Eamon Bloomfield
Germany
23569 Lübeck
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In 1979, I opened my games shop, Games Unlimited, in Kingston-Upon-Thames, England. It was a very small shop but I only intended to cater for very keen gamers. I stocked the full range of Avalon Hill and SPI titles, and as much RPG stuff I could find. But I soon realised I needed a bigger net of customers and this meant stocking family games. So I opened accounts with companies like Waddingtons and Milton Bradley.
At the end of 1980, I compiled a list of every sale and recorded a list of the best selling games for that year. RPG stuff only counted if it was a starter set. In 1981, I did the same thing but I published this list in a fan-zine.
Top of the list, in both 1980 and 1981, was Black Box. We, the staff, all liked it and it was cheap, half the price of Monopoly, say. People would come in looking for Mastermind and we would "Yes, we have that, but this is better", and show them Black Box.
In February 1982, Waddingtons wrote to me and praised me for selling more Black Box than any other shop in Britain. Now, this made me think. We were a very small shop so if we were the leading seller, then Black Box didn't do too well in the general marketplace. Anyway, they sent me a gift to show their appreciation. I expected a T-shirt or something but they sent a lovely silk tie. It had symbols on it, not of Black Box, but the different weapons used in Cluedo. Yes, I had a Cluedo tie.
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Nice story! thanks for sharing!
I bought a couple of Black Box on ebay.. who knows if one of those came from your shop!
regards and happy games!
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Douglas Glisson
Canada
Alberta
www.scottsigler.com/gfl
I'm gonna keep signing my posts so just let it go already.
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I have always loved Black Box. I have managed to rescue 3 copies from thrift shops ove the years. Never leave a Black Box behind! I am still looking for a copy of Black Box + however. Great story and enjoy the tie!
Kraken Fan #69
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