The unstoppable videogame retailer GameStop has hit a new milestone -- its 5,000 th store. This new haven of the underpaid, overworked, and often ill-informed cropped up in Jackson, California today, signifying what GameStop COO Dan DeMatteo calls "a spectacular effort" by the company's some 44,000 employees.
To those of you who think it's miserable shopping there, it's even worse working for them. Take it from me; the company took many hours away from my family and many years off of my life ... but I did make off with about 784 over-sized videogame related t-shirts. But don't even get me started.
For every 500 stores, though, there are those shining beacons, where the store is not only clean, but employees are helpful and (*gasp*) friendly. There's always the hope that this store is one of the "good ones," but things look grim for the 500 to 550 new stores GameStop Inc. plans on opening in the near future.
So who's going to be the first one to pre-order Madden NFL 2009 at this new store? Talk about a milestone!
[Via Next Generation]
Contest:
11:03 AM on 10.24.2007
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GameStop opens their 5 billionth store would have made a much better post.
Would it seriously kill a retailer to make a medium.
I'm trying to get a job there....I know I know I'm going to hate myself but I'm in dire need for teh cash.
In fact, from what my manager was telling me from this last manager's conference, they are really trying hard to get away from the stuff that made the stigma they have now.
I personally hope they succeed.
Some malls have two stores in them, since the merger of EB/GameStop. It's great.
There is the occasional why the hell is this guy working here he knows nothing about video games. But it's pretty easy to spot who knows the score and who doesn't.
I still occasionally shop there, however, since the closest game store besides it is an EB 30 minutes down the road.
You can't imagine my embarrassment with Kingdom Hearts 2. GameStop headquarters reminded us constantly, almost daily, that the game will not be easy to procure without a reservation. They tell us to inform customers that unless they reserve, we can't guarantee a copy even on the morning of the release. They even go so far as to send us a large "SUPPLIES LIMITED" sign to stick on the KH2 stand up at the front of the store. The reservations come flying in like crazy.
Then guess what?
They fucking send us 90 EXTRA COPIES over the number already registered. 90.
Almost every customer I coerced into reserving KH2 that day never reserved from us again.
I hate retail.
However, a good portion of your experience will depend on who is managing the store, so check that out first. You wouldn't want to end up with a jerk like me having you rewrap a used controller because your cable management is lacking.
The time of reckoning is nigh! Quickly, make haste to yonder shire!
Most of the staff seems pretty cool from what I've gleaned, but the manager is some 40 year old soccer mom hitting menopause.
Should I take his word for how god-fucking-awful the store is, or is it something you have to live to understand? He's picked up some pretty cool (near) free schwag, and the meager employee discount tickles my fancy.