MVP134: Michael Bahr on Selling Your Game Store

Happy Tuesday!

It’s been a minute. If you made out to the GAMA EXPO this year, I wish I could have joined you! From the online perspective, it looked like the event went pretty smoothly and looked like there was a lot of great vendors and people there.

Hopefully, 2025 will be a little more viable and we can meet up in person for the next one. :)

What was your biggest takeaway from EXPO this year? Hit the reply button and let me know!

Today, we’re talking with Michael Bahr, the mind behind the LGS Net Income newsletter and former owner of Desert Sky Games in Arizona.

Michael relatively recently sold DSG to another game store owner, and I say relatively because I’ve been sitting on this recording for way too long, but we dive into what it takes to build a game store into a sellable asset. The processes and systems that you need to have in place to create a business that not only functions without you, but also gives you the opportunity to potentially exit the business profitably and on your own terms.

It’s an excellent conversation, and a fun story overall.

If you want more of a backstage pass look into the operational side of a local game store I definitely recommend signing up for the LGSNI Substack. I’m a member and Michael’s insights into the crunchy, data driven aspects of the business are tremendously valuable.

I’m not affiliated or anything with the newsletter, but I am a big fan, so check it out!

Also if you haven’t heard the news yet, I’ve also got a fairly big announcement to make as well.

As of March 1, I am officially a co-founding member of the 2nd Hand Geek team! I’m coming on as the CMO for 2nd Hand Geek and together we are going to build a marketplace that truly supports the local game stores that are the heart of the hobbies we all love.

If you haven’t heard of 2nd Hand Geek yet, check out my interview with Alan Blakeborough in episode 138, to find out more about what it’s all about.

I am very excited about the future of 2nd Hand Geek and how it will change the way hobbyists buy and sell online, while also giving back and supporting the local game stores that built up those communities of gamers that make everything possible in the first place.

Cheers,
Tom