Good Idea or Bad Idea: Opening a LAN Center 30 miles From an Existing LAN Center

[jdcross0525]

I have been thinking about opeing up a lan center for a couple years now but I'm just now starting to take action. First things first, I have done some research on a possible location (city, not actual building yet) and it seems like the one of the best options in my state. there are a few lan centers in my state, 4 or 5 that i know of, but one is about ~30 miles from my target location.

My question to all of you - Would it be logical to try and open another lan center this close to an already established lan center?

Info regarding my desired location:

This city is a suburb of the largest city in the state.
Has an average/high population - ~55,000 to 60,000
Middle to High income - Actually one of the highest in the state
The county it is located in is in the top 20 wealthiest counties in the US (read this online, not sure of the validity of this statement)

Info regarding location of existing lan center:

In a city very simialr to my target location - close to the same population, income, and in the same county
This center has been around since 1999 - started out mainly as an internet cafe and transformed into a lan center
Has just a few less local schools - i.e. elemenary, junior high, and senior high

The location that I am looking into really got my hopes up but then I found out about the other lan center ~30 miles away.

Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks!

[Alomax]

What city are you looking at?

30mi is more than enough room. Most traffic to our LAN in Phoenix came from a 5-10 mile radius.  Though if you where to select the top 20 or so customers (by revenue generated) they where scattered in a completely random geographic pattern.

I have a script that will actually slap the contents of the SL database onto a google map to help analyze this kind of thing.

[jdcross0525]

I am looking to open a GC in Fishers, IN. The existing GC that I am worried about is Net Heads out of Carmel, IN.

Thanks for the reply, btw

[Alomax]

Yea Netheads is a really nice place, I highly suggest going and checking out their place. I do think you're far enough away that it isn't a huge deal.  If you establish good relations with the owner you might be able to do some kind of mutual referral system.

[jdcross0525]

Thanks for the input. I have not been there yet, but it is definetly on the to do list lol. from what i've seen online, it is one of the nicer gc's around.

[RsteeleAUG]

We have had 2 different centers within 20 miles of our location.

http://www.tcofaugusta.net/
One was in a sketchy part of town and had been in business for 5 years. The owner passed away and they closed shortly after.

http://www.thegamingcave.net/
The other was here before and closed and has now re opened on Fort Gordon Military base. I believe they focus on younger troops that are newly enlisted and cannot leave the base. We get officers and people that have been in long enough to go off post in quite regularly.

Like Alomax said go pay them a visit. Let them know what your intentions are off the bat and see if you can get them to talk to you. I know/knew the owners of both of the other places in town and have on occasion helped them out or sent people to their locations.

[Deeds]

Can't stress enough the point of going to pay them a visit...they could be a real shitty hole in the wall or a real competitor you won't know until you visit and then access the situation from there.

-deeds

[johnlarson]

I would go there as a customer.  Spend some money and some time there.  Go on a weekend, bring a friend.

I wish I would have known about other game centers before I opened.  I had been to one place in San Diego and that was it.

About a week before I opened was the first time I had contact with an East Coast LAN center.