Dragon's Hoard With Store Owners Sherri and Zack

03/04/24 • 56 min

In 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 real estate broker. Furthermore, Zack was the property manager of the space where Dragon's Hoard now resides as he was looking for someone to take over the lease that was recently vacated. With a desire to open a board game cafe, Zack asked Sherri if they could be partners together on this venture.

The pair currently have two employees: Justin and Steven - the latter of whom ran the store in the beginning 6 days a week. With some help in hand, Sherri says Steven has two days a week off. One of the things Sherri likes doing in the early years to get the store's name out there is attending conventions. Even if money is lost by doing so, Sherri believes in the motto, "Be everywhere."

Sherri shares that the store name comes from the various vendors who would sell products in their store. Moreover, she's looking to highlight the vendors through various means - like raffles - as part of the store's 1st-anniversary celebration. Attending the conventions was a great networking opportunity to invite those vendors to sell in her store, Sherri shares.

With 3,500 sq ft. of space, Sherri and Zack can hold multiple events simultaneously. To help alleviate some of this work for Justin and Steven, they hope to bring on more employees in year 2. The long-term goal is to open a second store and make Dragon's Hoard their full-time gig in 5-10 years.

In this episode, we're talking with Sherri and Zack of Dragon's Hoard, located in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Previous Episode

Dice City Games With Store Owner, Jimmy Cooney

In 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 write a business plan for Dice City Games. The store name would become a moniker representing the Washington D.C. area even though the store's location is in Silver Springs, Maryland - a D.C. suburb. Before the store's official location was launched, he spent 2015-2016 with pop-up stores.

Jimmy estimates that the store is 1/5 Washington D.C. players and 4/5 Marylanders. However, the store has attracted visitors from Sweden, Lithuania, Peru, and Japan. With a global appeal and a passion for branding, Jimmy sponsors competitive players in the Magic: The Gathering scene. Additionally, his store attends conventions such as SCG Con where he features a "Show & Tell" concept - like bringing large Magic: The Gathering cards - to make an impression on the players in attendance.

To facilitate his operation, Jimmy has an Inventory Manager, a Buyer, and a Magic: The Gathering Sales & Inventory representative. He also has 12 part-timers who assist with conventions and events, however, no more than 10 employees are working at the store.

Jimmy aspires to expand the brand of Dice City Games in the future while doing large off-site events emulated after the "North American Old School Cup" which runs every Thursday night leading into Eternal Weekend.

Next Episode

OC Geeks & Games With Store Owner, La Donna

In 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 the managerial aspect of the store, learns the games, and hires the right people to help facilitate those games. Her husband handles the Games Workshop and miniatures side of the business. With three current employees, La Donna emphasizes the wonderful and impactful contribution of her late best friend, Anna, to the business.

Anna helped grow the Pokemon community, embodied the family spirit that La Donna and her husband were aiming for, and as La Donna puts it - she was the reason people were coming to the store. Her loss is still a difficult loss for everyone to this day.

In the spirit of what Anna brought to the store, La Donna loves that parents look to come into the store and play games with their kids. Both Dungeons & Dragons and Pokemon are huge with families at her store. The "Learn-To-Play" concept is working well to draw in new customers.

La Donna is very active in the community including being a foster parent to two kids and her involvement in the Oregon City Chamber of Commerce. Although active, La Donna notes that it's still a challenge getting people to know that her store exists along with the financials that are involved with running a game store.

La Donna grew up on a farm and her family did not have much money. However, she never lacked love from her family and friends. She parlays that richness in love to the customers in her store today and treats them as if they're her kids.

Looking to the future, La Donna would love to open another store with more square footage.