Friends game for foray into business

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This article was published 25/12/2018 (1920 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Two friends have transformed their shared hobby of tabletop gaming into a new specialty shop in Steinbach.

Andrew Barkman and Egon Krahn opened Arctic Board Games on Nov. 14, after launching an online store last year and using a summer flea market booth to gauge local interest in board, dice, and card games.

“We got a lot of good feedback,” Krahn said.

JORDAN ROSS | THE CARILLON
Arctic Board Games co-owners Egon Krahn and Andrew Barkman are seen in their shop at 336 Main Street in Steinbach.
JORDAN ROSS | THE CARILLON Arctic Board Games co-owners Egon Krahn and Andrew Barkman are seen in their shop at 336 Main Street in Steinbach.

Late fall seemed like the best time to unveil a brick and mortar location, as shoppers search for the perfect Christmas gifts.

Krahn, whose background is in web development and computer services, manages the retail and online stores. Barkman handles purchasing and inventory while maintaining his sales position at The LumberZone.

While Krahn acknowledged entrepreneurship is a roll of the dice, he said it’s been “a dream” to start a business based on a pastime he and Barkman have enjoyed since they were kids.

“It’s just become more and more of a passion,” said Barkman, 27. Acquire, a property game with a board resembling a downtown city block, is a current favourite of his.

Krahn, 32, said he “played a lot of the classics growing up,” and now gravitates to strategy games that rely less on luck.

In their own shop, housed in a 700-sq-ft. lower level space at 336 Main Street, they carry old favourites like Dutch Blitz and modern staples like Carcassonne, but also offer an array of new titles.

Krahn estimated they have 340 different games in stock. Popular titles this season include Azul, Deception, and Exit, which Krahn described as “an escape room in a box.”

“The new release list is always long,” he said.

The pair enjoy recommending new titles based on past favourites, and take special orders for hard-to-find games.

“We will try and hunt it down,” Krahn said.

Customers tend to be between 20 and 40 years of age, but all-ages and children’s games are also stocked.

Tabletop gaming has enjoyed a renaissance over the past decade, as consumers rediscover analog hobbies as a reprieve from screen time.

Krahn said board games offer a sociality that video games can’t match.

“A big reason why we like it is it builds relationships,” he explained. “It builds community, it builds friendships, (and) it’s good for families.”

The two friends are a case in point. In high school, Krahn joined a biweekly games group, and through it, met Barkman. The group still tries to meet every couple of months.

If a customer walks through their door looking to connect with other players, Krahn said he can point them toward the “huge community” of players in the Southeast.

While they enjoy the unplugged nature of board games, Krahn said the internet offers potential to grow their business.

“It allows us to sell across Canada,” he said. Many orders come in from Quebec.

Krahn isn’t sure what sales will be like after the holidays, but believes demand for good indoor hobbies continues throughout the winter.

Retail giants offer a narrower selection of games, and often don’t stock expansion packs, a popular add-on which allow for more players or create new scenarios for existing games, he noted.

Board game cafes have popped up in Winnipeg, offering patrons a chance to try before they buy. Krahn said he’d like to add a play area one day, as customers are hungry for more chances to play.

“They’re excited about us being here,” he said.

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