Well now this is interesting

[madadman]

MCFARLANE TO OPEN FLAGSHIP RETAIL STORE
More Than 2,000 Square Feet of Pure McFarlane


We are excited to announce that McFarlane Toys will soon be opening a retail store at the high-end, soon-to-be-completed Westgate City Center in Glendale, Ariz. Slated to open its doors early 2007, this 2,000+ square ft. store promises to be all McFarlane, all the time. In addition to carrying the full line of available McFarlane toys, the McFarlane store will also serve as a venue for exclusive autograph signings and special events.

We've been working with architects and designers to make sure every detail is perfect -- and we all know what a perfectionist Todd is. The final result will be a pop culture Mecca quite unlike anything else. The store's tag line says it all:

The Difference Is Real.

The Westgate City Center, located adjacent to the University of Phoenix Stadium, new home of the Arizona Cardinals, and the Jobing.com Arena, home of the Phoenix Coyotes, has been called the "crown jewel" of new sports venue complexes, the most exciting "urban, mixed use vision" of the new century. Expected to become the leading retail destination in Arizona, with a projected 22 million visitors per year, the new McFarlane store will be a vital part of this eclectic mix of retail and restaurant merchants.

"With ongoing growth in the Phoenix-metro area, we were looking for a place that is new and vibrant," says McFarlane Toys CEO and creative force Todd McFarlane. "I believe that Westgate is a terrific addition to the valley, will be a major tourist attraction and overall will expand our customer base."

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">With all the talk about the imminent demise of brick and mortar, and Todd's heavy reliance on the net, this seems a little out of left field. [img]confused.gif[/img]

[Andyman]

He's building his own brick and mortar, damn it! [img]wink.gif[/img]

[Street Worm]

& it's a 'pop culture Mecca' !

[Drau]

I cant see there being enough "product" to support having a physical store... [img]confused.gif[/img]

I can definetly see the value of having your own chunk of land to have special events for.

[SlappyMcNasty]

Originally posted by Drau:
I cant see there being enough "product" to support having a physical store... [img]confused.gif[/img]

I can definetly see the value of having your own chunk of land to have special events for.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ditto....I don't see big sales in a "special" McFarlane only store when most of the stuff is warming the shelves in places it's at.

[thatchetguy]

Not that I object to the fact that his store is twice the square footage as my house, sincne he's going to be paying BIG bucks for that privilidge. But he already HAD a store, and a venue to do signings. That's what the warehouse store was for, and why Steve spent so much time getting it all spiffy.

I just hope he didn't sign a big lease... I never used to see anyone in the Wizards of the Coast stores when they were open.It seems to me his niche market would come down to his warehouse for much cheaper than him picking up a couple NEW collectors roaming through the mall.

[-megalithanod]

Al mentioned that when I was out in Tempe in August. The looks from everyone else was more of a "well, it's Todd" thing......

I guess it would be a good place to get all the old farts attnetion where they can see the Hanna Barberra figures from their past and start collecting them.

[The Mighty Wolf]

People also laughed when Toddy paid millions for a couple of baseballs... people also laughed when Toddy picked up the sport's licences... and yet years down the line, they've made him mo money.

<font color="#cd6600" size="1">[ November 15, 2006 07:33 AM: Message edited by: Chosen One ]</font>

[SlappyMcNasty]

Originally posted by Chosen One:
People also laughed when Toddy paid millions for a couple of baseballs... people also laughed when Toddy picked up the sport's licences... and yet years down the line, they've made him mo money.

<font color="#cd6600"><font size="1">[ November 15, 2006 07:33 AM: Message edited by: Chosen One ]</font></font>

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Sorry my friend, but those (steroid-injected)baseballs are worth squat now & yes he's made a lot of money on the Sports figures but I think that's ending very quickly.

[The Mighty Wolf]

Originally posted by SlappyMcNasty:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Chosen One:
People also laughed when Toddy paid millions for a couple of baseballs... people also laughed when Toddy picked up the sport's licences... and yet years down the line, they've made him mo money.

<font color="#cd6600"><font size="1">[ November 15, 2006 07:33 AM: Message edited by: Chosen One ]</font></font>

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Sorry my friend, but those (steroid-injected)baseballs are worth squat now & yes he's made a lot of money on the Sports figures but I think that's ending very quickly.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Worth squat now yes, but he made over double his money back when touring his balls. [img]wink.gif[/img]
The sport figs, eventhough they may be dying now, he's still made mo money from them than what anyone had thought of.