Are you about starting a board game cafe? If YES, here is a complete sample board game cafe business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE.
A board game is a tabletop game that involves counters or pieces moved or placed on a pre-marked surface or “board”, with respect to a set of rules.
Some games are based on pure strategy, but many contain an element of chance; and some are purely chance, with no element of skill.
Entrepreneurs are leveraging on the fact that people like playing board games to create businesses around the concept and one of such businesses is opening a board game café.
Remember, people visit gaming centers not just to play games, but also to rent latest board games that they do not have or can’t afford.
People also go to board game cafés to network and discuss over drinks and snacks. In case you don’t know, most gaming centers start making profits within few months of establishment.
Though lucrative, but opening a board game café is not an easy task. You need to be creative if you intend making money from the business.
One of the ways you can make money from your board game café is to ensure that you make your location a complete entertainment spot. Here is a sample board game café business plan that can give you the guide to write yours.
A Sample Board Game Cafe Business Plan Template
1. Industry Overview
A board game café is a place where gamers meet for a beverage and to play a game for a small price. The way it works is that patrons pay an entry fee or a table rental and they can choose any games they want.
According to a report published by IBISWorld, the Gaming Centers industry has experienced strong returns to spending on industry products during the latter half of the five-year period to 2018.
While the emergence of low-cost games for mobile devices has slowed demand for other games and may continue to temper growth opportunities in the foreseeable future, industry revenue has picked up amid stronger sales in games, downloadable content (DLC), consoles and their corresponding products.
Over the five years to 2018, industry revenue increased at an annualized rate of 7.2 percent. In 2018, revenue totalled $43.7 billion. This growth was assisted by growing consumer incomes and the release of the revised editions of other games.
The Gaming Centers industry is indeed a very large industry and pretty much thriving in all parts of the world especially in developed countries.
Statistics has it that in the united states of America alone, there are about 144,152 licensed and registered gaming centers (board game cafés inclusive) responsible for employing about 230,914 employees and the industry rakes in a whopping sum of $44 billion annually with an annual growth rate projected at 7.2 percent between 2013 and 2018.
It is important to state that no establishment has a lion share of the available market in this industry. Lastly, the need for you to equip your gaming center can’t possibly be overemphasized. This is because you need to make your business point as attractive as ever.
You would need between 5 to 20 different types of board games, comfortable chairs, tables, Air Conditions, Shelve for stocking games amongst others. You might also want to ask people who are already in the business about the gadgets you might need.
2. Executive Summary
Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC is a licensed board game café that will be located in one of the busiest streets; the entertainment hub of Santa Fe – New Mexico. We have been able to secure a standard facility in a central location in Santa Fe.
We are well equipped to service the whole community as well as visitors and tourists. Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC is going to become the number one destination for gamers and gamblers in the whole of Santa Fe – New Mexico.
We will operate a licensed board game café with a wide range of board games from top gaming companies. Our board game café has enough parking space to accommodate the number of people we will accommodate per time.
We conducted a thorough market research and feasibility studies and we were able to come to the conclusion that Santa Fe – New Mexico is the right place to open our board game café. Our client’s best interest would always come first, and everything we do is guided by our values and professional ethics.
We will ensure that we hire professionals who are experienced in the gaming industry. Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC will be open 24 hours in a day during weekends (Fridays to Sundays) and from 6:00 am to 12 midnight from Mondays to Thursdays in order for us to accommodate people with different time preferences.
We have made provision for effective floodlight system and also to recruit enough staff and to run on shift basis. Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC will at all times demonstrate her commitment to sustainability, both individually and as a business, by actively participating in our communities and integrating sustainable business practices wherever possible.
We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our client’s needs precisely and completely.
Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC is owned by Edward Grant and his immediate family members. The business will be managed by Edward Grant and his son Edison Grant. Edward Grant has over 15 years’ experience in the Gaming Centers industry working for some of the leading board game cafés in Santa Fe – New Mexico.
3. Our Products and Services
Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC is in the Gaming Centers industry to provide standard board game cafés for residents of Santa Fe – New Mexico and visitors which is why we have been able to put up a facility that can help us achieve the goal.
We are optimistic that everyone who patronize our board game café will definitely derive value for their money. These are the services and amenities that will be made available to our clients;
- A wide range of board games from top games companies like Chess, Checkers, Backgammon, Scrabble, Monopoly, Clue/Cluedo, Othello, Trivial Pursuit, Ludo, Candy Land, Snakes and Ladders, etc.
- Board games renting
- Board games and accessories merchandise
- Sale of snacks and beverages
4. Our Mission and Vision Statement
- Our Vision of starting Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC is to build a world – class board game café that can favorably compete with leading brands in the industry.
- Our mission for establishing Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC is to contribute our quota in promoting gaming and social networking activities in Santa Fe – New Mexico and also to make profits from the Industry; we want to become the leading board game café – brand in the whole of Santa Fe – New Mexico.
Our Business Structure
Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC is in business to become the leading board game cafés in the whole of Santa Fe – New Mexico and we are fully aware that it will take the right facility, management and organizational structure to achieve our goal.
We will ensure that we recruit only the best hands that can help us achieve all that we are set to achieve. The kind of the board game café business we intend building and the business goals we want to achieve is what informed the amount we are ready to pay for the best hands available in Santa Fe – New Mexico.
Our business will not be built only for the purpose of giving our customers value for their money, but also, we will ensure that we make our work environment highly conducive for all our employees. We will provide them with facilities that will help them stay motivated and deliver on their various tasks.
In view of that, we have made provisions for the following positions to be occupied by highly qualified and experienced staff;
- Chief Executive Office – CEO
- Manager
- Accountant/Cashier
- Marketing and Sales Officer
- Board Games Instructor/Assistant (5)
- Customer Care Executive/Front Desk Officer
- Cleaners
5. Job Roles and Responsibilities
Chief Executive Officer – CEO:
- Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results and developing incentives
- Creates, communicates, and implementing the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
- Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
- Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
- Evaluates the success of the organization
- Carries out induction for new team members
Manager
- Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
- Regularly hold meetings with key stakeholders to review the effectiveness of HR Policies, Procedures and Processes
- Maintains office supplies by checking stocks; placing and expediting orders; evaluating new products.
- Ensures operation of board games and other equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; calling for repairs.
- Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
- Oversees the smooth running of the daily activities in the board game café.
Board Game Instructors/Assistant (5)
- Responsible for operating board games
- Responsible for teaching newbies how to play various board games available in our board game café
- Responsible for selling food, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages
- Ensures that the board games are well arranged after every playing session
- Responsible for recommending the replacement of worn out or damaged board games and accessories
Marketing and Sales Officer (2)
- Identifies, prioritizes, and reaches out to new clients, and business opportunities et al
- Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts
- Responsible for handling business research, market surveys and feasibility studies for clients
- Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
- Documents all customer contact and information
- Represents Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC in strategic meetings
- Helps to increase sales and growth for Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC.
Accountant/Cashier:
- Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
- Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports
- Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
- Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for the organization
- Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
- Responsible for administering payrolls
- Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
- Handles all financial transactions for Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC
- Serves as internal auditor for Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC.
Client Service Executive
- Welcomes members by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
- Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
- Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the organization’s products and services
- Manages administrative duties assigned by the management in an effective and timely manner
- Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the organizations’ products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to clients when they make enquiries
Cleaners (3)
- Responsible for cleaning in and around the board game café
- Cleans up after customers
- Washes glassware and utensils after each use
- Maintains a clean working area by sweeping, vacuuming, dusting, cleaning of glass doors and windows, etc. if required.
- Ensures that toiletries and supplies don’t run out of stock
- Handles any other duty as assigned by the manager.
6. SWOT Analysis
Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC is in business to provide boards for gamers in Santa Fe – New Mexico and at the same time to make profits. We are aware that there are competitions in the Gaming Centers industry which is why we took out time to conduct an effective SWOT Analysis before investing our hard – earned money into the business.
We know that if we get things right before starting our board game café, we will not have to struggle before attracting loyal clients and building our customer base to a level where we can breakeven in record time.
We hired the services of a HR and Business consultant with bias in business structuring to help us conduct SWOT analysis for our organization and he did a pretty good job for us. Here is a of the result we got from the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC.
- Strength:
One of the obvious positives that will definitely stand as a plus for Edward Grant® Board Game Café, is the fact that our facility is located in a densely populated residential area in Santa Fe – New Mexico; our location is in fact one of our major strengths, coupled with the support from stakeholders in the industry.
We equally have a team of highly qualified professionals who will work with our clients and lastly our wide range of board games are amongst the best that anybody living in Santa Fe – New Mexico can get.
- Weakness:
We critically looked into our Business model and we were able to identify two major weakness. One is the fact that we are a new business and the second is the fact that we may not have the financial resources required to match up with existing board games cafés, casinos and gaming centers in New Mexico when it comes to generating the needed hype that can drive traffic towards our board game café.
- Opportunities:
We are centrally located in one of the busiest areas in Santa Fe – New Mexico and we are open to all the available opportunities that the city has to offer. We will be open 24 hours a day during weekends (Fridays to Sundays) and from 6:00 am to 12 midnight from Mondays to Thursdays giving us the advantage to leverage on any available opportunity.
- Threat:
Some of the threats that are likely going to confront Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC are unfavorable government policies, demographic / social factors, downturn in the economy which is likely going to affect consumers spending and lastly, the emergence of new competitors within the same location our board game café is located.
7. MARKET ANALYSIS
- Market Trends
A close study of the gaming industry shows that the late 1990s onwards have seen substantial growth in the reach and market of board games. This has been attributed to, among other factors, the Internet, which has made it easier for people to find opponents to play against.
Around the year 2000, the board gaming industry began significant growth with companies producing a new games to be sold to a growing worldwide audience. In the 2010, a number of publications referred to board games as having a new Golden Age.
Board game venues are also growing in popularity; for example board game cafes are reported to be very popular in China. On the internet, board games commonly feature enhanced content and features for players with broadband internet connections.
These features include multiplayer modes, downloadable content and in-game chat functions, which can be free or provided on a fee or subscription basis. The percentage of services conducted online is expected to increase in 2019, representing a potential opportunity for the industry.
Lastly, it is a common trend that as board game cafés grow, it becomes necessary for them to develop new service offerings or install new facilities that will help them attract more people. Little wonder some board game cafés now have fresh juice and smoothie bar, food, alcoholic and non – alcoholic drinks et al within their facility to encourage people to relax and socialize.
In order words, it is very important for board game cafés to continue to improvise if they want to grow their business and generate their target revenue.
8. Our Target Market
Aside from professional gamers, the target market for board game cafés cuts across people of different walks of life. Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC will work towards providing services that will help us reach out to our target market. These are the category of people that we intend marketing our business to;
- Professional gamers
- Adults
- High school students
- Sports Men and Women
- College Students
- Tourists
Our competitive advantage
Without a doubt, the Gaming Centers industry is indeed a prolific and highly competitive industry. Clients will only patronize your board game café if they are comfortable with the games you have or if you can provide the enabling environment and facility for them to socialize.
Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC is centrally located in a densely populated – residential area in Santa Fe – New Mexico; this is obviously going to give us an edge amongst our competitors.
We equally have a team of highly qualified professionals who will work with all our clients when they patronize our board game café. So also, our facility and board games are amongst the best that anybody living in Santa Fe – New Mexico can get.
We will be open 24 hours in a day during weekends (Fridays to Sundays) and from 6:00 am to 12 midnights from Mondays to Thursdays in order for us to be able to accommodate people with different time preference.
Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category in the industry. It will enable them to be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our business aims and objectives.
9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY
- Sources of Income
Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the industry and we are going to ensure that we do all it takes to attract clients on a regular basis. Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC will generate income by offering the following services;
- A wide range of board games from top flight board games companies like Chess, Checkers, Backgammon, Scrabble, Monopoly, Clue / Cluedo, Othello, Trivial Pursuit, Ludo, Candy Land, Snakes and Ladders, etc.
- Board games renting
- Board games and accessories merchandize
- Sale of snacks and beverages
10. Sales Forecast
We are quite aware that there are several business opportunities available for board game cafés; it is a line of business that attracts teenagers and adults who love board games.
We are well positioned to take on the available market in Santa Fe – New Mexico and on our online platforms and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough income/profits from our first six months of operation and grow the business and our clientele base.
We have been able to critically examine the Gaming Centers industry, we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. Below are the sales projection for Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC, it is based on the location of our board game café facility and the wide range of board games that we will make available;
- First Fiscal Year: $180,000
- Second Fiscal Year: $350,000
- Third Fiscal Year: $450,000
N.B: This projection was done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and natural disasters within the period stated above. There won’t be any major competitor (board game café) offering same services as we do within same location. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.
- Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy
Our marketing strategies will be directed towards achieving specific objectives that support the strategic goals of the organization. The truth is that all that we do will be geared towards creating new market channels, increasing sales and increasing our market share.
We will leverage on improving on our services and facility to ensure that we win new clients and retain old clients as well. Our unique selling proposition is that we are well positioned and people can easily access our facility, our payment platforms are highly reliable. Part of the marketing and sales strategies that we will adopt are;
- Open our board game café with a big party in other to attract residents who are our first target
- Advertise our board game café on national dailies, local TV and radio stations
- Promote our board game café online via our official website and all available social media platforms
- Introduce our board game café by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to sports clubs, households and key stakeholders in Santa Fe – New Mexico
- Print out fliers and business cards and strategically drop them in offices, libraries, public facilities and train stations et al.
- Deliver consistent customer experiences to all our customers; making our first impression count positively to those making use of our board game café for the first time
- Adopt direct mailing coupon marketing approach
- Position our signage/flexi banners at strategic places in and around Santa Fe – New Mexico
- Create a loyalty plan that will enable us reward our consistent clients especially those that registered as a family or as a group
- Engage in roadshows within our neighborhood to create awareness for our board game café.
11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy
We have been able to work with our branding and publicity consultants to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market.
We are set to become the number one choice for clients in the whole of Santa Fe – New Mexico which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity and advertisement of our board game café. Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC;
- Place adverts on both print (community based newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
- Sponsor relevant community – based gaming or sport events and competitions
- Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote our brand
- Install our Billboards in strategic locations all around Santa Fe – New Mexico
- Engage in roadshows from time to time in targeted neighborhoods all around Santa Fe – New Mexico
- Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas all around Santa Fe – New Mexico
- List Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC on local directories / yellow pages
- Advertise our board game cafés in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site.
- Ensure that all our staff members wear our branded shirts and all our vehicles are branded with our corporate logo.
12. Our Pricing Strategy
Since the bulk of our customers come from the middle class, it is advisable to set prices for playing our board games on the moderate side. We will not allow the drive to recoup our money fast tempt us to set prices that can scare potential customers off.
In view of that, our pricing system is going to be based on what is obtainable in the industry, we don’t intend to charge more (except for premium and customized services) and we don’t intend to charge less than what our competitors are charging their clients in Santa Fe – New Mexico.
Be that as it may, we have put plans in place to offer discount services once in a while and also to reward our loyal customers especially when they refer clients to us or when they register as a family or a group.
- Payment Options
The payment policy adopted by Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation of the United States of America.
Here are the payment options that Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC will make available to her clients;
- Payment with cash
- Payment via online bank transfer
- Payment via mobile money
- Payment via Point of Sales Machines (POS Machines)
- Payment via check
In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our clients make payment for playing our board games and purchase of food and beverages without any stress on their part. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials to clients who may want to deposit cash or make online transfer for services rendered.
13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)
From our market survey and feasibility studies, we have been able to come up with a detailed budget for establishing a standard board game café in Santa Fe – New Mexico and here are the key areas where we will spend our startup capital;
- The Total Fee for Registering the Business in the United States of America – $750.
- Legal expenses for obtaining licenses and permits – $1,500.
- Marketing promotion expenses (8,000 flyers at $0.04 per copy) for the total amount of – $10,000.
- The total cost for hiring Business Consultant – $2,500.
- The amount needed for the purchase of insurance policy covers (general liability, workers’ compensation and property casualty) coverage at a total premium – $5,800.
- The total cost for the purchase of accounting software, CRM software and Payroll Software – $3,000
- The total cost for leasing facility for the board game café – $30,000.
- The total cost for facility remodeling – $20,000.
- Other start-up expenses including stationery – $1000
- Phone and utility deposits – $3,500
- Operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $40,000
- The cost for Start-up inventory – $15,000
- The cost for acquiring different types of board games, comfortable chairs, tables, Air Conditions, Shelve for stocking board games and board games accessories amongst others. – $50,000
- The purchase of furniture and gadgets (Computers, Printers, Telephone, TVs, Sound System, tables and chairs et al) – $4,000.
- The cost of Launching a Website – $600
- The cost for our grand opening party – $5,000
- Miscellaneous – $5,000
We would need an estimate of $150,000 to successfully launch a medium but standard and well – equipped board game café in the United States of America.
Generating Startup Capital for Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC
Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC is a family business that will be owned and managed by Mr. Edward Grant and his immediate family members. They decided to restrict the sourcing of the startup capital for the business to just three major sources.
- Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
- Generate part of the startup capital from friends and other extended family members
- Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).
N.B: We have been able to generate about $50,000 (Personal savings $30,000 and soft loan from family members $20,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $100,000 from our bank. All the papers and documents have been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.
14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy
The future of a business lies in the number of loyal customers that they have, the capacity and competence of their employees, their investment strategy and business structure. If all these factors are missing from a business, then it won’t be too long before the business closes shop.
One of our major goals of starting Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.
We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over in our board game café is to equip our facility with state of the art board games, make our facility highly secured, make our fee highly subsidized and make available various payment options.
Edward Grant® Board Game Café, LLC will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and retraining of our workforce is at the top burner.
As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of ten years or more. We know that if we implement all that is stated above, we will be able to hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.
Check List/Milestone
- Business Name Availability Check: Completed
- Business Registration: Completed
- Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts: Completed
- Securing Point of Sales (POS) Machines: Completed
- Opening Mobile Money Accounts: Completed
- Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
- Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
- Application for business license and permit: Completed
- Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
- Acquiring facility and remodeling the facility to fit into a standard board game café: In Progress
- Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
- Generating capital from family members: Completed
- Applications for Loan from the bank: In Progress
- Writing of Business Plan: Completed
- Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
- Drafting of Contract Documents and other relevant Legal Documents: In Progress
- Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
- Printing of Promotional Materials: In Progress
- Recruitment of employees: In Progress
- Purchase of the needed board games and accessories, electronic appliances, office appliances, etc: In progress
- Creating Official Website for the Company: Completed
- Creating Awareness for the business both online and in the neighborhood: In Progress
- Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement (License): Secured
- Opening party planning: In Progress