How to Start a Board Game Club Without Going Crazy Spending $10 Million on the Entire Collection

This is the podcast “Cat, if not me” – here we talk about business and the people who make it unique. My guest is Andrey Morozov, founder of one of the largest board game clubs in Russia. Let's talk about how a passion for board games turned into a life's work, and also about how to stay afloat in a world where everyone is used to free chess.

Links to our Telegram channel and Andrey's group in VK PairDice. You can also listen to our conversation, on the basis of which this article was written, in audio format on any convenient platform. Here.

Andrey Morozov

founder of one of the largest board game clubs in Russia “ParaDice”

Chapters:

Pump up your brain without going crazy

Hi! My name is Andrey, and I am that “psycho” who invested all his money and nerves into board games. No, I do not collect dust on the shelves and do not play “Imaginarium” in the evenings. I am building a board game empire, gathering and developing a community of geeks and just those who like to chat over a game. My collection is more than a thousand games worth more than 10 million rubles. What am I doing here? Sitting in a 2008 car and deciding how not to go bankrupt on another batch of “Heroes of Might and Magic”)))

Let me tell you that board games are not only Lotto and checkers, but much more!

How it all began

I bought my first game by accident. Remember that boring Monopoly that no one ever wanted to play? Well, I hated that game, but one day I came across the game Business Class. It turned out that it wasn't available for sale at all! Then I decided to find something similar. It all started with a simple search for “something interesting”, and ended with a board game club in Voronezh and a personal collection that I could have used to buy a three-room apartment.

The first attempts to find “my” game ended with my friends refusing to play what I bought. “Yes, Andrey, here you only need to listen to the rules for about 40 years!” they said, and then went off to play “Mafia”. But I did not give up. I started organizing “game days” at home: friends would come, play, discuss, and I would watch what was going well and what wasn't. Then the kitchen became cramped, and I thought: why not open my own club?

Board game club is easy money, right?

Not really. Opening a club is not just about tables and boxes. At first, I went to cafes, begged for tables, then brought my board games there. The administration looked at me strangely, but allowed it. Then I found the Youth House, where they allocated us a room. At first I was happy, then I realized that it was not so convenient. In order to hold our events in this place, we had to make a schedule of our meetings a year in advance, and this, you must admit, is not very convenient. In addition, there was a problem with tables and chairs, of which there were always not enough. As a result, we had to temporarily move them from other rooms.

This is how we gathered at our local Youth House. In addition to the difficulties listed above, it was also quite cold there in the winter.

In the end, either close down or rent a full-fledged place. I found a place in the center, got ready — here it is, happiness! But then it turned out that people are not ready to pay to play board games. They think that it is like chess or lotto — free and “the old-fashioned way.” It was difficult to convince each client that board games are not children's fun, but real works of art.

And this is how we gather for game nights now. Please note that when playing board games, it is necessary to cover the tables with cloth to make it easier to pick up the cards. Without cloth, they can become unusable quite quickly.

From crisis to a real club

In the second year of the new club's work, the savings that went into maintaining its work began to run out. The club brought in just enough money to cover rent and utilities. I went to work as an IT specialist myself to pull the club through. Along the way, I attracted new players through social networks and free evenings, showing that board games are interesting, varied and good for the brain. Gradually, a community formed, and regular visitors appeared.

But it's one thing to attract, and another to retain. Games “broke”, elements were lost, new boxes had to be bought. And then I realized that something had to change. I collected several thousand orders from all over Russia for wholesale purchase of games and made a deal with suppliers. So we got even more games at reasonable prices and the opportunity to develop further.

Why board games?

It's simple: board games help develop the brain, communication skills, and the ability to think strategically. And they're also a great way to get together in person and chat. People get tired of screens, offices, work. I see it every day when they come to me. At our table, you can laugh, argue, and laugh again – but it's always about live communication.

These are the very views our guest praises when he wants to have a snack next to the game.

I believe that board games have a great future. It is not just a hobby. It is a way to improve yourself, find new friends and even build a business. Now I would like to open several clubs in Voronezh and nearby cities, and yes, I want it to be profitable. Because if a business brings in money, it means it is developing.

How to open a tabletop club and not close down in a year?

The first rule of opening a table club is don't open it unless you're willing to work it 24/7.

This is not a joke. You need to create a community, get people interested, solve a bunch of organizational issues and still stay in the black.

Here's the advice I would give myself when I first started out:

Create a community. Without a group of enthusiasts who will come to your games, the club will not survive. Attract them through social networks, hold meetings, promotions. This is important.

Control and discipline. Board games are not toys, but an asset that needs to be protected. Without order and rules, games will quickly become unusable.

Think through every detail. From the meeting place to the number of teapots and chairs. Yes, this is as important as the games themselves.

Be prepared to lose money and time.The first few years are a pure investment. If you love games and people, it's worth it.

Community is the most important part of forming a client base. To form it, we make regular joint trips to nature with tents and barbecues

Financial Realities of the Club. How Much Does It Cost to Run a Board Game Club?

A board game club is not just a hobby, but a full-fledged business that requires financial investment. Here are the main figures that will help you understand how the financial side of the club is structured:

Cost of games

My club has one thousand one hundred board games, the total value of which is more than 10 million rubles. These are games of varying complexity and genres, from the popular “Catan” and “Munchkin” to rare and collectible items.

The average price of a game varies from 4-5 thousand rubles for standard “family” and “party games” to 20-30 thousand rubles and higher for rare and collectible board games. For example, games like “Heroes of Might and Magic” or “Twilight of the Empire” can cost tens of thousands of rubles for a full edition with additions.

How can you compactly hide a three-room apartment? Yes, that's right, in a few shelves in the playerlub))

Monthly expenses:

Rent of premises: about 80 thousand rubles per month. This is a standard amount for a small club in Voronezh, including rent and utilities.
Employee salaries: 30-40 thousand rubles per month. The club employs three administrators, each of whom receives a fixed payment for their duties.
Purchasing new games and updating the collection: about 10-20 thousand rubles monthly. Constantly updating the range of games is necessary to maintain the interest of regular visitors and attract new ones.
Other expenses: about 10-15 thousand rubles are spent on advertising, organizing events, website support and maintaining the club’s inventory.

Club revenue:

Entry fee: The main source of income is the entrance fee to the club.

The cost is 300 rubles for the whole day on weekdays and 500 rubles on weekends.

This allows people to spend as much time as they want in the club and play any of the available games.

Average monthly revenue: is from 150 to 200 thousand rubles. In some months, this figure can reach 250 thousand rubles.
Additional sources of income: the club also receives income from organizing corporate events and theme nights, renting games and selling related products (game accessories, themed souvenirs).
Important point: the club does not yet bring in net profit, but the indicators are improving every month. I believe that with the right approach it will become not only a favorite thing, but also a stable source of income.

So what next?

The club is now working steadily. I am proud that I have managed to create a unique place for communication and development. We do not drink beer or discuss politics – only games and strategic plans. I have a goal – to make Voronezh the capital of board games, and then expand to other cities. For now, I am on the road, and the road is not always smooth. But that is what makes business interesting, right?

Thank you for reading to the end! Subscribe to our Telegram channelso as not to miss new stories about those who in business not only throw the dice, but also “move the chips”. Here you can listen to a podcast about the main character. And if you are in Voronezh, check out the club group PairDice. We play here not for life, but for fun, and we are always short of one more player. See you at the game – maybe you will save us from losing in the next game!