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The QS Summer Tour

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This is something I've been considering for a while, but I finally began the planning stages of the QS Summer Tour.  I'm still in the process of scouting stops/locations and planning the route, but keep checking here and on the Tour blog for updates, maps, thoughts and so on.  Here's the About section so you know what's up:

View KB's Summer Tour in a larger map

Welcome aboard! In the spirit of Magic, Community and The Great American Road Trip, I'm putting together the QS Summer Tour. This ambitious undertaking is my personal passion project to showcase the power of Social Media in today's game. By making use of my network around the country, I will visit small (and large!) local game shops across the land. 
 
I hope to take this trip in the second half of Summer 2010, either in mid July or late August.  My initial idea is to budget 10-18 days, and the final length will depend on fiscal budget, time, and the actual route that emerges. 

Objectives
  • The Power of Social Networking.  Using Facebook and Twitter to connect with fans and readers who would enjoy meeting me, I will plot a route that takes me to as many diverse locations in North America as I possibly can.
  • The Diversity of the Magic Community.  I hope to meet and write about professional players, casual afficionados, Limited and Constructed players, EDH'ers, kitchen table warriors, and every other type of player there is.
  • The Evolution of Blogging.  There are a few people that make a living through blogging, but I want to prove that an undertaking like this is not so ambitious as people think.  By using strict budgeting and time management, I want to show that long trips like this are more accessible than people think.
Media

  • A blog (this one!) will be maintained documenting the trip and the people I meet in written word, photo and video.
  • Text updates will be as frequent as travel and my schedule will allow.  I will aim for multiple daily updates of shorter length, sometimes just updating to post a few images.
  • If equipment is available, video coverage is desirable.  A sponsor may need to lend or donate a video camera since the iPhone's camera is really sub-par.
 Funding

  •  The trip will be strictly budgeted, both for the sanity of the author and to demonstrate the power of being conscious and sticking to a budget.  This lesson will help many who have trouble understanding how to treat their Magic-playing time as a business.
  • The trip will have a few sponsors who both support what the endeavor represents and who would like to capture some of the attention that the trip will garner.  I intend this to be a media spectacle in the Magic community, as nothing of the sort has been done before.  
  • QS readers will also have the opportunity to donate money to the cause.  This money will be retained in a dedicated paypal account until it is needed.  Should the trip not occur for any reason, donations would be refunded.

 Feel free to make a donation on that page!  Any amount, even a freakin' penny, is appreciated.  If you represent a dealer, site, or company and would like to learn more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities, email me directly.

Kelly Reid

Founder & Product Manager

View More By Kelly Reid

Posted in Uncategorized

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6 thoughts on “The QS Summer Tour

  1. I'm really confused. You seem to be perfectly willing to abandon your new shop. The quality of the site faltered by your own admission while setting up your store. So much so that you felt the need to bring in a new editor. I completely understand that. I know the attention needed to set up a retail space Yet, you seem to be willing to abandon the store for an epic road trip to support QS. It logically follows the store will falter undertaking this trip. It certainly is a great advertising opportunity for your store however, so that kind of tempers it. I'm just very curious and concerned how you intend to juggle both responsibilities. I've seen a lot of stores come and go over the last 6 years trying to do too much too soon and end up way over their heads. (More power to you if things really are going that well, or you're financially independent enough to carry out all the ventures. Just a commenter's and fellow store owner's 2 cents worth of detached observation)

  2. Stop in Philly to Redcaps Corner if you want to get in touch with the Philadelphia Magic Scene, there are plenty of great players there and i think it would be a blast, especially if your already going to be in the area

  3. I noticed you had Santa Rosa, CA marked as a potential spot to visit – What card shop would you be visiting there? Outer Planes?

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