauriel]

For the game stores, I usually just use an app like Yelp on my phone and search the word "game". Yes, it's going to find some false positives like sports bars, but sifting through those has netting me some great places not only in my own city but when we go on trips.

For example, there used to be a fantastic store (sadly, the owners got greedy, opened an eBay store with their best stuff, and caused their clientele to feel betrayed and eventually the store closed) in Ft. Wayne and Indianapolis that we found once when driving to the Ft. Wayne Zoo. Ended up taking the trip out there (about 3 hours for us) every 6 months or so, and they knew us because we'd drop $200-500 depending on what they had. Without them, I wouldn't have most of my uncommon consoles. There's little stores like that stuck all over the country, once you know where to look.

[tripredacus]

I understand WHERE yall go but how do you find these places? Maybe my original question was unclear.

I have found that a lot of smaller stores will post ads selling things "as dealer" (or whatever) on Craigslist. I have found a few different places that way.

[abe]

I ask around. I see if people know of any good places that sell games, not necessarily just game stores. I've learned about some pretty good places to get stuff from, and they aren't even dedicated game stores. Kijiji can be useful sometimes too (not sure if that's useful in 'Murica). Going for walks in the city and checking out different stores is also useful. You can find games in some stores where you might not expect them to be.

[betelgeuse]

I usually do a video game search using Google maps, when I'm out and about. Sadly It usually leads me to a gaming store with a bunch of people sitting around tables playing Magic or some other card game.

I really need to start making phone calls first 

For some reason, your avatar looks exactly how I picture you looking when you walk into one of those stores where everyone is sitting there playing Magic.   

LOL it's actually pretty close to that. The last store I went to had about 50 random games on a shelf in the corner and nothing but display cases of cards. There were a bunch of individual sleeved cards displayed on the walls, I'm guessing those were the gems.

[kamikazekeeg]

I basically came across a guy I think on Facebook at the time early last year who was selling retro games at the Flea Market.  He was looking at opening his own store, which he eventually did and that's where I go for all my old games.  I'd try and see if you can't find any Facebook groups in your area for gaming.  I'm in one for the general area of Florida I'm in.  That's a place you could ask.  Another option might be conventions, particularly any gaming conventions.  You can find some retro sellers there, who might have stores or be able to point you to other stores.