PODCAST · leisure
The Match Slip
by Frank Angelone
Whether you're a fan of Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, One Piece, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Digimon, board games, or any other tradeable card game, or you're looking to open a game store, this podcast gives you a behind-the-scenes look into what goes into running a game store in the United States.
Episodes
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Visiting Treasure Coast Magic In Port St. Lucie, Florida
Treasure Coast Magic is a local game store in Port St. Lucie, Florida, owned by Don and Jen.While the store focuses on Magic: The Gathering, they've also added Pokémon, Warhammer 40,000, Dungeons & Dragons books, and paints for painting miniatures.In this mini documentary, we talk with Don, a...
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A Visit To Meta-Games Unlimited In Springfield, Missouri
We are checking out Meta-Games Unlimited. The store has been around since 1997. They are more than a Magic: The Gathering store, dealing in Dungeons & Dragons, Warhammer 40,000, and board games. Most of all, as store manager, Carl says, the community "is the glue" that holds it all together.
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A Visit To Final Boss Games In Springdale, Arkansas
In this mini-documentary, we visit Final Boss Games in Springdale, Arkansas, and learn how co-owner Bennett helped save his Magic: The Gathering community, which almost had nowhere to go. A note from The Match Slip's founder, Frank Angelone: The Match Slip podcast has released 63 interview...
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The Differentiation Factor: Venture Trade Co. Extends BEYOND Games
Vladimir, owner of Venture Trade Co. in Mansfield, MA, runs a game store, but it's so much more than that. He doesn't consider himself in competition with other game stores. Rather, he considers his store more of a Five Below or Newbury Comics. In his words, they're "...kind of a 'stuff'...
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The Realities of Running a Game Store
What are the realities faced when running a game store? Even for someone like Jamison, who's been in the industry for over 30 years, getting product is one of those difficult realities. So, how does he deal with it, and what are some of his thoughts on how to improve upon it?
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Game Night Deli: Sandwiches, Spells, And A Dream
In this interview, we discuss the "dream" of creating a space where you never have to "play hungry" and how a store owner's lifelong dream was realized, if not for some unexpected costs along the way.
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A Game Store Owner's Pokémon Supply Struggle
Pokémon is experiencing high demand; the issue is that the supply does not match the demand. For Card N All Gaming store owner, Mason, Pokémon is his favorite game, but he's seeing a shift at his store. The shift? Customers aren't buying sealed products to open packs and trade in cards, as the...
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She Stood by Me. THIS Community Made It Real.
This is the story of Underhill Gaming and how its store owner, Jason, overcame adversity with the support of his wife to build a community of players who bring him much joy.
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A 25,000 Card Collection Arrives At LGS
Selling at MSRP is always a goal of Joe's, the owner of Cardboard Chaos Games. Having a smaller store allows him the flexibility to offer products at said price. That said, sorting cards is a challenge, especially when you're operating solo and a collection of 25,000 cards comes into the store.
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$11,000 Offer For MTG Revised Box
Herbie, owner of Reality A Games, is a lover of games, with MTG Commander and video games being his favorite. Owning a game store, which has always been a dream of his, says every day is different at the shop. The most recent example: a customer offering boxes of MTG Revised at $11,000 per box.…
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Is Opening A Game Store A Mistake?
Owning a game store can be a source of stress. Jason, owner of Wizard's Keep Games, acquired the store in 2020. Due to the many needs required to keep the doors open of a local business, Jason feels the mental exhaustion from the long-term goals he has for the store. Was acquiring the store a...
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The Journey From Pro Player to Game Store Owner
As a former competitive Magic: The Gathering player who finished 12th in the Journey Into Nyx Pro Tour, Stu is now the owner of The Vault game store in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. As a competitive person, he always strives to be the best in everything he does, applying his competitive instinct to...
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The Final Time You Shuffle Your Magic Cards
Playing a game of Magic: The Gathering while running a game store. When Chaos Games store owner, Joseph Hurt, saw customers lining up to check out while he was playing Magic: The Gathering, it was at that moment that he realized he could no longer be a player. However, that doesn't mean he…
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Jonathan's Honest TRUTHS In Running A Game Store
There are many lucrative job fields, but Jonathan shares that being a game store General Manager is not one of them. So what keeps him doing so to this day? How does he manage 9 employees and $250,000 in inventory while generating $1.5 million in sales?
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Divine Gamez With Store Owner, Evan
He is a gamer at heart and a store owner who still gets to play games actively at his store, Divine Gamez. Early into his game store owner journey, Evan LaBarge is already on his second store location. The first store was small but was out of a building owned by his father. Commander is a true…
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Zia Comics With Store Owner, Troy
We know that game stores with multiple locations exist. Zia Games in New Mexico is one of them. However, have you heard of a store owner who also owns conventions? Yes, conventions, as in more than one. Store owner Troy owns three conventions in New Mexico. He shares how he finds store locations...
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Duke City Games with General Manager, Alexandra
Have you ever been to a store that runs Magic: The Gathering Commander tournaments every night of the week? Not only does General Manager Alexandra do exactly that, but she'll run an event for any smaller niche game that may only turn out four players. Duke City Games operates four stores in New...
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Finch and Sparrow Games, With Store Owner, Michael
Michael, the owner of the Finch and Sparrow Games store, tells us that Magic: The Gathering is different from how it was five to ten years ago. As a game store owner, he specializes in card games, where Magic: The Gathering is 95% of his business. Michael believes in doing one thing well rather...
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E4 Cards & More With Store Owner, Steve
Most game stores offer a variety of games, including board games, Warhammer 40,000, and collectible card games. Steve, the owner of E4 Cards & More, has explored other games like Warhammer 40,000, but he mentions that they have a "different vibe, different focus." He wanted to concentrate on one...
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Silver Dragon Games With Store Owner, Scott
Scott and his family set out to create a game store that cares about its customers. Scott learned from his son that "Silver Dragon" is the "caring" meaning behind the store's name. Moreover, the family sought to build a store women would want to visit, so Scott enlisted his wife as the interior...
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Just Games Rochester With Store Owner, Matt
If you're considering starting a game store business, Matt, owner of Just Games Rochester, recommends building a store "for the life you're looking to have when your store is successful."
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Round 2 Gaming with General Manager, Miranda
How many local game stores get a second shot after the first store closes down? A $15,000 fundraiser wasn't enough to save Family Fun Hobbies, but it bought enough time for an investor to come around and bring a second opportunity and the birth of Round 2 Gaming. General Manager Miranda has…
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Riftgate With Store Owner, Nathan
Magic: The Gathering and MSRP have always been debated amongst consumers, but how does a game store owner view it? Nathan, owner of Riftgate in Salt Lake City, Utah, is heavily involved in selling Magic cards, which he did not anticipate when starting the store.
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Gamezenter With General Manager, Travis
Travis, owner of the largest game store, Millennium Games, takes on the role of General Manager for Gamezenter in Roseville, Minnesota, which Travis denotes as the largest game store in the midwest. One of the boons Travis sees with the store is its custom-developed add-on, which integrates...
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Brute Force Games With Store Owner, Sean
In this episode, Sean, the owner of Brute Force Games in San Diego, California, joins us on the podcast. Initially, Sean started an online venture selling card collections for additional income and turned that into a 4,800 sq. ft. game store. Having loved Magic: The Gathering since 1994, it's no...
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Tabletop Tavern With Store Owner, Jimmy
A visit from a Pokemon collector, Deep Pocket Monster, would prove to be an amazing opportunity for Tabletop Tavern's store owner, Jimmy. The popular Pokemon YouTuber attended a Pokemon trade night hosted at the store that brought more community to Jimmy's store and showcased the great things…
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Chicagoland Games: Dice Dojo With Store Owner, Lexx
In this episode, we're talking with Lexx, owner of Chicagoland Games: Dice Dojo in Chicago, Illinois. This episode was recorded live at Dragon Con 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. The store was born in 2008 after a store Lexx worked at called Gamers Paradise went out of business. He's been a gamer since...
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Walt's Cards and Games With Store Operator, Dan
In this episode, we're talking with Dan, the operator of Walt's Cards and Games. While Dan is not the store owner, Walt allows Dan to operate the store as he sees fit. Walt is away from the store often and works more with his travel service. Dan has been working for Walt since 1994. His career...
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Van's Comics and Games With Store Owner, Travis
We're chatting with Van's Comics and Games store owner, Travis. The store is located in Ridgeland, Mississippi, and was originally owned by Van, hence the name. Van is a family friend of Travis and owned the store for 20 years before passing the torch. At the time, the focus was on comics. There...
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The Deck Box With Owners Brenton & Nugget
In this episode, we talk with Brenton and Nugget, two of The Deck Box's three owners in Fletcher, North Carolina. Early on, there were plans to run a comic book store, having started as a backpack trader. When the switch to having a game store began 16 years ago, it originated in a flea market…
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Player 1 Services With Co-Owner, Ben
In this episode, we're talking with Ben, co-owner of Player 1 Services in Kensington, Maryland. Ben is a big-time Pokémon collector. In fact, according to Guinness World Records, he has the largest Pokémon card collection at 50,000 cards which he expects to exceed by the end of 2024. A unique...
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Level Up Games With Store Owner, Luke
In this episode, we're talking with Luke, owner of Level Up Games in Glen Burnie, Maryland. Luke started his journey into gaming at the age of 6. The first game he ever played was Pokémon. However, he took a hiatus from card games until he was 16. As time progressed, Luke realized he enjoyed…
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Everything Games With Owner, Cody Romano
In this episode, we're talking with Cody Romano, owner of Everything Games in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Cody opened the store with his dad over 12 years ago. Since that time, the store has seen accelerated success. While they started the store online, Cody soon realized that having a...
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Twenty Sided Store With Owner, Lauren Bilanko
In this episode, we're talking with Lauren Bilano, owner of Twenty Sided Store. The store is located in Brooklyn, New York; Williamsburg in particular. The store has been open for 13+ years and is currently in its second location - one block from its previous location. Lauren, who has a…
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Kingslayer Games With Store Owner, Travis
In this episode, we're talking with Travis, owner of Kingslayer Games. The store spans three locations in California: Fountain Valley, Oceanside, and Lake Forest. Travis started his foray into retail in 2015. Having gone to school for business, a storefront was a "front", as Travis calls it, to...
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Final Boss Games With Store Owner, Remington
In this episode, we talk with Final Boss Games store owner Remington in Springdale, Arkansas. Remington and his two business partners, Bennett and Trevor, started the store in February 2024. As a collective, launching the store has been a long time coming. While they always talked about opening a...
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Gamers Haunt With Store Owner, Charla
In today's episode, we're talking with Charla, owner of Gamers Haunt in Asheville, North Carolina. Charla purchased the store from her friend in 2019 and has been running the business for 5+ years. The store specializes in Magic: The Gathering and a little Dungeons and Dragons; one of Charla's...
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Brothers Grim Games With Store Owner, Gil
In this episode, we're talking with Gil, owner of Brother's Grim Games at the Long Island Tabletop Gaming Expo. Gil's store is located on Long Island in Selden, NY. In 2007, he bought the store, originally named Monkey Head. As a store owner, one of his biggest challenges is knowing how much...
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Meta-Games Unlimited With Store Owner, Allan Reid
In this episode, we're talking with Alan Reid, owner of Meta-Games Unlimited. In addition to running the game store, Alan also has a full-time job. His desire to open a game store stems from his previous background in competitive Magic. While being a competitive player from 1994-1996 had its...
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The Enchanted Deck With Store Owner, Jon
Editor’s Note: The store owner, Jon, has told us The Enchanted Deck is no longer running. However, he says he would like to have it up and running again at some point in the future. We’ll be sure to let you know if we receive any updates. In this episode, we’re talking with Jon, owner ofThe...
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Game Goblins With Store Owner, Josh Wilhelmi
In this episode, we're talking with Josh Wilhelmi, owner of Game Goblins. With two locations in both Little Rock, Arkansas, and Conway, Arkansas, Josh hopes to open five stores in total with plans to franchise the brand afterward. Josh started buying and selling singles from dealers at events to...
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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...
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Dragon's Hoard With Store Owners Sherri and Zack
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…
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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...
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Gamers Geekery & Tavern With Store Owner, Lance Shrader
In episode 22 of the podcast, we're talking with Lance Shrader, owner of Gamers Geekery & Tavern in Cary, North Carolina. Growing up in the mountains in Virginia, Lance didn't have a game store to go to. However, being a board game fan, Lance found himself wanting to build a game store. In Cary…
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Dragon's Lair With Founder & Franchisor, David Wheeler
In episode 21 of the podcast, we're talking with David Wheeler, the founder and franchisor of Dragon's Lair. Dragon's Lair in Austin, Texas is the original store location dating back to 1986. It is 10,700 sq. ft. After selling ownership of this location in 2015, David decided he wanted to help...
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Decks & Dice With Store Owner, Jared McKenzie
In episode 20, we're interviewing store owner, Jared McKenzie, of Decks & Dice located in Seneca, South Carolina, outside of Clemson. After selling the land he owned, Jared opened his store and immediately implemented a family-like environment. Operations are conducted less rigidly at Decks &…
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Atomic Empire With Store Owner, Jennifer Bedell
Episode 19 of The Match Slip podcast features store owner, Jennifer Bedell, of Atomic Empire in Durham, North Carolina. Before the existence of a retail store, Jennifer and her boyfriend, Mark, at the time would sell duplicate comics he owned on eBay. Eventually, they switched to selling on their...
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Games And Stuff With Store Owner, Paul Butler
In episode 18 of The Match Slip podcast, store owner, Paul Butler, of Games And Stuff joins us fresh off his move to his new location in Glen Burnie, Maryland. Glen Burnie is the store's third location in its lifetime with the latest sporting a 14,000 sq. ft. sales floor. Now having the space...
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Bill & Ogre's Games With Co-Owner, "Ogre"
In episode 17 of The Match Slip podcast, we're talking with "Ogre" of Bill & Ogre's Games located in Murphy, North Carolina. The store is two hours north of Atlanta, Georgia. Along with his Co-Owner, Travis, Bill & Ogre's Games did not start off as a traditional storefront. Instead, the…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Whether you're a fan of Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, One Piece, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Digimon, board games, or any other tradeable card game, or you're looking to open a game store, this podcast gives you a behind-the-scenes look into what goes into running a game store in the United States.
HOSTED BY
Frank Angelone
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Match Slip have?
The Match Slip currently has 63 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Match Slip about?
Whether you're a fan of Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, One Piece, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Digimon, board games, or any other tradeable card game, or you're looking to open a game store, this podcast gives you a behind-the-scenes look into what goes into running a game store in the United States.
How often does The Match Slip release new episodes?
The Match Slip has 63 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Match Slip?
You can listen to The Match Slip on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Match Slip?
The Match Slip is created and hosted by Frank Angelone.
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