Fine, don't acknowledge me... you'll be closed soon enough.

[mikoyan29]

As a Badger, I am required by the U.S. Constitution to give you grief.

Just be happy I'm not from Ohio State.

It's funny. This year my mom and I went to Fredericksburg and I was wearing my Michigan t-shirt and hat. The ranger gives me a little grief and says that he's from Wisconsin. Then he said, "Well at least we both hate Ohio State".

[TheCheerfulTreeRat]

Warhammer novels etc

I knew NOTHING about Warhammer until I watched an episode of Ace of Cakes the other day, where they made a Squig cake for (I think) a convention. They organisors were so chuffed they made an online squig herder character out of the Cake Shop boss - armoured, macho looking and with a 6' spatula...

[fireheart]

I have the same thing here; main shops are EB Games & Vagabonds - EB is, almost without fail, awesome at any branch.

I haven't had a problem with them yet. Usually their only gripe is pricing, but usually if I can't find a game at Gametraders (or they can't order it), I'll go and get it at EB. Gametraders also has the bonus of being a geek's fantasy hideout: they run trading card tournaments at their stores (for most people it's Yu-Gi-Oh, although some stores do Pokemon tournaments and I suspect Magic will be introduced in the near future), they sell stuff other than games including anime, cosplay props/costumes, trading cards ,replica swords, LARP swords, t-shirts, little game-themed knick-knacks and so on. About the only thing they don't sell is pocky .
Games are still their most important thing though.

EB have also usually been the only place I can pick up event pokemon via the Wi-Fi.

[rose_metal_nz]

And since none of the University of <American Location> arguing is relevant to me ....

One of the game store chains down here has that exact vibe. There are three in my state: GAME, Gametraders and EB Games. Gametraders ALWAYS project the vibe of "Come on in, we're great, we don't care if you're a noob or a gaming veteran". EB Games tend to be a bit more sterile, but are usually happy to help if you're unsure about something. Whereas I've walked into GAME and I've found the experience to be VERY awkward. The staff members tend to yap away at the counter between themselves, even if there are customers in the store. They also sell very few secondhand games if that, and they're usually priced the same as the new games.

I have the same thing here; main shops are EB Games & Vagabonds - EB is, almost without fail, awesome at any branch. You can see they're often pleasantly surprised to be able to "talk the talk" with a girl - but they've never been snobby. Now I lurve Vagabonds, and they have the Warhammer novels etc that I love; but I've never gotten into figurines (too expensive & I'm a crappy painter lol) Every. Time. Without. Fail. I walk in their doors - at any location - I get this whole "outsider" vibe. Um, hello? I shouldn't have to yell out IM A GAMER TOO!!
If you want my money, and repeat patronage, then hey, maybe adjust your mindset. Gah.

[Dreamstalker]

My Local Comic/Game Store used to have the awful You Don't Belong vibe. *shudder*

The place I used to work for did and still does have that. Ironic because the owner's original plan with the larger space was to make it more inviting for casual shoppers. The exact opposite happened; I was the most pleasant employee he had.

His solution for the theft problem? Install cameras...I could tell in an instant which ones were dummies, and there's never anyone in the office to watch the screens.

[fireheart]

And since none of the University of <American Location> arguing is relevant to me ....

My Local Comic/Game Store used to have the awful You Don't Belong vibe. *shudder*

One of the game store chains down here has that exact vibe. There are three in my state: GAME, Gametraders and EB Games. Gametraders ALWAYS project the vibe of "Come on in, we're great, we don't care if you're a noob or a gaming veteran". EB Games tend to be a bit more sterile, but are usually happy to help if you're unsure about something. Whereas I've walked into GAME and I've found the experience to be VERY awkward. The staff members tend to yap away at the counter between themselves, even if there are customers in the store. They also sell very few secondhand games if that, and they're usually priced the same as the new games.

[Mr Hero]

As a Badger, I am required by the U.S. Constitution to give you grief.

Just be happy I'm not from Ohio State.

We don't need no stinkin' badgers!

[PhiSigGirl1988]

I support MSU when they're not playing us. Ohio State, on the other hand....

Never.

[dendawg]

Just be happy I'm not from Ohio State.

Or, to a lesser extent, Michigan State.

(Not an alum, but my ex's family were diehard Spartans fans.)

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Hey now, proud U of M (Dearborn) graduate here.

As a Badger, I am required by the U.S. Constitution to give you grief.

Just be happy I'm not from Ohio State.

[Andara Bledin]

The other is a university town... one of the largest universities in the world, actually.

This was actually a question on Mark & Brian's "No Apparent Reason" segment this morning. I still managed to not know the answer. >_<

As for the shop, I'd have made a point to ask questions. If the owner is going to act like I'm bothering him for being in the store, I might as well do some actual bothering while I'm there.

^-.-^

[PhiSigGirl1988]

Ah yes, Ann Arbor, home of (sc)UM.

Hey now, proud U of M (Dearborn) graduate here.

[camjuniper]

My Local Comic/Game Store used to have the awful You Don't Belong vibe. *shudder* I totally know the feeling you mean. Also have a Local Book Store that has that, too. Luckily, I'd been to the LC/GS recently after having avoided it for forevers and it's completely improved. Better sale persons and a new layout muchly help with that. LBS still sucks monkey balls, but the owner's a douchebag (I have friends who used to work there, plus two personally experienced sucks). Thankfully, my town's got another (much better) LBS and a few used book stores, too!

Good think you've got another game store for you gaming needs!

Also? The owner/clerk should have looked up/looked around. Sales fail. Anti-theft fail (not you, of course--just in general--keep an eye on the merchandise and customers). All around fail.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I second the Ann Arbor comment. That place is a pain to get through. I love me some Bubble Island though, so I deal with it.

The University town you describe almost sounds like Ann Arbor. I don't mind driving through it but I try to go carefully because of the general obliviousness of the population there. Game stores are notorious for not lasting around here though....

Ah yes, Ann Arbor, home of (sc)UM.

[Ree]

I do believe we have a bit of FTSTS going on.

Cut it out.

None of us were there to see the way the clerk behaved nor to feel the overall atmosphere and tone, so we can't judge. It sounds like the onus was put on the OP to go back for help when ready, and Mystic chose not to interrupt, but waited for them to come back and ask again.
The OP has explained numerous times that there was an unwelcome vibe going on from the beginning.
That should be good enough.