Welcome to the Manaverse Podcast
The Manaverse Podcast is where we explore what it takes to build a successful friendly local game store! Since 2015, I’ve been interviewing a wide variety of game store owners and industry professionals doing some really interesting things in the world of trading cards, minis, games, and more.
If you want to learn how some of the best game retailers in North America have built their businesses and local communities up from the ground floor, you’ve come to the right place!
MVP054: Round Table – Why Game Stores Fail
In today's show the hosts of the Manaverse Podcast discuss the reasons why game stores fail.Some percentage of businesses fail. The question is how do you make sure that your game store isn't one of them?The sad truth is you can't protect your business from failure...
MVP053: The Problem With Pucatrade
The problems with Pucatrade are the subject of the show today, specifically the release of the Future Site update and the effects of its crumbling economy. After a fundraising campaign and many months of development time, Pucatrade's newest incarnation has left many...
MVP052: Optimizing Your Product Mix
In today's episode of the Manaverse Podcast Wayne hosts John and I at Dueling Grounds in Toronto and we discuss the variety of ways a game store owner can build their shop's inventory. We go over the product mix matrix suggested by a listener of the show which is...
MVP051: Round Table – Top 5 Favourite Games
Tom's Top 5Magic Settlers of Catan Betrayal at House on the Hill Hearthstone DBZ Card GameJohn's Top 5Shadows Over Brimstone Takenoko Malifaux the Miniatures GameMansions of Madness Call of CthulhuWayne's Top 5Magic Dungeons and Dragons Age of Sigmar Carcassonne...
MVP050: Ecommerce for Game Store Owners
According to an article by Bloomberg last year, ecommerce sales beat out traditional brick and mortar sales during Black Friday. The trend is now obvious and ecommerce sales are going to become more and more important as time goes on. If you don't want to fall behind...
MVP049: Gary Sproul on the Haunted Game Cafe
Gary Sproul describes the terrifying history of the Haunted Game CafeToday's episode of the Manaverse Podcast involves a deep dive into the murky fog and buried past of Gary Sproul. Gary is the ghostly proprietor of the Haunted Game Cafe in Fort Collins, Colorado. He...
MVP048: Round Table – Does your game store need a website?
Many game store owners think their Facebook page is all they need to compete online and reach new customers. Tom Traplin, John Coviello, and Gary Sproul come together on this episode of the Manaverse Podcast to discuss the question: Does your game store need a...
MVP047: GeekyGami’s with Allen Hicks // Nerdish Haven has evolved!
GeekyGami's has appeared!The story continues.Allen Hicks comes onto the Manaverse Podcast today to share with us the latest update to the tale of Nerdish Haven in Coffeyville, Kansas. Nerdish Haven was the fledgling local game store we've been following almost since...
MVP046: Round Table – Game Cafes
The game cafe and how to build one from scratchIn this episode of the Manaverse Podcast, I'm joined by my co-hosts John Coviello and Wayne Mittlesteadt as well as a special guest, Gary Sproul. Gary is the owner of a fantastic shop in Fort Collins, CO called The...
MVP045: Round Table – Creating a Business Plan That Works
Have you written a business plan for your game store?In this round table episode of the Manaverse Podcast Tom, Wayne and John discuss the importance of planning out your business. Sometimes that means sitting down and writing an actual, formal business plan and...