A retrospective look at running our Board Game Shop/Cafe - Part 1 - An introduction

This is hopefully the first part of a story I've wanted to tell for a long, long time. This first part will be a summary of where we've been and where we are now. I hope to expand in future articles with some more detail of the pitfalls we've encountered, mistakes we've made and industry problems that we've been through, as well as the personal cost.

Our journey over the past 10 years has not been a smooth one, but we've clung on, built up and improved year on year and the future is looking more promising than it has for a long time.....but, we still have a ways to go, and in 2 years' time we may still have to shut up shop.

That is not an over-dramatisation - if we've not broken into profitability by the time our lease comes up for renewal, we will not be renewing it. We will close permanently.

Some of what I will talk about is unique to us, and our inexperience, but some issues affect all stores like us. I hope this will also be a cautionary tale that may persuade others to avoid the massive gamble that opening a board game shop is.

To the outside world, it probably looks like we're thriving, and in some ways we are - I'm sat here writing this with a fairly full shop - 20+ players playing Magic The Gathering,  Digimon and Board Games and all having a great time....using a metric of customer satisfaction, we're definitely winning!

However, behind the scenes things are not so rosy - now, it's worth pointing out, that we are improving, we are stable - your orders are safe with us as they've always been - and every year gets better as we learn and adapt and the future does look hopeful - but, for 10 years, myself & Kelly have never even made minimum wage, let alone a living wage. We rely on Universal Credit to almost pay our bills and family to buy our kids clothes - personally, we are up to our eyeballs in debt. (But again, apart from not paying us a real wage, the shop is holding it's own and paying the bills)

We keep going because we love what we do - we love providing a safe, welcoming, third space for our customers - many of whom have become good friends! But, we are getting to the point where if we don't break through into profitability soon, we will have to stop....and that thought is heart-breaking when so many people rely on us being here for their mental health and well-being.

....but it has been at the expense of our own mental health and well-being, several years ago I was diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety - and our 20 year relationship came perilously close to ending last year (it actually did end briefly) because I was unable to work or even take proper care of our kids...and  I couldn't support Kelly when she needed it......and although I have improved a lot recently, we are not out of the woods yet.

You see, we have always been a family-run business - mostly just myself (Russ) and Kelly, with our kids helping out where they're able. This means, to keep the long hours and be as accessible as we can be for everyone, we have had virtually no private life, or time for 'us' since we opened our first shop almost 7 years ago.

We probably should have held our hands up and given up during COVID, but bizarrely, COVID saved us, and, if I remember correctly, that was the only year we recorded a profit - the Bounceback loan was a lifeline, as was the surge in online sales (especially for Warhammer as they remained closed)...

We keep clinging on to the hope that one day it won't be such a struggle, that one day we can hire staff so we can have some time off for ourselves and our family.

We're always working and trying to improve our offering - already this year we've lowered table fees to a flat £1 per person, per hour. We have added substantial, full meals to our menu (inc Vegan options) and fresh milkshakes - and we've also just had our alcohol licence application approved! We are also working on hot waffles, themed food nights, and more!

We're also in the process of adding extra perks for our most regular customers - computers and consoles in-store, for them to use. As well as a painting station, stocked with paints and airbrushes and tools. We have a cosy sofa corner, where Kel leaves her acoustic guitar and customers often pick up and have a quick play!

BUT, we NEED your help, your support to keep going. We NEED to be able to earn a living wage....well, we should make some profit too, but for now, being able to live without continuously building up more personal debt to live would be amazing!

Sure you can save a couple of quid buying online, and if your situation demands that, then by all means, you do what you need to to survive, that's fair enough - personally, we also have to buy as cheap as we can - so we understand and we get it!

If you're not on/below the breadline though, I am talking to you. Perhaps you don't value a local store - you can play at home after all - but please spare a thought for those that do rely on us - the vulnerable, the minority groups.

Also, consider the cost when things go wrong - damages in transit, etc - When you contact us for support, typically you can expect a reply in minutes! Not hours, not days, or weeks - when things go wrong (unfortunately even a well-oiled machine can go wrong) we bend over backwards to ensure our customers are not just satisfied, but happy!

We have reached the point where we are having to make board games take a back seat - TCGs are what are paying our bills - we don't want to have to rebrand to 'The Card Game Hut' (I still don't play any TCGs, Board Games are my thing!)

This is a heartfelt plea - we need your help, we need your support or the significant sacrifices we've made during these past 10 years will have been for nought.

Thanks for reading this far - I hope to continue this series with some more in-depth looks at some of the mistakes we've made and common pitfalls that make opening a board game store - a very unwise move.....but also, some more positive articles about our fantastic community and their impact on us and why we love them so much!