Corner Shop
| Corner Shop | |
|---|---|
| |
| Designer: | Holly Gramazio |
| Year: | unknown |
| Players: | Unlimited |
| Stuff required: | An assortment of objects; the little starburst cards and SALE signs that assorted-junk shops use; a table or set of shelves or astroturfed cabinet or similar. |
| Crew required: | One. |
| Preparation: | An hour or two collecting objects and writing seed stories. |
| Time required: | At least a few hours. |
| Place required: | A table or similar in a reasonably busy place: foyer, cafe, etc. |
| Activities: | Choosing, writing, ambient |
| This is a playable game - it's finished, tested and ready to play. | |
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At the Corner Shop, you can take anything you like - as long as you leave something behind. And make it something good, something interesting, something that other people will want, because if nobody takes it by the end of the night, you lose.
Setup
Collect a pile of objects: books, DVDs, rubber ducks, soft toys, broken clocks, muges, things you've been meaning to take to a charity shop but haven't yet. Minimum six, and 15 or more would probably be better.
Get some fluorescent starbursts or bright "SALE" signs of various sizes, with plenty of space to write on (see the external links section). Then write a little story about each object: where it came from, why it's interesting, what it could be used for.
Once you get to the venue, set up to look as much as you can like a market stall or greengrocer: astroturf, shelves, multiple levels, big SALE signs, bright BUY HERE arrows, a sign saying CORNER SHOP, whatever you can manage. Set up each object with its story. Make sure the most obvious sign includes the player instructions.
If possible, tell everyone in advance to bring an object, and hang around during the game (perhaps in a shopkeeper apron?) to explain it and encourage people to take part.
Player instructions
- Take an object. Any object. It's free, it's yours.
- Leave an object. A book, a railway ticket, a business card, a mug: whatever you like.
- Sell it! Describe it, tell its story. Put up a starburst to tell the world why it's interesting, exciting, unique, something to treasure. Put some effort into it, because...
- ...if someone takes your object, you win. If it's still there at the end of the night.
Play history
Corner Shop was played at Sandpit 22.
