Awesome scan, as you know I love stuff like this.
My memory is pretty blurry, perhaps Hardcore Otaking can better recall the details. From what I remember... Console Concepts started out as a mail order only grey importer of the PC Engine (hence the original name PC Engine Supplies) who went on to rebrand themselves as their wares expanded to include the likes of the Mega Drive, Neo Geo and SFC as each system was released. I never visited the physical shop but from what I remember it was a late addition to the business. I was a pretty regular custom back when this card was issued (92-94 I think) but the only 'Priviledge' it ever bought me was the ability to give them my customer number instead of my full address when placing an order over the phone.
Like I say, this is all a long time ago and my memory is pretty shit but I feel like these guys disappeared just prior to the 32bit systems arriving (or maybe just after). It feels as though there was one 'scene' of importers here in the UK throughout the 16bit era (Shekana, the original CEX, VGC, KT Consoles, Dream Machines, etc), then a whole other one after. I guess the PS1 really shook things up on that front. It blew up way bigger than any previous system here in terms of hype and a bunch of new importers jumped on the opportunity. I'm sure some of the existing guys who got on board benefited too but it certainly changed the landscape and as the niche factor started to evaporate, I think a lot of the more obscure stock (pc engine & Neo in particular) was pushed to the back.
Yeah as far as I'm aware you're correct about the history of Console Concepts. At the end of 80s they were one of the first major video game "grey importers" under the name PC Engine Supplies. And as you said, as other consoles arrived they changed their name.
Thinking about it my experience of using them was limited. Back all through that era I used to game with 2 other friends, and after I got my Japanese Duo one friend wanted one too and asked me to help him get it, I ordered his one from Console Concepts. I can't remember exactly how but they messed up the order some how (I think maybe sent the console without a game pad), and then after sent me/him a free copy of Final Soldier to compensate. My other experiance with them is buying PC Engine Street Fighter II from them when it was released.
I used Video Game Centre in Bournemouth a few times and also Telegames, but thinking about it my use of mail order was limited.
By far the main way I bought and traded games was through three ways.
1. Loot newspaper. ( basically a printed newspaper version of Gumtree(UK) or Craigslist(US))
2. Through a network of hardcore gamers in the UK at the time, used to speak on the phone and trade games via post. Some from London I'd meet up with and trade.
3. Bricks and mortar stores in the Greater London area, as in all the ones discussed throughout this thread.
