Wed
Jun 25 2008
10:21 pm
VS Out of business
By: djuggler

VS (Versus) was a woman operated business on Gay Street which opened a couple of months ago. It sported 2 xbox 360s, 2 playstation3s, 2 wiis, 5 iMacs, free wifi, a stage and party room. This was a game lounge/Internet cafe in a really cool building just down the street from Nama. (Two doors north of Harolds)

These kinds of businesses are cool in San Francisco and Boston but couldn't cut it in Knoxville. It did not help that block of Gay Street is being closed for 18 months to develop Underground Gay St. I'll be surprised if Nama survives.

I'd like to see businesses like VS thrive in downtown.

Topics:
Lisa Starbuck's picture

Market Square or Old City Proper?

Submitted by Lisa Starbuck on Thu, 2008/06/26 - 12:19am.

Seems like a business like that would have had a better chance on Market Square - or maybe the Old City proper? I know good location=higher rent but you'd think a business like that needs foot traffic and they might have made it with more passers-by. Sad to see them close after a short run.

djuggler's picture

Oh I agree with that. My

Submitted by djuggler on Thu, 2008/06/26 - 9:26am.

Oh I agree with that. My first thought was the location would kill it and that was before I knew about the impending construction (which funny enough, the developer did not disclose to the owner before she signed her contract).

I was in East Town Mall...wait a minute...Knoxville Center recently and was surprised to find that 3 businesses are hosting gaming tables for role playing games as well as video games. I would have thought one could do that but three! Perhaps VS would have done better in West Town Mall, Turkey Creek, or the Strip. I would have liked to see it on Market Square too.

Doug McCaughan
(link...)

R. Neal's picture

That's a shame. I imagine it

Submitted by R. Neal on Thu, 2008/06/26 - 8:58am.

That's a shame. I imagine it would be hard for any startup that doesn't yet have an established clientele to survive an eighteen month disruption like that. Wonder if they knew about that going in?

You also wonder if they had enough operating capital. Closing after only a couple of months, unless related to the upcoming disruption, would seem to suggest not.

Also, you wonder about their business and marketing plan, and whether they researched the demand, etc., v. it was just something they liked doing.

Those are two frequent mistakes (startup capital, not knowing the market) that many small business startups make, in my experience.

djuggler's picture

Derst (sp?) did not disclose

Submitted by djuggler on Thu, 2008/06/26 - 9:31am.

Derst (sp?) did not disclose to her that the construction was going to happen until after she signed her multiyear lease. The closing came shortly after the meeting of business owners and tenants to discuss the street closing. I would guess that either that meeting went poorly or the landlords/property owners gave a decent opportunity to break leases.

When they renovated the 400/500 block of Gay St (hope I have those numbers right), not a single business survived. I noticed Nama has a new location right around Homberg and they have one in Turkey Creek (was that where I saw it? Somewhere west.). I have to wonder if the Homberg location isn't in anticipation of closing the Gay St location.

Doug McCaughan
(link...)

djuggler's picture

What I really liked about VS

Submitted by djuggler on Thu, 2008/06/26 - 9:41am.

What I really liked about VS is that it was classy and brought a unique business to downtown that added to making a visit to downtown interesting. There are people out there with certain attitudes toward downtown and I think businesses like VS can help overcome those.

We visited VS several times and supplemented our visits with trips to the Cereal Bar and MagPies, all within walking distance. The trips were much fun.

Doug McCaughan
(link...)

Justin's picture

I dont see that type of

Submitted by Justin on Thu, 2008/06/26 - 12:11pm.

I dont see that type of business working in Knoxville. I own a PS3 (mainly for Blu Ray) and an Xbox 360 (yes I'm a 32 year old geek). Why would I leave the comfort of my own home to play games in downtown Knoxville? I can get online/multiplayer 24/7 from my couch and play to my hearts content.

djuggler's picture

To try the games before you

Submitted by djuggler on Thu, 2008/06/26 - 1:09pm.

To try the games before you purchase them.

This type of business works on parties and gatherings. Blogfests. A couple of guys from work taking some downtime during lunch. The college students who've had a few in the bars and are taking a diversion from the music etc.

Everytime I was there, I played games I usually don't have access too. I also had the pleasure of teaming up with people who normally don't come by my house.

It could work.

Doug McCaughan
(link...)

Justin's picture

I think a Dave and Busters

Submitted by Justin on Thu, 2008/06/26 - 1:18pm.

I think a Dave and Busters would work perfectly in Knoxville...this type of concept...not so much. You are not gonig to get anywhere fast when you only have 6 total game systems...cant exactly get a LAN party going via two xboxs linked together on two tv's w/split screen (uggh).

CathyMcCaughan's picture

The gaming store in East

Submitted by CathyMcCaughan on Thu, 2008/06/26 - 1:38pm.

The gaming store in East Town has a good LAN set-up.

Paul Witt's picture

These types of businesses

Submitted by Paul Witt on Sun, 2008/06/29 - 9:34am.

These types of businesses aren't doing well anywhere. Most LAN parties have died out also. Four years ago most big cities had a 100+ player party 3-4 times a year. They're almost all gone now.

The draw for these places was that you could frag your friends and then brag about it, with a <10ms ping. With high-speed internet in most homes and voice chat in every game, LAN gaming is kinda pointless.

Businesses that organize table-top RPG games though, that's another story. That market is growing.

StaceyDiamond's picture

mall

Submitted by StaceyDiamond on Sun, 2008/06/29 - 4:43pm.

Versus may have had a better shot at one of the malls, where kids could paly while the adults shopped. I do wonder if they had a marketing plan. On a similar note, I'm surprised to see the Cereal Bar in the Old City still up and running with almost no advertising.

djuggler's picture

I love that cereal bar! And

Submitted by djuggler on Sun, 2008/06/29 - 6:04pm.

I love that cereal bar! And I hope it survives.

Doug McCaughan
(link...)

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