Press releases
GAME move into Neighbourhood stores
08/08/2003
GAME, Europe’s largest specialist video games retailer, is significantly expanding its trial of a new concept of ‘Neighbourhood’ stores designed to cater for customers locally in urban residential areas.
The move comes six weeks after the first trial store was opened in Putney, South London. It’s immediate success has hastened plans to open new stores in the next two months in Fulham, Brentwood, Chiswick and Wandsworth.
With 340 stores already in all the UK’s High Streets and principle shopping centres – GAME are extending their property strategy to “take the games to the customers” by opening additional stores in local neighbourhoods.
The trial will be extended using these new suburban London sites before the concept is rolled out to other destinations in the UK.
GAME Property Director Stephen Boyce explained “The video games industry is now very mass market, so we’re examining new formats to serve our increasingly broad range of customers. Our strategy is to take the games to the customers.
“The market is still dominated by demand for new titles. Customers want them the moment they’re released. Our new Neighbourhood format will help us serve them locally and quickly.
“As with all GAME stores the Neighbourhood stores will carry a huge range of titles and a big preowned offer, but the focus will be shifted even more towards local convenience. Very often customers need a new memory card in the middle of a game, or an extra controller when friends come round – all of which will now be much more accessible to them.”
The Neighbourhood stores will be slightly smaller than the traditional High Street GAME stores (Putney is 1,081 sq feet), but have been designed to cater for large volumes of customers and products.
GAME in Fulham will open on 20 August at Fulham Broadway; GAME Chiswick and Brentwood will open in September; and GAME Wandsworth in October.
About GAME
GAME is Europe's leading specialist retailer of computer software and video games. The Group (formerly called Electronics Boutique) currently operates from over 340 stores in the UK and Eire, 29 GAME stores in Sweden, over 90 CentroMAIL stores in Spain and over 55 ScoreGames stores in France. It also offers on-line shopping and game play services.
For further corporate information log onto www.gamegroup.plc.uk, and for the new look on-line store log onto www.game.uk.com.
Please contact Simon Soffe / Lisa Artemis GAME PR Dept –
01344 464442 / 464512
