HAWKESBURY’S first on-site gaming location has opened-up in Richmond, offering table space to play board games, as well as computers and a console for digital gaming.
The brainchild of local boys Adam Coates (37) and Stephen James Nicholson (26), Simply Gaming has been attracting punters from five years old right up to the elderly since it opened its doors in March.
‘No gimmicks, simply gaming’ is the tagline for the store, which is located at the back of Orange Grove Mall, next to Country Brewer.
It’s open daily from 10am until 10pm, and is decked-out with five computers with over 100 games, a PS4 with over 240 games, an extensive board game library, and table space to play anything you want - including board, tabletop and trading card games.
Table space is free to use (unless there is an event on), as are the board games (so long as you play them on-site), and digital gaming bundles are priced to suit everyone from the dabbler ($6 for 60 minutes of playing time), right up to the gaming fanatic ($50 for 20 hours).
They also sell snacks, as well as trading card kits and novelties (they’re happy to order in merchandise if they don’t have it in stock). Plus, they have an on-site toilet (the store’s biggest selling point, the owners joked).
A helping hand
Adam and Stephen set-up Simply Gaming after securing a NEIS (New Enterprise Incentive Scheme) grant from the Department of Employment, which helps individuals who are receiving Centrelink payments set-up new businesses.
The duo met while undertaking Work for the Dole employment at a Richmond-based op-shop, and it was here they hatched the plan to open Simply Gaming.
“The whole idea actually came about because when we were working in [Hawkesbury Clothes Line], we were essentially running the place,” Stephen told the Gazette.
“It was a really relaxed sort of place and [the manager] would sort of wander off and say, ‘Right, you guys are in charge’. And Adam turned to me one day and said, ‘We could do this’. And I said ‘We are doing this’, and he said, ‘Then why aren’t we making money from it?’”
Adam had been to an on-site gaming place in Victoria that offered table space for games as well as computers, and saw it worked well. He’d also been to gaming places in the city and thought this is something that could really work in the Hawkesbury.
“There’s a lot of stores in the country that are like this, but really in NSW we’re the only store that has computers as well as table space to play,” Adam said.
In order to qualify for the NEIS grant they had to demonstrate a sound business idea and come up with a detailed business plan, and from here on in - during the course of the grant - they will receive assistance from a NEIS mentor.
“You have to meet certain requirements - your insurance paid and rent paid, all the basics, as well as that you’re not going over with your financial plan,” Stephen explained.
“You get Centrelink equivalent - $528.70 a fortnight, per person - which lasts for six months with rent assistance, then a further three months without rent assistance.”
NEIS allows recipients to earn a certain amount of income outside their business - say, in order to help fund the start-up during its infancy - however given Simply Gaming’s trading hours, the lads have their hands full.
Games central
It cost the pair around $18,000 to set-up the business; the TV, Playstation and board game library belong to Adam, and the rest of the equipment they purchased.
The library of board games includes everything from advanced games like Survive, Love Letter, Coup, Game of Life and Ticket to Ride, right through to older classics like Monopoly, Cluedo and Trivial Pursuit.
“Every day we try to play games so we can refresh ourselves on the rules. Some of the games have quite a lot of rules that you need to know. Two days ago we pulled out a game that said it was 90mins and it took us 6 hours!” Adam laughed.
Their landlords helped with the fit-out: “They did a really good job. They gave us new carpet, new paint and put a new wall up,” said Stephen.
The store already has some regular customers, including a five-year-old whose mum drops him off for an hour or two of computer time on a regular basis, and groups of high school kids who come in to play on the computers on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school.
There’s also a group that plays trading card game Magic: The Gathering on Saturdays; a supermarket delivery driver that turns up most nights from Thursday onwards; a couple of Red Rooster Windsor employees who turn up whenever they’re not working (the store has been known to call Simply Gaming to get a hold of them); and a volunteer at the local community centre who drops over during breaks.
Adam and Stephen know each of them by name. “The whole idea here now is to have a community base,” Stephen said.
The duo do what they can to cater for their customers, and stipulate that newbies are most welcome. Though many punters come to play solo on the computers, the store runs regular game nights designed to bring games fans together and make new friends.
These include board game nights every Thursday from 6pm ($2 entry), Magic: The Gathering on Friday nights from 7pm, and game days and tournaments when they pop up (check the website for event details). “It’s pretty simplistic. It’s just space to play,” said Stephen.
On the digital side, the store’s computers have preset video games, so gamers can either open-up and play on the store’s account, or log into their own accounts.
“We’ve got some customers that don’t have as good an internet connection or don’t have the quality of computer we have, so they just come in and log in to their own account and play with friends,” said Stephen.
The store is currently offering a special for school kids where they get 15 minutes free to get started, then for an extra $4 on top of the digital gaming bundles they get their choice of a snack and a drink.
“We also allow them to get two snacks or two drinks. We do what we can to keep them happy,” Stephen said.
If under-fifteens want to play MA15+ games, their parent must speak to the owners and give their consent. “We have systems in place so anyone under 15 can’t access MA games without permission,” said Adam.
For more information, visit www.simplygaming.com.au or www.facebook.com/SimplyGaming.AU.
