06/04/2026
If you didn't see our last post, on June 7th, we'll hit our 1 year anniversary! We are incredibly grateful for this milestone and are sharing more of our journey below. Also, be on the lookout for a giveaway on June 7th... π
π¦ Chapter 2: Raiders of the Lost Square Footage
Remember in Chapter 1 how the original store was too small?
About twelve weeks into business, we found ourselves staring at a much bigger location just down the road. We loved the space, saw the potential, and took the plunge.
We'd only been in our first storefront for a few months, meaning we were still tied to that lease for a while. We signed the new one anyway and hoped we wouldn't end up paying double rent for the next year, but knew we had to if it came to it. We decided to sit down with our landlord and just honestly explain the situation.
To this day, weβre incredibly grateful for how he handled it! He let us out of the lease early so we could grow. In return, we left behind our upgrades and some display cases that he could sell or offer to the next renters. It was probably the friendliest lease breakup of all time. 10/10 landlord.
With the new space secured, we set a tight deadline: open in time for our Lorcana Set Championship.
Easy, right? Just move an entire game store, build out a brand-new location, host a competitive event, and run a charity canned food drive all on day one.
We needed to do work, too. Shelf walls needed to be installed, display cases had to be built from scratch, and product needed to be stocked. And the boxes. So. Many. Boxes. Every time we thought we'd unpacked the last one, another pile would magically appear.
For weeks, we basically lived there. We worked our day jobs, headed straight to the new shop to build fixtures and organize inventory, and stumbled home wondering where the time went.
But we pulled it off! In huge part thanks to family and friends that helped us along the way.
Opening day arrived, players packed the tables, food donations rolled in, and everything was going perfectly! ...Until the front doorknob completely broke in the middle of the tournament, and would NOT open. Apparently, the building has a sense of humor! So, somewhere between running brackets, greeting customers, and collecting canned goods, we were actively replacing door hardware in real-time. Good times.
Looking back, it was chaotic and exhausting, but it was also a blast. Most importantly, players finally had room to play! :)