How to Start a Gaming Club in Your Local Game Store
Game stores are often the heart of the tabletop and roleplaying game (RPG) community, making them the ideal location for a gaming club. Whether you want to build a group focused on RPGs, board games, or card games, a game store offers the resources, space, and community you need to get started. In this blog post, we'll walk you through how to start a gaming club in your local game store, focusing on strategies that ensure your club’s success and long-term growth.
Why Start a Gaming Club in a Game Store?
Game stores offer several unique advantages for starting a gaming club:
Built-In Community: Game stores attract a dedicated community of gamers, providing a ready-made audience for your club.
Access to Resources: Many game stores have game tables, terrain, dice, and other resources that make it easy to start a gaming club without needing to buy supplies yourself.
Retail Support: Game store staff are often knowledgeable about games and can help you organize events, promote the club, and recommend products that align with your club's needs.
Increased Foot Traffic for the Store: Your gaming club can bring more people into the store, benefiting both the business and your group.
Steps to Start a Gaming Club in Your Local Game Store
1. Define Your Club’s Focus
Before you start talking to game store owners or potential members, you need to define the purpose of your gaming club. Having a clear focus will help you recruit members and ensure your club meets the needs of the community.
Type of Games: Decide whether your club will focus on tabletop RPGs, board games, card games, or a combination. You might also focus on specific genres, such as strategy games or cooperative games.
Audience: Determine who your club will serve. Is it open to all ages, or will it target specific groups such as teens, adults, or families?
Meeting Frequency: Decide how often your club will meet. Will you meet weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly? This will help you manage expectations and structure the club’s activities.
Questions to Consider:
What games will be the primary focus of your club?
Who do you want to attract? (Teens, adults, families, etc.)
How often can you realistically commit to hosting meetings?
Once you have these details clarified, you'll be ready to present a cohesive vision for your club.
2. Approach the Game Store Staff
After defining the focus of your gaming club, the next step is to approach the staff or owners of your local game store. It’s important to get their buy-in since they will play a key role in supporting your club.
Present Your Proposal: Prepare a concise but clear proposal that outlines your club’s goals, the type of games you'll feature, and how the club will benefit the store. Explain that gaming clubs increase store foot traffic and can boost sales of gaming products.
Discuss Space and Scheduling: Ask about available gaming tables or dedicated areas for your club’s meetings. Clarify how the store handles reservations for space, especially if there are multiple events happening simultaneously. Also, establish a regular meeting schedule that works with the store’s hours of operation.
Determine Store Support: Ask the staff if they are willing to help with promotion, such as featuring your club on their website or social media channels. Additionally, see if they’re open to running game demos or offering special discounts for club members.
Key Points to Cover in Your Proposal:
Educational benefits (if targeting students or younger participants)
How the club will benefit the store (increased sales, community engagement)
Space, tables, and other resources needed for the club
How the store can help promote the club
3. Promote Your Gaming Club
With the store’s approval secured, the next step is to promote your gaming club to attract members. Effective promotion ensures that your club has a solid base of participants from the start.
In-Store Flyers and Posters: Create flyers and posters that include key details such as meeting times, location, and the types of games you’ll feature. Post these materials prominently within the game store and ask if you can display them at other local businesses or community centers.
Social Media: Leverage social media platforms to promote your gaming club. Create an event page on Facebook or a group for members to share updates. Instagram, Twitter, and local gaming communities on Reddit can also be valuable tools to spread the word.
Game Store Promotion: Ask the game store to promote your club in their newsletter, on their website, and through their social media channels. The store likely already has a customer base interested in your club’s activities, making this an easy way to reach potential members.
Word of Mouth: Encourage early members and game store staff to invite friends or spread the word to the wider gaming community. Personal invitations and recommendations often bring in the most committed members.
Promotion Tips:
Include clear, concise information about the type of games you’ll be playing.
Use images or visuals that align with the types of games featured (RPGs, strategy games, etc.).
Regularly update social media and in-store announcements with news about upcoming events or meetings.
4. Organize Your Meetings
Once you’ve attracted a core group of members, it’s time to structure your meetings. A well-organized meeting ensures that everyone enjoys themselves and that the club runs smoothly.
Welcome and Introductions: Start each session by welcoming new members and explaining the club’s structure. Provide an overview of the day’s activities and give a quick introduction to the games being played.
Game Setup: Take time to set up the games and explain the rules to participants, especially if some members are new to the game. Make sure all players understand the game mechanics before starting.
Facilitating Gameplay: Designate experienced players or game masters to facilitate gameplay, ensuring that everyone gets a chance to participate. For larger clubs, you may need to rotate between different games to accommodate everyone.
End-of-Session Reflection: At the end of each session, hold a brief debriefing where players can share what they enjoyed and suggest games for future meetings. This helps you improve future meetings and keep members engaged.
Meeting Structure Checklist:
Welcome and introductions
Game setup and rule explanation
Facilitated gameplay (rotate games if needed)
End-of-session reflection and feedback
5. Foster a Welcoming and Inclusive Environment
Creating an inclusive and welcoming environment is essential to the long-term success of your gaming club. You want all members to feel comfortable and excited to return.
Inclusivity: Ensure that your club is open to all, regardless of skill level, background, or age. Make an effort to include new players and help them feel part of the community, regardless of their experience level.
Code of Conduct: Establish a simple code of conduct to maintain respect and sportsmanship among members. This can include rules about language, behavior, and fair play to create a positive environment.
Encourage Participation: Make sure everyone has a chance to participate in games and discussions. Rotate game masters, roles, or teams so that no one feels left out or overshadowed by more experienced players.
Ways to Foster Inclusivity:
Be patient with new players and explain rules clearly.
Promote a collaborative and fun environment rather than focusing on competition.
Encourage open communication and feedback from all members.
6. Plan for Sustainability and Growth
After your club is up and running, it’s important to plan for its sustainability and potential growth. A thriving club can build long-lasting relationships and provide a consistent, enjoyable gaming experience.
Solicit Feedback: Regularly ask for feedback from members to see what games or activities they enjoy most. Use this feedback to adjust your game offerings or meeting format.
Introduce New Games: Keep the club exciting by introducing new games. You can ask the game store to run demo sessions or offer discounts on new games for club members. This keeps the group engaged and attracts new players.
Host Special Events: Organize special events like game tournaments, themed gaming nights, or collaborative events with other game stores or clubs. This helps build excitement and can draw in new participants.
Expand Membership: As your club grows, you may want to expand membership by hosting beginner-friendly sessions, inviting guest game masters, or collaborating with local schools or other community groups.
Sustainability Tips:
Rotate leadership roles or game masters to prevent burnout.
Partner with the game store to introduce new games or organize larger events.
Stay flexible and adapt to the interests of your members to keep them engaged.
Conclusion
Starting a gaming club in your local game store is a rewarding way to bring together a community of game enthusiasts while providing educational and social benefits to participants. By clearly defining your club’s focus, working closely with store staff, promoting your meetings effectively, and fostering an inclusive environment, you can create a thriving gaming club that benefits both the store and the members.
With regular feedback, creative event planning, and support from the store, your gaming club has the potential to grow and become a valuable fixture in the local gaming community. Now, gather your players, set up your first game, and watch your club come to life!
