FLGS Finder: What data would be useful?

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Dec 12, 2016 11:35 pm
I'm a good chunk into developing the FLGS Finder (which should lead to some other interesting things, I think), and I'm realizing: am I showing the information people want? To start, it'll be a tool that'll allow you to search for an FLGS by US state or country. I don't know enough about countries besides America to tell the app how to search by divisions in a country, but for any of you non-Americans maybe you can help me out there, though hopefully it won't be necessary. I'm aiming to learn how to use the Google Maps API so you'd be able to enter a location to search near, and the tool would find stores in a radius.

So that aside, here's the fields I'm looking at right now:

Name
Location
Description
Sells:
- Food
- Board Games
- RPGs
- Comics
Events (as a text area)

I'll probably also have a spot for a logo. Other than that, anything else you think fits?
Dec 13, 2016 1:01 am
Sells:
- Video Games (not a lot of crossover into this, but some places do this)
- War Games (Hex and counter type stuff)
- CCGs

Hours
Phone Number
Dec 13, 2016 1:07 am
Sells:
-Used/Second-hand
-Other books (non-fiction, fiction, etc.)
-Other products (just thinking of my FLGS, it also sells vinyl, cds, cassettes, VHS, DVD)
-(is coffee included in food?)
Dec 13, 2016 1:20 am
Canada has provinces. They're like states, only bigger. Well, most of them are. Not mine. :)
Dec 13, 2016 1:44 am
How about an 'other features' text area? For example, the FLGS I go to has a game room where you can play board/card games there at the store and also offers board/card game rentals (and the rental fee is applied to the game purchase if you decide to buy it afterward). Neither offering fits into the 'typical' game store feature list, but both are reasons I recommend that particular store to my friends.

It might also be in the nature of the community here to be able to associate yourself with a game store(s). If I'm looking for a FLGS and know there's a GPer or two who shop at a particular place, I'd likely go there over one without that association.
Dec 13, 2016 2:06 am
marithyme says:
Canada has provinces. They're like states, only bigger. Well, most of them are. Not mine. :)
Heh, nah, I've heard of Canadian provinces before! (I actually lived in Winnipeg, Manitoba for short a year when I was 5.)

I'm more concerned with how to handle EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD! :p I need to find a database with global states/provinces if possible. It's why I'm leaning to just US states for now (though maybe I'll throw in Canada too), and then use Google once I figure out how.
njohn858 says:
It might also be in the nature of the community here to be able to associate yourself with a game store(s). If I'm looking for a FLGS and know there's a GPer or two who shop at a particular place, I'd likely go there over one without that association.
I was thinking of adding that later on, but maybe I'll try to think of how to set it up from the get go. The search mechanism is still my biggest concern.
Dec 13, 2016 12:53 pm
You mention an events text box, but when I've been out of town any tried to search, I was looking for a place to join a game in store. Maybe mention if they have regular DDAL or Pathfinder games. Others look for MTG and other card games.
Dec 13, 2016 1:30 pm
Cmbrian says:
You mention an events text box, but when I've been out of town any tried to search, I was looking for a place to join a game in store. Maybe mention if they have regular DDAL or Pathfinder games. Others look for MTG and other card games.
So maybe some default options first, then a text box for others. So what options are there?
- MtG
- Warhammer
- X-Wing Minis/Attack Wing
- TTRPGS (D&D Adventure League, Pathfinder Society, etc)

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