Store Featurette: Overworld, Petone, Wellington

Retro Active recently took a trip out to the last place we would expect to find a mini mecca of anime and old video games, Petone. We had a casual sit down with the person who runs the place, Jonathan, to find out how he went about setting up a store like this.

Stay tuned after the interview for a mini featurette on the store.

Retro Active: So when did you open your store?

Jonathan: November last year.

RA: 2008?

J: Yeah, November 2008.

RA: Was there a particular reason you opened your store?

J: Personally I would have loved to have a store to come into like this, but there wasn't, so i thought I'll try it myself.

RA: You had mentioned earlier that a majority of your stock was things you had collected...

J: Yeah, my spares to begin with, I thought yeah I have so much I can make a section of retro stuff, I have got enough of that, things i have amassed over the years.

RA: Do you see modern video stores losing touch with how games were or are remembered in the past, like EB and Gamesman?

J: I guess they just seem to focus on what people want, I mean that's how business works. People want a often want the latest sports game or Halo.

RA: When you began the store, was it games focused?

J: No, games was just a small section because I wasn't sure about who cared about old Nintendo stuff anymore. I knew because of Armageddon, everyone loves the anime and final fantasy sort of cosplay stuff. that was the main thing, it was easy to get, china has a lot of that available. I always wanted to make sure I had a section for the games, because that was my sort of thing.

RA: You also talked about focusing on getting games that you wouldn't necessarily find in the bigger retail stores...

J: Yeah, often a game, even if it is a new game, once its come then it's gone. They might not publish it anymore. Even new stuff, I've found that this still happens.

RA: When we were talking before the interview, you talked about Chrono Trigger for the DS earlier- how often do you try and get games that come out overseas and import them before release here?

J: I mainly get the hand held stuff, as it often has no region locking. I guess its either my opinion, like I personally think its a big game, or how much people care about it- the general hype on the internet, and release date in NZ. If it comes out in NZ a few weeks after America then there is no point in getting it.

RA: I've noticed there is an overall theme to the type games you're stocking. You've got the Mario's, the Zelda's and the Japanese RPG's. These are basically core games of the yesteryear's. I see there is also a big focus in terms of that you stock in the rest of the store as well. Is there any types of games you'd like to move into in the future or just stay with the tried and true?

J: Often there is a lot of things that can be rare, but if no one wants it it probably wont sell, that's the trap i get into sometimes, its not a museum. I want to put the Virtual Boy out but no one will pay what its worth. Some people will go "Ooh Zelda", because they're still being made now. So sometimes they wanna go back and play those.

I'd like to get more systems, I'm a bit surprised at how many want to play the old games but cant. So if I can get a big selection of systems, that would be a good companion for the games as well.

RA: How do you source the majority of your games, aside from the ones that are seconds in your personal collection?

J: The only way you can really...Ebay, Trade Me, and the like. Cash Converters used to have them in the old days- but not anymore really. You gotta just luck out. Either pay for what its worth, or just luck out and find a garage sale. Sega stuff is huge in NZ, there are Mega Drives and Master Systems everywhere, you might find a guy just selling off all his old games. Nintendo stuff is a lot harder.

RA: As well as the games you have anime stuff like figures and toys. So do you go via retailer or is there a particular source you get those form?

J: Yeah the Japanese type stuff will be China, Japan, Play-Asia.com. You see all the phone straps and everything.

Game wise its any place in America, even the regular shops there.

If you want bulk plush toys that's easy enough, but if you just want one off likes the Final Fantasy ones I get, I will do a special order. because once they've sold out, they're gone and never do them again. You cant get volume one, as they are up to volume four. You have to get it while you can because if you try to get it later it will be gone.

RA: Where do you see your store being in another years time?

J: Hopefully with how it is. I'd like it to be in the main street. When you're just starting out you really cant do that unless you have heaps of money. It was either do it here, or not do it.  I hope to keep adding to all the different kinds of items I stock, and especially the Retro stuff I want to be known as the place to check if you need a bit of gear or something, like oh hey OverWorld might have it or can get it we should check there.

A lot of people have mentioned that its off the track, you have to find it. I'd like to be bigger eventually. More people coming in, more people knowing about it, more repeat customers.

RA: Can we expect you at Armageddon next year?

J: I'll have to see how much it costs. I planned to do it last year but missed the cutoff. I wanna do it next year, but it depends how much stock I have. I'd have to have heaps of stock otherwise I'll run out in the shop! It would be great though, pretty much a place full of people who want this stuff.

RA: yeah, i guess it would promote the store well too, being there..

J: I handed some cards out last year, left them around, but nothing official as we had just opened. But hopefully next year i can plan a bit better.

Getting people to know about it was the main thing. Learning as I go along, getting smarter and trying not to waste money on stuff people might not buy.

RA: What made you decide to set up in Petone

J: I actually lived in Petone for 4 years, initially I was living in Lower Hutt. Petone is in the middle. You've got Wellington on one side and the Hutt the other. Wellington would be the biggest thing though. Also i didn't have millions of dollars when I opened, and being not on the main road it just made sense to do it here. The place had just been remodeled, I had to decide "do i want do it or want try it" then I had do it now.

[END]

Final thoughts:

Ross already has a long shopping list, and will be rummaging though the stock in the next week or so when he gets paid. Expect shockingly good prices on retro games and anime goods. Prices for games range from about $8 (bog standard common SNES/MegaDrive games-) to $55 for a copy of the NES Zeldas with box, manual, maps and postcard with the number to call for cheats, to $120 for extreme classics like Shining Force 3 for the Sega Saturn. Overworld doesn't just stock games though- everything from phone tags, to plushies, action figures and even costumes are in stock.

Overworld can be found just round the coner from Nelson+Jackson Street in Petone, Wellington.

Thanks to Jonathan for kindly letting us grill him and run around his for nearly an hour.

Be sure to check out their blog for updates on the latest stock!

http://overworldstore.blogspot.com

Interview by Scott/ColdBain, transcribed by Ross.

Video by Ross.

Music By DJ Nintendo.