Today we’d like to introduce you to Legend Dan Hoffman.
Hi Legend Dan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Canton Games started back in 2006, as a way for the original owner to sell off his comic book collection. He hired me on as a part time help, quickly promoted me to manager, and after some time, he got too busy with his other jobs and his children and made me a very nice offer to take over, which I graciously accepted.
Since then, Canton Games has become a neighborhood staple. We hold packages for the neighbors, so they don’t get stolen off their front steps. We host a variety of game nights, from Magic to D&D to board games. We’re the Friendly Local Game Store, where you can always come in and get some awesome recommendations.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Hah! Owning a business is NEVER a smooth road. It’s more like a roller coaster. There are a LOT of ups and downs, and occasionally you have a feeling like you’re about to die, but it’s a lot of fun and I’d do it again.
Most struggles involved a poor customer base. We had some “regulars” who would come in and play but never buy anything, and some who were only there to take advantage of the store. Once we started cultivating our clientele, we got in a great fun crowd who were super pleasant to be around. I love the people who frequent Canton Games.
I’ve also had a fair share of employees in the past who were, shall I say… morons. I had one employee who talked me into buying a very expensive collection, then he immediately stole anything of value from that collection and left me with the dregs. I had another who managed to lock himself out of the store on Christmas Eve, and was caught stealing money from the register to buy himself a candy bar (from himself!) with. But my current team is absolutely amazing, and I’m so thankful for them.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are Canton Games – your Friendly Local Game Store. We specialize in board games, Dungeons & Dragons, retro video games, and various other RPGs. But you don’t come to Canton Games to buy something. You come to Canton Games to interact with my team. We’ll talk to you, help you find a game that’s just right for you, and give you a great experience all the way through. We’ll get you into an appropriate gaming group so you can have more fun with the stuff you just picked up.
We give you an amazing experience, not just a product.
What does success mean to you?
My store makes enough money to pay myself and my team reasonable salaries. I can pay all my bills and can afford to treat my family to dinner whenever I want to. My team at the store can function mostly independently of me, freeing me to stay home and take care of my wife and kids. I’m not a billionaire and I’ll never be one, but I have something no billionaire will ever have – enough.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cantongames.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cantongames
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CantonGames
