Today, we're featuring Celly Sports & Games as part of our Store Spotlight series! Celly Sports & Games is a local game store in Calgary, Canada, who opened in October 2021.
How did you first get started with Flesh and Blood?
We opened our doors in October 2021 and we were looking into which trading card games we could support in store. With all the new kickstarters out there, only a handful piqued our interest, and we came across Flesh and Blood. After a few months of research about the game and seeing the vast number of events that are held around the world, Flesh and Blood was on top of our list of games that we wanted to back.
This decision to start with Flesh and Blood was sealed when a few local players came into the shop and dropped off a box full of pre-built decks, and after a long conversation about the game, we were sold on it!
What were your early experiences with the local community?
Early experiences with the local Flesh and Blood community have been wonderful. The sheer number of players in Calgary, Alberta is very impressive and every single one of them have been nothing but helpful, supportive, and great to deal with.
We are very heavy on social media and believe that communication is the most important aspect when it comes to store ownership and the local community.
We are part of the discord group “Alberta Fab Discord” which allows everyone in the province to chat about Flesh and Blood regarding events, strategies, and trading. It is safe to say that we are in communication with many of the Flesh and Blood players in Calgary, Alberta daily – Which has allowed us to be branded as not just a trading card store, but as a peer that they can send messages to regarding fab, or everyday items. – There are also multiple shops that are in the discord group, so we always chat with each other to make sure that our events are staggered to allow everyone to enjoy the game without worrying about overlapping events.
What are some of the things that you’ve been doing to foster your local community?
Communication. We are now in a digital age that allows everyone to check the internet about any news regarding releases, stock, event or giveaways. We feel that being able to provide an easy means of communication allows the local community to feel at ease when they are looking for the next event in the city or if they are inquiring about stock levels for Flesh and Blood in store.
Celly Sports and Games are one of the few shops in the city that also allow everyone to pre-order new releases – This is a big upside now because many people would rather buy products online. Our website has a dedicated Flesh and Blood Section.
We would like to make armories not just another night of organized play, but an event that everyone is looking forward to coming to. The community loves playing Flesh and Blood, but it is no secret that they also like prizes. On top of the monthly armory kits that are given out, we will occasionally provide additional prizing (Gift Cards, Sleeves, Packs) at no extra cost.
How did you get the idea for these initiatives?
We have always been personable and if we are comfortable, the local community will feel comfortable making you their go-to shop.
What kinds of things have you got planned for the future?
We are a newer shop with plans in the future to expand into a bigger space. At this time we have the store on the main level and the play space on the 2nd floor which can house 16 people comfortably. This is great for events and armories. In the future we would like to have a larger play space so we can host 32 player events and even pro-quest.
What advice would you give to other local game stores and communities?
Get to know your local community! – This is the most important thing to be successful! Don’t just be that shop that people buy product from. Get to know them on a personal level.
Be open to suggestions. You may have your own way of thinking how events should be ran, which is great – but the local community are the ones that are coming to you for the experience – so make it an experience they enjoy and wont forget
For the local communities, if you have a shop near you that does not carry Flesh and Blood, don’t be shy to pop in and have a chat with them about it. There is a good chance that they are not aware of how great the game is and are looking for your opinions and suggestions.
What is one of your favorite experiences with the local community?
Honestly, the best experience with the local community have been the fact that we can connect on a personal level. When our Flesh and Blood players come in, they always stick around and have chats about everyday things.
Many of the players in our local community know that I love dogs and are a dog friendly store. So they have brought their dogs in occasionally and during some armories – they also get their spot on our website under “Dogs of Celly” :)
There are a handful of people from the local community that I have seen outside of work hours. Many occasions over the last year we have gone for dinners, hangouts and MANY golf rounds. These people are my friends now and I wouldn’t change that for anything.