January 22, 2007
Fantasy job | A chat with Donna Goggin, founder of Spell Bound in Waterville.
Founded: September 2005
Employees: Three
Startup costs: $15,000
Revenue, year one: $100,000
Projected revenue, year two: $150,000
Contact: 872-8200
35 E. Concourse, Waterville 04901
www.spellbnd.com
What does your store sell?
We sell board games, collectible card games like Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh, and some of the new games that have come out, like Naruto, Pokémon. And we also sell the role-playing games.
What are those?
Those are mostly Dungeons and Dragons, but we do special-order books for people who want to get involved in something else.
What exactly is a role-playing game?
It's a fantasy that people develop ˆ a scenario. It's a battle most of the time where they are seeking a treasure or they're trying to save the world and [there are] evil old lords and whatever. It's a pretend game. A fantasy world.
Can you win a role playing game?
Yes. [You win] by killing off your opponents. Or "eliminating" your opponents is a better word. And they do it with dice, actually. If you roll a certain number on the dice, in the book it tells you what abilities you have with that number.
How many people can play?
Any number. We have tournaments. We have Naruto tonight. Tomorrow night is Magic. Saturday we have Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic. They come in about two o'clock and then two people battle each other until somebody comes out as the winner.
Do you play any of the games?
Actually I do. And I've learned most of them since I opened the store. I personally play Yu-Gi-Oh, I play Naruto, Pokémon, Versus, and another game called Pirates.
What makes one game different from another?
The level. Most kids start out with Pokémon. Then they go to Yu-Gi-Oh. And then they go to Magic. But there are other games that they can play, too.
Does the store fill a need in the area?
Oh, gosh yes. When we opened the store, we hit the ground running [and] we haven't stopped. The first place we moved into, we stayed there for just about a year, and we had to move to a bigger space. And I think it's going to grow more.
Had you ever run a business before?
No, not really. My son talked me into opening this because he's the one that did all the gaming. He just said, "Mom, there's a need here. You need to do it." And I researched it for about six to seven months before I even opened the place.
What did you want to find out?
The cost that it would be to get involved. I talked to some of the other stores about how it could be sustainable and if there was an interest in the area. I just asked, "How did you get involved?" and things like that.
So when you started, did you know anything about these games?
Vaguely. I knew very little other than what my son would tell me. And it's just that I said to myself, "Well, if I'm going to run a store like this, I've got to learn it." So I started learning.
What did you think of the games at first?
It was difficult for me at first. I'm 58 years old and it was like, "Okay, my memory is not so good." But the more I played, the more I liked it.
Why do people keep buying the cards?
It's an addiction, and people like the art on the cards, too. These are collectible cards ˆ one pack of cards costs about $3.25, and you get 15 cards in each pack. So you might keep buying the packs because it could have a certain card you're looking for that has special powers.
Are you an anomaly in the store, being an older woman?
Yeah. Some of the people that come in here call me mom. I think it impresses some teenagers. We had a Yu-Gi-Oh tournament last Thursday and I beat the teenage boy I was playing. He said, "You know, Donna, I have a different respect for you now."
New Entrepreneurs profiles young businesses, 6-18 months old. Send your suggestions and contact information to kelson@mainebiz.biz.
Employees: Three
Startup costs: $15,000
Revenue, year one: $100,000
Projected revenue, year two: $150,000
Contact: 872-8200
35 E. Concourse, Waterville 04901
www.spellbnd.com
What does your store sell?
We sell board games, collectible card games like Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh, and some of the new games that have come out, like Naruto, Pokémon. And we also sell the role-playing games.
What are those?
Those are mostly Dungeons and Dragons, but we do special-order books for people who want to get involved in something else.
What exactly is a role-playing game?
It's a fantasy that people develop ˆ a scenario. It's a battle most of the time where they are seeking a treasure or they're trying to save the world and [there are] evil old lords and whatever. It's a pretend game. A fantasy world.
Can you win a role playing game?
Yes. [You win] by killing off your opponents. Or "eliminating" your opponents is a better word. And they do it with dice, actually. If you roll a certain number on the dice, in the book it tells you what abilities you have with that number.
How many people can play?
Any number. We have tournaments. We have Naruto tonight. Tomorrow night is Magic. Saturday we have Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic. They come in about two o'clock and then two people battle each other until somebody comes out as the winner.
Do you play any of the games?
Actually I do. And I've learned most of them since I opened the store. I personally play Yu-Gi-Oh, I play Naruto, Pokémon, Versus, and another game called Pirates.
What makes one game different from another?
The level. Most kids start out with Pokémon. Then they go to Yu-Gi-Oh. And then they go to Magic. But there are other games that they can play, too.
Does the store fill a need in the area?
Oh, gosh yes. When we opened the store, we hit the ground running [and] we haven't stopped. The first place we moved into, we stayed there for just about a year, and we had to move to a bigger space. And I think it's going to grow more.
Had you ever run a business before?
No, not really. My son talked me into opening this because he's the one that did all the gaming. He just said, "Mom, there's a need here. You need to do it." And I researched it for about six to seven months before I even opened the place.
What did you want to find out?
The cost that it would be to get involved. I talked to some of the other stores about how it could be sustainable and if there was an interest in the area. I just asked, "How did you get involved?" and things like that.
So when you started, did you know anything about these games?
Vaguely. I knew very little other than what my son would tell me. And it's just that I said to myself, "Well, if I'm going to run a store like this, I've got to learn it." So I started learning.
What did you think of the games at first?
It was difficult for me at first. I'm 58 years old and it was like, "Okay, my memory is not so good." But the more I played, the more I liked it.
Why do people keep buying the cards?
It's an addiction, and people like the art on the cards, too. These are collectible cards ˆ one pack of cards costs about $3.25, and you get 15 cards in each pack. So you might keep buying the packs because it could have a certain card you're looking for that has special powers.
Are you an anomaly in the store, being an older woman?
Yeah. Some of the people that come in here call me mom. I think it impresses some teenagers. We had a Yu-Gi-Oh tournament last Thursday and I beat the teenage boy I was playing. He said, "You know, Donna, I have a different respect for you now."
Interview by Kerry Elson
New Entrepreneurs profiles young businesses, 6-18 months old. Send your suggestions and contact information to kelson@mainebiz.biz.
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