An Introduction
Let’s introduce ourselves, shall we? Epic Puzzles & Games is a family store run by Dawn & James Christensen and their kids: Kevin, Sarah, Samantha, and Eric. All of us love games and puzzles and wanted to bring that kind of close, family fun to a wider audience. We carry non-electronic entertainment only, and we’re trying to stay away from collectibles as well. Basically, we believe that investment in games and puzzles will pay back a hundred-fold as you spend time with family and friends creating the memories of a lifetime.
So here we are, striding out into the big, bad world of gaming and retail sales. Currently, the store looks like this:
And it’s a good thing, too, because there are a hundred million billion games and puzzles to slog through, rate, and discard to come up with the final product list. You think I’m kidding? HA! Everyone has a game (or a hundred games), and everyone thinks his or her game is the best…evah! Some of them sell to retailers themselves and some only sell through distributors and, holy cow, keeping track of 100 different wholesale accounts just to stock one little store is not fun. (There’s one old dude in Florida who sells one game I remember playing in Junior High. That’s the only game he sells, it’s only available through him, and he will only sell it in cases of 24–if you email him at AOL. This is a problem.) Okay, it is kind of fun…when I haven’t been reviewing games and puzzles and toys for eight hours straight. And, oh boy, I can’t wait until my orders start arriving. It’ll be like 50 Christmas mornings all rolled into one. Not to mention the upcoming ASTRA (American Specialty Toy Retailers Association) Conference I get to attend this weekend.
The store Grand Opening is tentatively scheduled for August 2, 2008. We should be open for business a week or two before that as well, but if you come in be prepared for a little bit of chaos. But hey, who doesn’t love a little bit of chaos? Check back soon for a full list of fun events, contests, and prizes scheduled for the Grand Opening, and be sure to check out our calendar of events when it gets posted! We’ve planned a plethora of regular game nights (and days!), tournaments, and themes for our in-store gaming areas. Come in and join others in the community in great, wholesome entertainment.
As always, if you have any requests for games or events, email us or post on the forums, and we’ll do our best to take care of you. We look forward to getting to know all of you!
