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So I'm the owner of a small retro game store. I've been a gamer and collector of games and electronics my whole life. While growing up I was some what poor, I learned how to fix things when they broke instead of buy new.

About three years ago my hobby of collecting and repairing exploded. It started taking over my small man cave and spilled over into the apartment, which was already small enough. I talked with my landlord and was able to get an amazing deal on the store front right under my apartment (it hadn't been rented out in years anyway, so something is better than nothing).

And so my hobby shop was born.

Took me about a year to get everything all squared way and setup.

Well within that time frame my wife and I have had another kid, and my oldest just started school.

I still work a 9-5 to make sure bills are paid and I would work in the store after that.

About a half year ago my oldest says to me "Dad, you work a lot. I miss you." Ouch... right in the feels.

So I cut back to having my store open only 3 days a week. One of them being Saturday, one of my days off from the 9-5. So I really only got 1 day off a week.

Within that half a year I've done a lot of thinking about the whole business.

The last two years have been spent pretty much every hour of the day inside. I didn't get out camping at all this summer which I love to do. In fact, we only made it to the lake a few times.

I want my summers and weekends back. I want to spend time with my kids.

So, I'm closing my business.

It's bitter sweet really. I get to spend more time with my kids, but I really enjoyed running the business. I got to do what I love and make money doing it. My customers are the fucking best.

But in the end, family comes first. I only get so many years where they want to spend time with me. I'll probably reopen once they hit teenage years and want nothing to do with me.

Sorry about the wall of text and thanks to anyone who read it all and got this far. It's just something I've been dealing with the last week or two and just needed to get it out.

Tldr: Closing the business so I can spend more time with my family.

I'm gonna pour myself another drink here and listen to some tunes.

Cheers

So I'm the owner of a small retro game store. I've been a gamer and collector of games and electronics my whole life. While growing up I was some what poor, I learned how to fix things when they broke instead of buy new. About three years ago my hobby of collecting and repairing exploded. It started taking over my small man cave and spilled over into the apartment, which was already small enough. I talked with my landlord and was able to get an amazing deal on the store front right under my apartment (it hadn't been rented out in years anyway, so something is better than nothing). And so my hobby shop was born. Took me about a year to get everything all squared way and setup. Well within that time frame my wife and I have had another kid, and my oldest just started school. I still work a 9-5 to make sure bills are paid and I would work in the store after that. About a half year ago my oldest says to me "Dad, you work a lot. I miss you." Ouch... right in the feels. So I cut back to having my store open only 3 days a week. One of them being Saturday, one of my days off from the 9-5. So I really only got 1 day off a week. Within that half a year I've done a lot of thinking about the whole business. The last two years have been spent pretty much every hour of the day inside. I didn't get out camping at all this summer which I love to do. In fact, we only made it to the lake a few times. I want my summers and weekends back. I want to spend time with my kids. So, I'm closing my business. It's bitter sweet really. I get to spend more time with my kids, but I really enjoyed running the business. I got to do what I love and make money doing it. My customers are the fucking best. But in the end, family comes first. I only get so many years where they want to spend time with me. I'll probably reopen once they hit teenage years and want nothing to do with me. Sorry about the wall of text and thanks to anyone who read it all and got this far. It's just something I've been dealing with the last week or two and just needed to get it out. Tldr: Closing the business so I can spend more time with my family. I'm gonna pour myself another drink here and listen to some tunes. Cheers

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[–] [deleted] • 1 pt

Thanks for the advice. This is kind of what I plan on doing. I'll be doing sales via a website (that I have yet to even start) and advertising repairs locally on craigslist and social media.

[–] • 1 pt

No problem! Not sure if you are business savvy or not, but about the raising prices thing: You don't want to turn away business, but you want less business. So raising prices would do that for you. You can always blame the price hike on Obummer/Drumpf depending on how you see that sort of thing.

[–] [deleted] • 0 pt

Not sure if you are business savvy or not

I like to think I'm business savvy. Grew up with parents that ran a business, managed at a few different jobs, and I'm an accountant at a multi-million dollar company right now (hence why I don't want to quit the day job).

You can always blame the price hike on Obummer/Drumpf

I tend to leave politics out of my business. There's a few costumers that have become friends over the years and I talk a lot more freely with them. But I've seen what can happen to businesses that express a political opinion.

I'll probably limit what kind of repairs I'll be doing as well. Kind of like the difference between a full auto shop and a quick lube.

Idk, there's a bit I have to think about and plan. I'm not going to close till I have a webpage setup and have told enough of my regulars.

[–] • 1 pt

Ah ok cool. It's hard when you assume people know what they're doing then find out they don't!