It’s a rare find to see a store so well suited for everyone these days, but Level Up Games in Minnesota has taken the gold medal. Our sale representative Florian has had the pleasure of working with Level Up Games over the past few years. He nominated the chain of stores because of their passion for Blue Orange Games and the vast knowledge that their employees posses. Stop in or even check out their website, because these stores are sure to provide some excitement for everyone, from toddlers to adults!
Level Up Games started from humble beginnings and opened its doors eight years ago in a little shop no larger than a bedroom. Owners, Tony and Tony, started by scouring the twin cities’ garage sales and local shops for cool, novelty items and unique games that their customers would want. With such a great response from the surrounding community, they were able to grow Level Up Games into a three-store paradise for fun seekers all over the area. Their main store in St. Paul is massive and has a dedicated area for every aspect of games, toys, magic, and more. The second store in Eagan is more family-oriented and features fun-sized tables that are stacked with games so kids can try them out. Kay, the chain’s purchaser, describes their Eagan store as charming and quaint. As it is located right across a school in a tight knit community, it has quickly become a town staple. This store even features an entire wall of cool Blue Orange Games!
Their passion for games is unlike any other, and is just one of the things that makes Level Up Games our pick for Store of the Month. Blue Orange got the opportunity to speak with Kay, who is not only the Level Up Games purchaser but is also an avid gamer herself. The current games on her radar are abstract strategy titles that keep her on her toes- games like Photosynthesis that leave the player wanting to play again and again. Additionally, every employee has their own niche and specialization, whether it be Warhammer 40,000, comic books, or board games. Kay even highlighted that every employee can show you a little magic trick while in the store. It’s this type of genuine passion that empowers Blue Orange Games to create for our retailers and customers!
It’s no surprise that when we asked Kay about Level Up Games’ secret to success, she was proud to attribute it to their customer service. As such an integral part of the community, Level Up Games finds it easy to stay in touch with their customer’s needs, giving them just what they’re searching for every time they stop by. One of Kay’s favorite aspects about working at Level Up Games is the satisfaction that comes with recommending a new game to a customer. It always brings a smile to her face when someone comes back into the store and they are in love with their new board game or toy.
Kay’s can’t-live-without game is the Blue Orange classic, Niya. Not only does she love to play the quirky game with customers, but she always loves to take the fun out of the shop. She divulged to us that whenever she and her fiancé go out to dinner they like to play at least 3 rounds before their meal comes out. They enjoy Niya because no matter how many times they play, there’s always a new strategy and tactic need to win! For her, being able to play again and again without getting bored is what makes a game great.
With so many interesting games coming out, it can be difficult to stay up to date on the newest releases. That’s why Level Up Games hosts a plethora of events for gamers of every level and age, like Learn to Play which is on the 25th of February. Level Up Games also has a weekly tradition of Monday being community game night. At these weekly events, everyone is welcome to their open game library or can bring their own game to play.
We invite you to visit their website or stop by one of their locations to see how awesome Level Up Games is in person. They go the extra mile for their customers, which is why we are honored to name them store of the month. Congratulations!
By: Whitney Green