Shows
The Match SlipA Game Store Owner's Pokémon Supply StrugglePokémon is experiencing high demand; the issue is that the supply does not match the demand. For Card N All Gaming store owner, Mason, Pokémon is his favorite game, but he's seeing a shift at his store. The shift? Customers aren't buying sealed products to open packs and trade in cards, as the latter yields the highest margins. When he wants to purchase sealed products for events like pre-releases, his favorite, he's unable to obtain the amount he needs. If that weren't frustrating enough, he has nobody he can talk to at the Pokémon Company to sha...
2025-11-101h 10The Match SlipShe Stood by Me. THIS Community Made It Real.This is the story of Underhill Gaming and how its store owner, Jason, overcame adversity with the support of his wife to build a community of players who bring him much joy.
2025-10-2758 minThe Match SlipA 25,000 Card Collection Arrives At LGSSelling at MSRP is always a goal of Joe's, the owner of Cardboard Chaos Games. Having a smaller store allows him the flexibility to offer products at said price. That said, sorting cards is a challenge, especially when you're operating solo and a collection of 25,000 cards comes into the store.
2025-09-2355 minThe Match Slip$11,000 Offer For MTG Revised BoxHerbie, owner of Reality A Games, is a lover of games, with MTG Commander and video games being his favorite. Owning a game store, which has always been a dream of his, says every day is different at the shop. The most recent example: a customer offering boxes of MTG Revised at $11,000 per box. Not only is Herbie a game store owner, he is also a game developer, having built an RPG called Reality A. Moreover, he's now working on his own TCG.
2025-09-0156 minThe Match SlipIs Opening A Game Store A Mistake?Owning a game store can be a source of stress. Jason, owner of Wizard's Keep Games, acquired the store in 2020. Due to the many needs required to keep the doors open of a local business, Jason feels the mental exhaustion from the long-term goals he has for the store. Was acquiring the store a mistake? He consulted a Magic 8-Ball to ask it that very question when the store was in his possession.
2025-06-2358 minThe Match SlipThe Journey From Pro Player to Game Store OwnerAs a former competitive Magic: The Gathering player who finished 12th in the Journey Into Nyx Pro Tour, Stu is now the owner of The Vault game store in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. As a competitive person, he always strives to be the best in everything he does, applying his competitive instinct to become the best game store owner he can be.
2025-06-0958 minThe Match SlipThe Final Time You Shuffle Your Magic CardsPlaying a game of Magic: The Gathering while running a game store. When Chaos Games store owner, Joseph Hurt, saw customers lining up to check out while he was playing Magic: The Gathering, it was at that moment that he realized he could no longer be a player. However, that doesn't mean he doesn't find time to fit it in. With a second location on the horizon, Joe notes that in every Magic player's journey, you'll shuffle your Magic cards for the last time, and you won't realize it.
2025-05-261h 01The Match SlipJonathan's Honest TRUTHS In Running A Game StoreThere are many lucrative job fields, but Jonathan shares that being a game store General Manager is not one of them. So what keeps him doing so to this day? How does he manage 9 employees and $250,000 in inventory while generating $1.5 million in sales?
2025-04-281h 02The Match SlipDivine Gamez With Store Owner, EvanHe is a gamer at heart and a store owner who still gets to play games actively at his store, Divine Gamez. Early into his game store owner journey, Evan LaBarge is already on his second store location. The first store was small but was out of a building owned by his father. Commander is a true joy for him, and his high-powered Commander deck can deliver 256 damage to all his opponents at once, but delivering a game enjoyed by his community is most important to him.
2025-04-141h 10The Match SlipZia Comics With Store Owner, TroyWe know that game stores with multiple locations exist. Zia Games in New Mexico is one of them. However, have you heard of a store owner who also owns conventions? Yes, conventions, as in more than one. Store owner Troy owns three conventions in New Mexico. He shares how he finds store locations and his methods for building a successful convention. He's also willing to pivot when something is or isn't working.
2025-03-3154 minThe Match SlipDuke City Games with General Manager, AlexandraHave you ever been to a store that runs Magic: The Gathering Commander tournaments every night of the week? Not only does General Manager Alexandra do exactly that, but she'll run an event for any smaller niche game that may only turn out four players. Duke City Games operates four stores in New Mexico with its largest location supporting 100 players.
2025-03-1749 minThe Match SlipFinch and Sparrow Games, With Store Owner, MichaelMichael, the owner of the Finch and Sparrow Games store, tells us that Magic: The Gathering is different from how it was five to ten years ago. As a game store owner, he specializes in card games, where Magic: The Gathering is 95% of his business. Michael believes in doing one thing well rather than being OK at multiple things, hence card games.
2025-03-011h 03The Match SlipE4 Cards & More With Store Owner, SteveMost game stores offer a variety of games, including board games, Warhammer 40,000, and collectible card games. Steve, the owner of E4 Cards & More, has explored other games like Warhammer 40,000, but he mentions that they have a "different vibe, different focus." He wanted to concentrate on one aspect and excel at it: collectible card games, all while creating a store people enjoy visiting.
2025-02-151h 07The Match SlipSilver Dragon Games With Store Owner, ScottScott and his family set out to create a game store that cares about its customers. Scott learned from his son that "Silver Dragon" is the "caring" meaning behind the store's name. Moreover, the family sought to build a store women would want to visit, so Scott enlisted his wife as the interior designer.
2025-02-011h 03The Match SlipJust Games Rochester With Store Owner, MattIf you're considering starting a game store business, Matt, owner of Just Games Rochester, recommends building a store "for the life you're looking to have when your store is successful."
2025-01-191h 00The Match SlipRound 2 Gaming with General Manager, MirandaHow many local game stores get a second shot after the first store closes down? A $15,000 fundraiser wasn't enough to save Family Fun Hobbies, but it bought enough time for an investor to come around and bring a second opportunity and the birth of Round 2 Gaming. General Manager Miranda has worked at both stores and is helping spearhead the growth of Round 2 Gaming. Moreover, she has a genius idea for generating more money per sale while saving the customer money!
2024-12-2352 minThe Match SlipRiftgate With Store Owner, NathanMagic: The Gathering and MSRP have always been debated amongst consumers, but how does a game store owner view it? Nathan, owner of Riftgate in Salt Lake City, Utah, is heavily involved in selling Magic cards, which he did not anticipate when starting the store.
2024-12-0958 minThe Match SlipGamezenter With General Manager, TravisTravis, owner of the largest game store, Millennium Games, takes on the role of General Manager for Gamezenter in Roseville, Minnesota, which Travis denotes as the largest game store in the midwest.
One of the boons Travis sees with the store is its custom-developed add-on, which integrates directly with Shopify. He views this as a product that can be sold to other stores at some point.
While the store has a lot of inventory, there aren't enough employees. It's a main area of focus. Travis notes that high-level sales...
2024-11-291h 20The Match SlipBrute Force Games With Store Owner, SeanIn this episode, Sean, the owner of Brute Force Games in San Diego, California, joins us on the podcast.
Initially, Sean started an online venture selling card collections for additional income and turned that into a 4,800 sq. ft. game store. Having loved Magic: The Gathering since 1994, it's no wonder the game is also most popular at his store. Like most stores, Commander is the most popular format; however, unlike other stores, they only offer open play. There are no points for wins, as it's 100% casual.
From a competitive standpoint...
2024-11-1859 minThe Match SlipTabletop Tavern With Store Owner, JimmyA visit from a Pokemon collector, Deep Pocket Monster, would prove to be an amazing opportunity for Tabletop Tavern's store owner, Jimmy. The popular Pokemon YouTuber attended a Pokemon trade night hosted at the store that brought more community to Jimmy's store and showcased the great things this store is doing.
Jimmy's store is located in Chula Vista, California. He's been a fan of Magic: The Gathering since the early 90s, and now running a game store with his older brother is a dream come true. The store has ~1,000 sq. ft. of play space...
2024-10-281h 03The Match SlipChicagoland Games: Dice Dojo With Store Owner, LexxIn this episode, we're talking with Lexx, owner of Chicagoland Games: Dice Dojo in Chicago, Illinois. This episode was recorded live at Dragon Con 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia.
The store was born in 2008 after a store Lexx worked at called Gamers Paradise went out of business. He's been a gamer since youth, with his first love being Dungeons & Dragons. The store sports 3,000 board games in their lending library for free, with 50% of the store occupied by tables and chairs.
Chicagoland Games: Dice Dojo is more than just board games. According...
2024-10-1452 minThe Match SlipWalt's Cards and Games With Store Operator, DanIn this episode, we're talking with Dan, the operator of Walt's Cards and Games. While Dan is not the store owner, Walt allows Dan to operate the store as he sees fit. Walt is away from the store often and works more with his travel service.
Dan has been working for Walt since 1994. His career started at a store called Cards For You, where he worked for one year. When Dan began working for Walt, sports cards were the main seller. The switch to Magic started in the 90s as "missing the boat" with...
2024-09-301h 00The Match SlipVan's Comics and Games With Store Owner, TravisWe're chatting with Van's Comics and Games store owner, Travis.
The store is located in Ridgeland, Mississippi, and was originally owned by Van, hence the name. Van is a family friend of Travis and owned the store for 20 years before passing the torch. At the time, the focus was on comics. There are currently 80-100,000 unique back issues. When the reigns were passed, Travis kept the store name to recognize the legacy Van had built. With 8+ years under his belt, Travis's store is 28 years old and counting.
Originally from...
2024-09-1659 minThe Match SlipThe Deck Box With Owners Brenton & NuggetIn this episode, we talk with Brenton and Nugget, two of The Deck Box's three owners in Fletcher, North Carolina.
Early on, there were plans to run a comic book store, having started as a backpack trader. When the switch to having a game store began 16 years ago, it originated in a flea market with 1,100 sq. ft. The store slowly grew with its community for 6 months before a prime opportunity arose to buy a dedicated shop.
The Deck Box has a large selection of games totaling 12 - 13. However, there...
2024-09-021h 07The Match SlipPlayer 1 Services With Co-Owner, BenIn this episode, we're talking with Ben, co-owner of Player 1 Services in Kensington, Maryland.
Ben is a big-time Pokémon collector. In fact, according to Guinness World Records, he has the largest Pokémon card collection at 50,000 cards which he expects to exceed by the end of 2024.
A unique aspect of Ben and co-owner Rose's store is they specialize in Pokémon. They take special orders for products like Lorcana, Magic: The Gathering, and One Piece, however, their retail space is all Pokémon.
The...
2024-08-191h 20The Match SlipLevel Up Games With Store Owner, LukeIn this episode, we're talking with Luke, owner of Level Up Games in Glen Burnie, Maryland.
Luke started his journey into gaming at the age of 6. The first game he ever played was Pokémon. However, he took a hiatus from card games until he was 16. As time progressed, Luke realized he enjoyed buying and selling cards more than playing the game; which he didn't feel he was very good at.
Before launching the store in 2021, Luke had worked vending for a company on the Magic: The Gathering Grand P...
2024-08-0558 minThe Match SlipEverything Games With Owner, Cody RomanoIn this episode, we're talking with Cody Romano, owner of Everything Games in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Cody opened the store with his dad over 12 years ago. Since that time, the store has seen accelerated success. While they started the store online, Cody soon realized that having a brick-and-mortar presence would be key to acquiring products.
The store has always remained in the same strip mall but has moved to larger spaces. For example, the store started with a little over 800 sq. ft. Within two years they've moved into a space with about 2,400 sq. ft...
2024-07-2255 minThe Match SlipTwenty Sided Store With Owner, Lauren BilankoIn this episode, we're talking with Lauren Bilano, owner of Twenty Sided Store. The store is located in Brooklyn, New York; Williamsburg in particular. The store has been open for 13+ years and is currently in its second location - one block from its previous location.
Lauren, who has a background in photography, is a storyteller by trade. Initially, she wasn't expected to be heavily involved in the store. However, once it was realized that running events were requested in high demand, Lauren became heavily involved. Her primary responsibilities include marketing, managing the store's website...
2024-07-081h 03The Match SlipKingslayer Games With Store Owner, TravisIn this episode, we're talking with Travis, owner of Kingslayer Games. The store spans three locations in California: Fountain Valley, Oceanside, and Lake Forest.
Travis started his foray into retail in 2015. Having gone to school for business, a storefront was a "front", as Travis calls it, to enable more product purchases from distributors. Initial plans were for the store to be a comic book store. However, after one week, customers asked to play Magic: The Gathering. Three weeks later, Travis was hosting his first Magic: The Gathering Pre-Release event.
...
2024-06-241h 03The Match SlipFinal Boss Games With Store Owner, RemingtonIn this episode, we talk with Final Boss Games store owner Remington in Springdale, Arkansas. Remington and his two business partners, Bennett and Trevor, started the store in February 2024. As a collective, launching the store has been a long time coming. While they always talked about opening a store, during COVID they put the building blocks in place to make it a reality.
The store focuses on the competitive side of gaming. This ethos stems from Remington's engagement with Magic: The Gathering qualifier tournaments before becoming a store owner. The three owners employ two...
2024-06-1059 minThe Match SlipGamers Haunt With Store Owner, CharlaIn today's episode, we're talking with Charla, owner of Gamers Haunt in Asheville, North Carolina.
Charla purchased the store from her friend in 2019 and has been running the business for 5+ years. The store specializes in Magic: The Gathering and a little Dungeons and Dragons; one of Charla's favorite games.
Charla notes that the community has brought her joy since taking over the store. Her store specializes in casual play while the Modern format is reserved for competitive play. While her store receives solid turnout for Standard and Commander, she...
2024-05-2752 minThe Match SlipBrothers Grim Games With Store Owner, GilIn this episode, we're talking with Gil, owner of Brother's Grim Games at the Long Island Tabletop Gaming Expo.
Gil's store is located on Long Island in Selden, NY. In 2007, he bought the store, originally named Monkey Head. As a store owner, one of his biggest challenges is knowing how much product to buy. This incorporates recognizing when a product has plateaued and is about to decline. There are no restocks after the initial order when purchasing a product from a distributor.
While competing with Amazon is challenging, Gil...
2024-05-1358 minThe Match SlipMeta-Games Unlimited With Store Owner, Allan ReidIn this episode, we're talking with Alan Reid, owner of Meta-Games Unlimited. In addition to running the game store, Alan also has a full-time job. His desire to open a game store stems from his previous background in competitive Magic. While being a competitive player from 1994-1996 had its enjoyment, as time went on he wished to be near family and friends. This would lead to the beginning of his store in 1997.
While the store has been around for 27 years and counting, Alan credits his friends with whom he had played competitively for helping...
2024-04-2952 minThe Match SlipThe Enchanted Deck With Store Owner, JonEditor’s Note: The store owner, Jon, has told us The Enchanted Deck is no longer running. However, he says he would like to have it up and running again at some point in the future. We’ll be sure to let you know if we receive any updates.In this episode, we’re talking with Jon, owner ofThe Enchanted Deck - an online-only store. However, he does hope to have a brick-and-mortar store in the future; potentially within the next couple of years.In July of 2023, Jon would stream...
2024-04-1553 minThe Match SlipGame Goblins With Store Owner, Josh WilhelmiIn this episode, we're talking with Josh Wilhelmi, owner of Game Goblins. With two locations in both Little Rock, Arkansas, and Conway, Arkansas, Josh hopes to open five stores in total with plans to franchise the brand afterward.
Josh started buying and selling singles from dealers at events to pay for his travel. He built up enough income from this venture which led to a game store. Game Goblins started in 2012 with 2,000 sq. ft. of space. This would become a limitation, and the store would relocate to a location with 6,000 sq. ft. of space...
2024-04-011h 24The Match SlipOC Geeks & Games With Store Owner, La DonnaIn this episode, store owner, La Donna of OC Geeks & Games owner joins us to discuss her store in Oregon City, Oregon.
While not a gamer herself, her husband is. While La Donna was in the military, La Donna's husband had wanted to start a game store focused on families. The family concept of the store is their most unique selling point. It is further emphasized by La Donna when she says, "When someone comes into my store, it's like you're coming into my living room."
La Donna handles...
2024-03-1856 minThe Match SlipDragon's Hoard With Store Owners Sherri and ZackIn this episode, we're talking with Sherri and Zack of Dragon's Hoard, located in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Celebrating its 1st anniversary as a game store, Dragon's Hoard originally started as a hobby shop / collectible store. When Sherri's husband recommended they bring Magic: The Gathering to the store, it changed the direction of the business. The store would officially become a game store from that moment forward.
Both Sherri and Zack have full-time jobs outside of the game store. Sherri works in the corporate world and Zack is a commercial...
2024-03-0456 minThe Match SlipDice City Games With Store Owner, Jimmy CooneyIn episode 23, we're talking with Jimmy Cooney, owner of Dice City Games. Originally from Montgomery County, Maryland, now living in Fairfax, Virginia - Jimmy first got involved in gaming at seven years old. It was at that young age he bought his first Warhammer miniature.
Although he quit gaming in his teenage years, he would find himself working in restaurants, grocery stores, retail, and filmmaking. However, that gaming spark would be reignited after a meetup with some friends to play board games and Magic: The Gathering.
In 2015, Jimmy would...
2024-02-191h 15The Match SlipGamers Geekery & Tavern With Store Owner, Lance ShraderIn episode 22 of the podcast, we're talking with Lance Shrader, owner of Gamers Geekery & Tavern in Cary, North Carolina.
Growing up in the mountains in Virginia, Lance didn't have a game store to go to. However, being a board game fan, Lance found himself wanting to build a game store. In Cary, a game store featuring what Gamers Geekery & Tavern didn't exist and Lance wanted to change that.
In 2014, his friend's wife was looking for something to do, so they partnered up and opened a retail space. However, Lance...
2024-02-0559 minThe Match SlipDragon's Lair With Founder & Franchisor, David WheelerIn episode 21 of the podcast, we're talking with David Wheeler, the founder and franchisor of Dragon's Lair.
Dragon's Lair in Austin, Texas is the original store location dating back to 1986. It is 10,700 sq. ft. After selling ownership of this location in 2015, David decided he wanted to help people open stores and utilize his contacts in the industry to help others succeed.
With a wide variety of interests and not wanting to remain a game store owner forever - having done so for more than 20 years - David intentionally wanted...
2024-01-2250 minThe Match SlipDecks & Dice With Store Owner, Jared McKenzieIn episode 20, we're interviewing store owner, Jared McKenzie, of Decks & Dice located in Seneca, South Carolina, outside of Clemson.
After selling the land he owned, Jared opened his store and immediately implemented a family-like environment. Operations are conducted less rigidly at Decks & Dice. Customers can haggle and even go behind the checkout counter to browse the binders of trading card games.
Jared always wanted to open a shop. Growing up, going to his local game store and playing games was a way to escape the negativity at home. He...
2024-01-0856 minThe Match SlipAtomic Empire With Store Owner, Jennifer BedellEpisode 19 of The Match Slip podcast features store owner, Jennifer Bedell, of Atomic Empire in Durham, North Carolina.
Before the existence of a retail store, Jennifer and her boyfriend, Mark, at the time would sell duplicate comics he owned on eBay. Eventually, they switched to selling on their e-commerce site. Both have a background in full-stack web development leading to the creation of their in-house point-of-sale system.
Currently, Atomic Empire is at its second location where the store's rebranded name was born. Jennifer has been running the store out...
2023-12-2755 minThe Match SlipGames And Stuff With Store Owner, Paul ButlerIn episode 18 of The Match Slip podcast, store owner, Paul Butler, of Games And Stuff joins us fresh off his move to his new location in Glen Burnie, Maryland.
Glen Burnie is the store's third location in its lifetime with the latest sporting a 14,000 sq. ft. sales floor. Now having the space available for more products, Paul, with a background in retail and a passion for merchandising, can experiment with additional product lines.
While the store is three and a half sizes larger than the previous location, it's worth...
2023-12-111h 31The Match SlipBill & Ogre's Games With Co-Owner, "Ogre"In episode 17 of The Match Slip podcast, we're talking with "Ogre" of Bill & Ogre's Games located in Murphy, North Carolina. The store is two hours north of Atlanta, Georgia.
Along with his Co-Owner, Travis, Bill & Ogre's Games did not start off as a traditional storefront. Instead, the storefront came later with the primary focus on wholesale-to-wholesale distribution. It wasn't until a storefront was requested that the owners agreed to do so. The storefront is only 8% of the business.
Travis and "Ogre" aren't in the store often as they have...
2023-11-2749 minThe Match SlipWarpstorm Games & Lounge With Co-Owner, AntonioIn episode 16 of The Match Slip podcast, we're talking with Co-Owner, Antonio, of Warpstorm Games & Lounge. Antonio is one of the five owners of the business which is located in Greenfield, Wisconsin. All owners of the store are friends who each bring a specialty background to the store where they operate their departments individually.
Before being a store owner, Antonio had worked in retail for six years followed by three additional years working at Games Workshop. Given his background, Antonio specializes in the retail side of the business along with his experience in painting...
2023-11-131h 17The Match SlipAnubis Games & Hobby With Store Owner, Darnel SonnierIn episode 15 of The Match Slip podcast, we're talking with store owner, Darnel Sonnier, of Anubis Games & Hobby located in Lafayette, Louisiana.
A former welder, Darnel's store, Anubis Games & Hobby, began online selling on eBay and in flea markets. The inspiration to launch a store originated with the affinity he had for a store in Georgia. In the initial 7 months of opening his brick-and-mortar store, Darnel was there 7 days a week.
Along with his wife, Darnel shares that he had to learn the business of running a game store...
2023-10-3056 minThe Match SlipMagnolia Gaming With Store Owner, Spencer ThomasIn episode 14 of The Match Slip, we're talking with store owner, Spencer Thomas of Magnolia Gaming. The store has two locations located in Troy, Alabama, and Huntsville, Alabama. However, there are plans for a third store that will serve as the headquarters with a 40,000 sq. ft. warehouse.
Spencer originally bought the store for $0 and took on $5,700 in debt when it was three weeks away from closing. He currently has 52 employees with a manager at both locations, so his involvement these days in the day-to-day operations is mostly hands-off. Both stores are WPN premium with...
2023-10-1638 minThe Match SlipThe Gathering Place With Store Owner, Josh GoodsellIn episode 13 of The Match Slip podcast, we're talking with Josh Goodsell, Owner of The Gathering Place located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. This live episode was recorded in person with Josh at SCG Con in Columbus, Ohio.
Located in a college town, The Gathering Place has its core returning customers but also has the luxury of new incoming players every four years when new students enter the fray. A unique aspect of his store is a dive bar, "specializing in local craft beer & vintage MTG!", as noted on their Facebook page. Employees not...
2023-10-0244 minThe Match SlipStar City Games With Owner, Pete HoeflingIn episode 12 of The Match Slip podcast, we talk with store owner, Pete Hoefling, of Star City Games in Roanoke, Virginia.
Having entered the industry with a love of comic books, Pete's journey in the business started 30 years ago and has been based in the same town since its inception. As someone who enjoyed attending one-day comic conventions as a kid, Pete would soon find himself vending at these events on the weekends while he was in high school.
Later in life, he would run the largest single-day comic...
2023-09-1858 minThe Match SlipMillennium Games With Store Owner, TravisIn episode 11 of The Match Slip podcast, we're talking with store owner, Travis, of Millennium Games in Rochester, NY. It's the birthplace of the Rochester Draft format for Magic: The Gathering and is the "largest game store in the country", as dubbed by Travis himself with no disputes to the sentiment thus far.
Travis, who originally went to college to become a teacher, has owned the store for 17 years after purchasing it from the previous owner on February 20, 2007. Prior to that, he was an online poker player, but the daily grind lost its luster...
2023-09-041h 28The Match SlipCardboard Shuffle With Store Owner, MarkIn episode 10 of The Match Slip podcast, we're talking with store owner, Mark of Cardboard Shuffle located in Kingsport, Tennessee. Based in a factory town, the store originally started at Mark's house where he was only selling singles. As time went on the amount of single cards he was collecting to sell exceeded the space in his house. At that moment, Mark realized a retail location would be needed.
Cardboard Shuffle has been in business since 2019, however, the retail store didn't come to exist until its second year. With sales quadrupling every year since...
2023-08-211h 02The Match SlipTreasure Coast Magic With Owners Don & JenIn episode 9 of The Match Slip podcast, we're talking with Don and Jen, owners of Treasure Coast Magic in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Originally customers at the store's first location, Don and Jen purchased the store from the original owner in 2018. They stayed at the previous place for two years before moving and now aspire to move to a larger space. However, they plan to remain in Port St. Lucie where they are currently the only store in the area.
Don handles product orders at the store and oversees events for Magic: The Gathering...
2023-08-0754 minThe Match SlipGamers Guild AZ With Majority Owner Aaron C.In episode 8 of The Match Slip podcast, we're interviewing Aaron C. of Gamers Guild AZ located in Tempe, Arizona.
Gamers Guild AZ opened on June 1st, 2021. Aaron, Justin, and Erik founded it. Ryan, the initial investor in the company would later be brought on as the fourth owner of the store.
Aaron is the one owner in this venture who is not unfamiliar with owning a game store as he previously owned one earlier in his life. While admittedly Aaron considered himself not mature enough for running the initial store, the lessons...
2023-07-241h 03The Match SlipAdam Bowles of Owl Central GamesIn episode 7 of The Match Slip podcast, we're talking with Adam Bowles of Owl Central Games located in Millersville, Pennsylvania. Adam is the former General Manager of the store who now focuses on the technical aspects like managing the store's website. The website is very engaging and very easy to navigate and find whatever you may be looking for. Another interesting aspect of Adam's job is the in-house application he developed that is used for pricing cards the store sells on TCG Player.
Owl Central Games places a heavy focus on their employees to...
2023-07-101h 09The Match SlipGnome Games With Store Owner, Pat FugeIn episode 6 of The Match Slip, we're speaking with Pat Fuge, Store Owner and Head Gnome of Gnome Games in Wisconsin. With four locations throughout Wisconsin and each store having its own unique feel - a traditional retail space at one spot and a board game café at another - Pat has built a successful business that puts his employees in positions to succeed.
Pat makes sure parents are comfortable with their kids visiting and playing in the store while focusing on teaching both kids and new players various games in a casual environment. P...
2023-06-2953 minThe Match SlipBlade Gaming With General Manager, Mike HallIn episode 5 of The Match Slip, we're interviewing the General Manager of Blade Gaming, Mike Hall. Blade Gaming is located in downtown Roanoke, Virginia. In addition to offering players the opportunity to play various tradeable card games and Dungeons & Dragons, they also offer Disc Golf to their players - a unique selling point to the store. With various blades adorned on the walls of the store to custom art by Mike's wife, the store offers a unique experience to new and returning customers.
Mike is the lead buyer of products for the store. His...
2023-06-0552 minThe Match SlipAtlas Games With Joey - Owner, Rick Chong's Right Hand ManIn the fourth episode of The Match Slip, we talk with Joey from Atlas Games located in City of Industry, California based at Frank and Sons. Owner, Rick Chong, described Joey to me as his right-hand man who handles most of the business. Joey has been with Rick from the beginning and handles the Magic: The Gathering card buys and sales. He also builds a lot of Commander decks for customers.
While Atlas Games is not a traditional game store in the sense that they don't have events, they still have a large inventory...
2023-05-2947 minThe Match SlipZulus Games With Owner, Matt Zaremba and Food and Beverage Director, Tony JuttIn the third installment of The Match Slip, we had the pleasure of speaking with the Owner of Zulus Games, Matt Zaremba, and the Food and Beverage Director, Tony Jutt. From store theming to a full-fledged restaurant, Zulus Games has a unique selling proposition for the customer base in Bothell, Washington. In the spirit of The Hobbit, Matt knew what the store's theme had to be the moment he walked into the prospective property. He used YouTube to learn how to build the store and bootstrap his business while on a budget. The vision of a board game cafe...
2023-05-1557 minThe Match SlipThe Comic Dimension With Co-Owner, Chris GordonIn the second episode of The Match Slip podcast we're speaking with Co-Owner, Chris Gordon, of The Comic Dimension located in Greensboro, North Carolina. Chris' passion for starting a local game store began with his love of comics. From that point forward, after a discussion with his good friend and Co-Owner Neil, they both decided to open the store. With a focus on the community and putting everything they earn back into the store, The Comic Dimension focuses on quality and serving the customer. While costs play a role in these decisions, Chris shares that his desire to make...
2023-04-301h 06The Match SlipThe Meta Gaming and Esports With Co-Owner, Christopher FitzpatrickEditor's Note:The Meta Gaming & Esports closed during the summer of 2023 with plans to open a bigger location. However, we are not aware of any new location having been opened at this time. If new information is available, we will provide an update.In the inaugural (relaunch) episode of The Match Slip podcast, we talk with Christopher Fitzpatrick, Co-Owner of The Meta Gaming and Esports (The Meta) located in St. James, NY. The Meta is my local game store (LGS) and has revitalized my desire to frequently play Magic: The Gathering in person again...
2023-04-151h 002023-04-1400 min