Mid-Week Mugging is a series of features by BayToday. Each Wednesday, we will run a profile on a local business or organization that will be "mugged" with BayToday coffee cups. The subjects will then "mug" for our camera and we will tell a little bit about their story.
With a nod to a paraphrased Freddie Mercury lyric from Bohemian Rhapsody, in his reality, Joe Lambert lives, works, and breathes in a fantasy land.
Said Lambert in describing the draw of his business, "It's something unique to do in North Bay. It's not the same old thing all the time. It's a sense of community, all of these people here are pretty much best friends. We actually grew that ourselves, as a lot of them did not know each other before coming to Faction Games. It's really cool to see and really rewarding."
Lambert, along with his fiancée Steph Robinson, are owners and operators of Faction Games, located at 147 Worthington St. East. At the shop, eager and devoted trading card players can buy, sell, and trade their favourite treasures from games such as Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! and Magic: The Gathering.
Tournaments have become a staple and a huge draw for Faction Games, says Lambert. Saturday, the young couple juggled running a Yu-Gi-Oh! tournament, keeping their customers happy, while answering questions and posing for photos for this interview, all with wide smiles on their faces.
And why wouldn't they be smiling? They are a happy team, living out their fantasies together, working and playing side-by-side, surrounded by a community of their customers who are doing the same. Nearly 20 years after immersing himself in the world of Pokémon, Lambert's fantasy of owning a business in the field has become a reality.
Despite all this talk of living in a fantasy world, Faction Games is, of course, their business and like all successful entrepreneurs, the two have worked hard for their accomplishments. The realization of a boyhood dream has taken hours upon hours of hard work and dedication to get to this point. Robinson still works a nine-to-five job to keep the couple afloat while Faction Games grows, helping out during events while Lambert handles the day-to-day and retail end of the business.
"This is my passion and Steph is a huge part of it. I couldn't do it if it wasn't for her," observed Lambert, who admits that while trading card games did not bring the two together, Steph's exposure to, and eventual interest in the games has made them stronger as a couple.
Lambert credits the explosion of summer 2016 online sensation Pokémon Go, which coincided with the business launch, as being, "Perfectly timed. There are a lot of people who hadn't even thought of Pokémon in years that were totally into it like they were kids again."
Faction Games originally operated as a kiosk beginning in May 2016, after securing a summer company grant, had a storefront presence on Lakeshore Drive for the last year and has now found a home at the Worthington East location. Lambert, when asked what, besides a loyal customer base and hard work, has helped the most in the quest for a solvent business, he answered unequivocally, "Government grants."
In fact, the sleek, comfortable gaming-style chairs that the tournament players occupied as Lambert spoke came courtesy of a provincial government start-up company grant. After taking classes and writing a thorough business proposal through the Nipissing Parry Sound Business Centre, Lambert secured the grant after a successful Dragon's Den-type of a pitch.
"I was able to invest in new chairs and tables, and all the important stuff that doesn't necessarily make us money, but is part of the equity of the store." Lambert added in regards to the Business Centre, "It's a fantastic program, I recommend it to anyone who is starting a business."
"We're always growing. There are 70 unique players who have come to our store to play," with an age range from as young as six to middle-aged, explained Lambert. A drawing card for Faction Games is the inclusion of Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh!, especially the tournaments and sanctioned events, which Lambert says are unique opportunities for trading card players in the city and the region.
Lambert agrees that he has built his business on the model of what he would want as a customer and has plans to expand to board games and miniature games. "It's been a lot of hard work and a lot of dedication, but it has been amazing."
While they have learned that business must often be grounded in reality, the working couple who plays together stays together. Perhaps a fantasy Pokémon-themed wedding for Joe and Steph is in the cards?
Video courtesy of Bride and Breakfast via YouTube
