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We all know that if more stores carried the product, it would draw more attention and maybe sales.
Also if GW advertised outside it's own circle then people who don't play WHF or 40K would hear about it and perhaps buy it. There is a huge percent of people who have never heard of Games-Workshop or it's products.
Now to the question, since any hobby shop is at least something I will include all types here, cause it is not just Hobbit/LOTr that is losing business;
1 - GamesBoro Worcester Ma, had about 12 tables, carried all ranges of GW and many indi, reaper, and tons of awesome things that I had never heard of and RPG books, Magic cards all that stuff. They went Out of Business Twice since 2000, closing for good by 2006.
2 Games Workshop Natck, Ma - had two tables and small corner store that was always packed with painters and players, some awesome people. Closed around 2007 for good.
3 - Newbury Comics carried GW range as an experiment for about a year in 2007/8 and are out of it.
4 - HobbyTown USA, Bellingham Ma, carried all GW range, also had RC cars, paints, model trains, tons of scenery, intelligent people there too. Out of Business 2006
5 - Hobby Time, Auburn MA, Carried testors paints and all the Woodland Scenics. The guy was an very old English Gent and painted historics. Great people he and his wife and I loved buying scenery stuff there. They closed up shop after several location changes in 2010.
6 - The Whiz - Westboro Ma, Most GW, Privateer, Reaper, and others, several tables, No Hobbit players there but I am on the forums for them. They have remained in business but they also sell toys, cards and have a deli attachment to the store. My friend and I want to do demo games there to help the Hobbit but not sure as the future of the hobbit is bleak and not sure I would want people to get into this expensive hobby when there are cheaper alternatives.
7 - That's Entertainment, Worcester Ma - Started carrying Reaper, always carried RPG games and comics. small GW section and citadel paints. I buy my paints there now to keep interest. Good store, they don't need the hobby stuff to stay in business as they are the largest comic store around. They do have tables and I may demo games there soon.
Summary - 5 out of 7 are out of business or not active in hobby. The other two have no Hobbit interest at this time though I know for sure that someone other than me buys Hobbit stuff cause the Trolls I was eying are gone and so are the warg sets and hunter sets. This is a good sign at least.
I would say that the hobby in general is suffering in the last 7 years. Not just Games-Workshop. But I think that many of us are now buying online and shopping smarter so that is why brick and mortar stores cannot stay open. They have rent to pay for the store and then a salary to pay there personal bills, online guys can work out of their homes and not have to support table space, advertise, or hire employee's and benefits or insurance, or inventory taxes... there are a whole bunch of ways online saves money and shuts down the hobby industry at the same time. No place to play, no exposure, and soon even the online people will be going OOB too.
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