You may remember on Wednesday I posted about US retail chain GameStop, and its decision to make stores more approachable for casual gamers. I suggested similar initiatives for shops in this country, including calming down the presentation and creating a more relaxed atmophere.
In case you missed this, the business section of the Guardian has just featured a story on HMV's first 'next generation' store in the West Midlands. According to the report:
Out will go old-style promotions using posters and cardboard cut-outs, and crammed racks of DVDs, and in will come digital download hubs, sleeker shelves, gaming stations and smoothie bars.
Maybe Game will be the next for re-invention. Elsewhere, there's a great story on the Dallas/Forthworh news site, WFAA.com about a GameStop store manager in Texas who refuses to sell games to children unless they show him their school grades card. If they're doing well in classes, they can have their copy of Madden 08. On the plus side he's promised to buy a game for every kid that comes in with proof of attaining straight As.
The Victorian values do not extend merely to school performance - the manager, Brandon Scott, is a stickler for good manners too. As he explains, "They know when they come in here, they do not curse, they do not use the N-word, pull your clothes up..."
Does he mean Nintendo?
