UPDATE NOTES:
I just posted a couple more video links in the gallery section showing a couple more of my very latest editing examples (including the AEG Coils of Madness trailer) for the editing perks.
Funding Contest
IndieGoGo Funding Contest: If we are fully funded, The person that get's the most funding for us will win at least $800 Store credit. Second Place $200 Store Credit and Third Place $50 Store Credit! Just log onto IndieGogo, copy the link registered to your name from the indieGogo site and spread it around (in a non spammer manner)! For anyone not local to the store and they win the contest there will be no shipping costs. For every $5,000 we exceed our goal we will add another 10% to each of the store credit amounts. The only rules is no blatant spamming which would include random mass emailing and automation.
Short Summary
My Name is Ron Petersen and I started planning The Gamer's Grind back in early 2010. Funded with a small inheritance, our doors opened in March 2012. My intention was to use the tools left to me to build something unique and provide some much needed entertainment to our local community: a board game café!
What qualifies me to take on something so ambitious? I'm glad you asked.
I have a diverse background in retail and distributor sales as well as running a small business. I have experience with shipping and receiving, video production, working in the media. But most of all, I have a passion for people and games.
In researching our business plan I discovered a place called Snakes and Lattes that had just opened in Toronto Canada. They've enjoyed great success, doubling their store's size and acquiring a liquor license. Their success shows us that the board game café model clearly works.
Our Mission and Vision
Our mission is to provide the ultimate game night experience. We believe every type of game is valuable and can bring friends and family together to share laughs and enjoy each other’s company. We intend to keep building up the wall of games to have an extensive library. We want every type of gamer to have a large variety of options to choose from in a comfortable and fun environment, even the pickiest of game enthusiasts. Our mission is also to open people's eyes to just how many games are out there. The more casual or occasional game player may only be aware of what one or two large corporations have to offer, but the game palette we offer is much more varied. But most importantly we want to offer a highly unique entertainment destination. This is still a new business model in North America, and that’s what makes it such a great opportunity!
What is a Board Game Café?
Board Game Cafes have been around for a while and are very popular in many Asian countries and some European countries, but hardly any exist in North America. Basically you take a café or coffee house, combine it with a large library of games to play, and throw in a small game store. People come in, pay a small amount and can play games as long as they like while enjoying the available food, snacks, and drinks. Some board game cafes charge by the hour, but we opted for a cover charge instead because we believe it’s more conducive to a relaxing and casual environment. It’s proven successful with Snakes and Lattes in Toronto and we know it can succeed here. Proper food, snacks, and drinks are an important factor too, but to this point we've only been able to offer in a very limited fashion. We are now seeking to remedy this.
Why The Gamer's Grind isn't a Board Game Cafe Now
The following is a description of the events which prevented our remodel from including the much needed café and why we were forced to relocate. If this is not relevant or of interest to you feel free to skip ahead.
Our original intention was for The Gamer's Grind to be a board game café from the start. But we were not able to implement the highly important café portion. The main reason was because the landlord failed to honor the agreements made in the lease regarding tenant allowance. This, along with other minor issues forced us to push forward as best we could, but we finally had to relocate. We also had to liquidate all of the café equipment we had purchased but were never able to put to use.
Unfortunately, our current form and location are not sustainable. We are still open for now, but will likely shut down in a month in an effort to start a reboot as a proper board game café (even if we are not funded here).
To avoid similar issues this time around, we will do the following:
We will not enter any agreement requiring major building upgrades that are not funded up front by the landlord. The space we choose will have to be readily suitable for a café that’s in full regulatory compliance.
The location would have to be in an area with an active nightlife and would have previously included a café, coffee house or sandwich shop so major remodeling won’t be necessary. We have already scouted and found a couple of suitable locations.
Our Goal for this Campaign
We are seeking funding to do a complete reboot of The Gamer's Grind. Full funding will cover the cost to move into a higher profile location, re-purchase the required café equipment, including a commercial brewer, an espresso machine, blender, a refrigerated serving cooler for sandwiches and paninis.
It will also cover our initial operating capital for expenses like hiring professional individuals experienced in putting together the café side of the business.
What We Have Already
We already have the necessary tables, chairs, counters, shelves, retail inventory, office equipment, drink carts, a popcorn popper, over 580 games on the "Wall of Games", and all the basic equipment you would expect a small store/business to have.
Why Support a Board Game Café?
A board game café offers the community a unique entertainment destination. It presents a new social option for friends and family to hang out and have fun in a relaxed and inviting environment. It's also home to an extensive library of games; you’re pretty much guaranteed to find something you’ve never tried before.
Of course, we also have a large number of valuable Perks to encourage your contribution and make this all possible. A board game café is also a way to try new games before you buy. Many of our regular customers have taken full advantage of that benefit.
When We Reach Our Goal
In addition to growing our Wall of Games to at least double its current size of almost 600 titles, we will secure a new location, purchase all the necessary café equipment, bring in a knowledgeable individual with past experience putting together a coffee house/café, and install all necessary shelving and furnishings.
If We Surpass Our Goal to a $80k Level
We will get a larger location and purchase a high end dedicated RPG table.
If (by some craziness) we Surpass Our Goal to a $300k Level
Once established and operating smoothly we will soon after look to other cities for a second location. Top contributor opinions will be given first consideration. Every $300k level we hit we will consider yet another location. This is not likely to say the least but if it does that is what will happen.
Perks for Contributing
Local Perks:
For individuals local to the Sacramento area or if you choose to gift your perk to someone local, there are several Wall of Games passes and drink combination offers.
Local & Non Local Perks:
For both local and non-local contributors there are several options for game purchases of 40% off manufacturer suggested retail prices (MSRP).
Promo Card Perks: (This list will be updated as more promo items come in)
Promo Card Perks may include any 3 of the following random promo cards in no particular order: Aquarious Flux Cards, Hastur Flux Cards, Star Fluxx Button, The Resistance Merlin & Assassin cards, Belfort Guild Guild Promo Pack #1, Tsuro of the Seas promo pieces, D&D Board game Vierna Do'urden Drow Card, Catan Great River mini expansion, Dork Tower Poster (Dice plotting to kill you), Mini sample game of Spot it, Mini Sample Game of Reverse Charades Jr. Evil Baby Orphange Heinrich Himmler card and more on the way which will be added later.
NOTE: Promo card packs will be random but if you purchase this contribution level and contribute another amount we will let you pick one of the promo items (if it has not been spoken for) with the remaining 2 random. Contact us first to be sure it has not been spoken for.
NOTES on 40% Off game purchase Perks:
The vast majority of the games we carry or have access to are eligible for this offer. There might be a very tiny percentage of items that we would have to price at our cost to avoid losing money. This is not likely to come up often, but we want to mention that it is a rare possibility. The offer applies to any game we can acquire from our distributors.
Please also note that some of our normal in-store prices are 10-20% below Manufacture Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). The 40% discount is not off our marked prices, but from MSRP. This offer is non-transferable and can only be redeemed by the contributing individual. If shipped, it can only be shipped to the confirmed address of the contributor. Shipping and Taxes may apply.
In the case of shipping you can choose either UPS or USPS. Shipping will be an additional charge but we will only charge the cost of shipping. We will not up charge for shipping or add on any "handling" charges. Shipped orders will be placed by phone. Individuals claiming this perk that require shipping will have to provide a name, address and the last 4 digits of the credit card they will be using. Shipped orders will only be to the recorded address and individual. On the off chance we close down or down size we will be able to continue to honor this perk operating out of a smaller place that just processes orders.
Video Editing Services
For game designers and companies there are video editing services with professional voice over work for any kick starter or "how to play" videos in addition to having your games featured on our YouTube video series "After Play". We will consider non game designer or companies on this offer but please contact us first. Some samples of our work can be found on our "GamersGrind" YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/GamersGrind. Specific examples include our shows "After Play" and "The Gamer's Grind Show". There are also some L5R Design Diaries, kick starter videos and some others. I have roughly 10 years of video production experience which includes working on live entertainment and news programs at a number of local television stations.
Other Ways to Contribute
Another way to contribute is by donating board games to The Wall. To see what we have currently, please visit www.thegamersgrind.com and click on the Wall of Games tab for our most recent list. If you’re local we may offer Wall of Game passes in exchange, based on the donation.
If we are Successful
If funding is successful, we pledge to "Pay it Forward" and at some point in the future and significantly help some other business the way we were helped. IndieGoGo and other similar sites offer the opportunity for people to help people and businesses, create jobs, and fulfill dreams. The "powers that be" appear too busy bickering with each other to much care, so it's up to us individuals to help change the world, one brick at time. Thank you so much for your support.
