Geek Chic
Posted by jhs

I just saw that geek chic, makers of beautiful gaming furniture, went out of business.  I figured I would own one if their tables one day, but not to be.  I will genuinely miss them in the dealers hall, it was my favorite visit.  Best wishes, folks, I hope your next thing is as interesting.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.polygon.com/platform/amp/2017/6/19/15812486/geek-chic-out-of-business-game-tables

Posted by dgoodchild

I wonder who gets their booth. I can't imagine Gen Con will stand for an empty booth or let the opportunity to resell the space go unseized, even if it is last minute. 

Posted by rutherfordr

I'm sure they have a waiting list for people who couldn't get a booth this year.

It will be interesting to stop by booth 449 to find out who drew the lucky straw!
 

Posted by dgoodchild rutherfordr

rutherfordr wrote:
I'm sure they have a waiting list for people who couldn't get a booth this year.
It will be interesting to stop by booth 449 to find out who drew the lucky straw!
 
Or if they split it up. There's what, 4 basic booths worth of space in 449? 

Posted by quarex

I cannot remember another time a vendor has gone out of business in the period between buying a booth and the convention going down (not, of course, that it has likely not happened, but doubtfully in such a dramatic fashion).  Knowing how much interia and momentum is involved in convention planning, I wonder if it is somehow too late for them to replace the space, and it will just end up being empty?

Posted by austicke quarex

quarex wrote:Knowing how much interia and momentum is involved in convention planning, I wonder if it is somehow too late for them to replace the space, and it will just end up being empty?

No chance. The booths are in high demand, and I'm sure they have a waiting list.

____________________________________________________
Alec Usticke, Unofficial Gen Con Indy Facebook Discussion Group

Posted by dgoodchild austicke

austicke wrote:
quarex wrote:Knowing how much interia and momentum is involved in convention planning, I wonder if it is somehow too late for them to replace the space, and it will just end up being empty?

No chance. The booths are in high demand, and I'm sure they have a waiting list.____________________________________________________
Alec Usticke, Unofficial Gen Con Indy Facebook Discussion Group

I tend to agree however, whether or not one or more exhibitors who were not expecting to attend could throw together a Gen Con booth on such short notice may be in question.

Most shows demand that vendors maintain a full booth/inventory (or at least the appearance thereof) so not everyone may have enough inventory to make it the full four days.

IF they can't get new exhibitors to fill the space, I have a suggestion to generate good will in the community: give some random exhibitors in Entrepreneur's Alley a free upgrade to premium floor space.

Posted by choriqueso

I say put a full service bar there. Drunk people spend better.

Posted by garhkal

Wow..  That royally bites.. I hope no one here is in limbo waiting for word on if/when their product they already paid for will arrive or if they will get a refund..

Posted by austicke garhkal

garhkal wrote:I hope no one here is in limbo waiting for word on if/when their product they already paid for will arrive or if they will get a refund..

Many people are. Hopefully their credit card companies come through with a chargeback because I doubt Geek Chic would have gone out of the business if they had any money.

____________________________________________________
Alec Usticke, Unofficial Gen Con Indy Facebook Discussion Group

Posted by jedikitty

I've noticed that on the interactive map, there's just a blank space where Geek Chic was originally. Very sad. :(

Posted by doombunny

Huh, I thought they were sharing a space with some costume hat maker before. I suppose the hat maker can't really fill that much space herself.

Posted by rhone1

Maybe they'll break the space up into smaller spaces for other companies.

Sorry to hear about Geek going out of business.  They built some nice furniture and the owner seemed like a good guy.

Posted by jedikitty

On the interactive map, there's now a booth space in that spot for Lightseekers.
https://www.lightseekers.com/

Posted by quarex

The system works!

Posted by rogersba austicke

austicke wrote:
garhkal wrote:I hope no one here is in limbo waiting for word on if/when their product they already paid for will arrive or if they will get a refund..

Many people are. Hopefully their credit card companies come through with a chargeback because I doubt Geek Chic would have gone out of the business if they had any money.____________________________________________________
Alec Usticke, Unofficial Gen Con Indy Facebook Discussion Group

https://www.polygon.com/2017/7/19/15999728/geek-chic-bankruptcy-filing-documents-patrick-rothfuss

They basically had nothing left. $300 in cash. Millions owed in debt. And this is Chapter 7, so there's no coming back. It sounds like they had very little finished inventory, but even if they do, it will be liquidated.

If you had a deposit in, your credit card company is your only hope. I can't believe there will be anything left once the major debtors are paid, and they're certainly not going to be made whole.

Posted by garhkal

True, in darn near all cases, Major companies (internet providers/security experts, suppliers and the like) get paid off first..  US consumers, get paid of last, IF at all..

Posted by dzehner2

Are there people who were on the waiting list for Geek Chic that are still looking for a new table? I'm working on building one for my family with the intention of selling them as well. Coming to GenCon this year to see what people are looking for in a table and show the prototype progress as well as some renderings of the finished product.

Posted by vgfsirius

Curious what the alternatives are - I saw BoardGameTables.com had a booth this year, but wasn't able to stop by.

Posted by aldctjoc vgfsirius

vgfsirius wrote:Curious what the alternatives are - I saw BoardGameTables.com had a booth this year, but wasn't able to stop by.

There are a handful in existence:

That last one doesn't appear to have been at Gen Con.

As a tangent: Rathskellers is Germany based (and BTW, don't be thrown off by it's name echoing a restaurant - The Rathskeller - in Indianapolis. The last one in that list is indeed a gaming table manufacturer). I don't actually know what that distance means as far as shipping to the US, but it certainly can't help any! It'd obviously be a good option for European gamers, though. 

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