It was a cold, sleepy night. At least until one of the three of us spoke up: "what if we started a TCG Company?" And as they say, the rest is history. Or is it?
History is typically defined as something that has already happened. But the best is yet to come. Perhaps it would be more accurate to proclaim that we are making history. Three childhood friends from three different locations, working in tandem to provide Canada's best TCG and collectibles store. It's a dream come true, for both us and our customers.
It didn't feel real, until one of us made our first sale. Hastily making their way out their front door with product in hand and unsure what to expect, it turns out it's as easy a few pleasantries and exchanging products for cash. Really? That's it? Well, obviously no. There's so much that goes into running a business -- from getting a distributor(we are NOT resellers, primarily), to maintaining a website, to making everything accessible, to contacting customers, to advertising(still figuring this one out), and much more. But what makes it all worth it is to know we're not only living a dream and can potentially make this full-time, but also that we're providing a service that the three of us have enjoyed since we were kids.
My background is in journalism, and I currently work as a university instructor in China. Sounds like a dream job, right? In many ways, it is. But nothing can compare to the joy of not only participating in one of my favourite hobbies, but also providing a store where like-minded people can come together in unison. I'm currently living my dream life, with a beautiful wife, amazing daughter, another on the way, and great friends to back me up. Happiness is priceless, and staying at the job I'm in isn't providing me the same happiness it used to.
It's all a bit exciting sprinkled with a pinch of uncertainty. What if the customers don't come? How can we compete with others and their prices? All of these will be solved in due time. For now, let's focus on what's important: the products. Our stock currently only has various Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! sets, with a few of my own personal collection Tokidoki's(still working on that distribution deal). If readers of this blog have any wishes for particular TCG's or collectibles, please reach out to us either by commenting on this blog or contacting me at "justin.humphries@tcgharbor.com".
Good day to y'all. And remember, have fun.
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