Missoula, Year 1: A year ago today we unlocked our doors for the first time on S Higgins Ave, a little nervous and not quite sure what to expect. We hoped we might find a group of like-minded gamers who believed what we believe: Games are for everyone, the environment matters, community is essential. Fellowship with and mentor-ship of fellow gamers is in our DNA as a company, and we hoped Missoula felt the same way. We were blown away to discover that so many in the Missoula game community not only held the same beliefs, but welcomed us with open arms as one of their own. We are grateful for the love and support shown to us this past year, not only as a local business, but personally, as individuals working so hard to provide a fresh outlook on gaming, to provide a community that our fellow gamers can participate in and belong to. We have felt so welcome, we have made so many new friends, and we are so thankful to those of you who choose to spend a few hours of their busy week with us. We've had our struggles, to be sure. What we do can be a tough gig. But we've never felt more supported in overcoming those struggles than we have here in Missoula this last year. We have some exciting things we are working on for Year 2, and we really hope you like them. We are excited! But for now, thank you. Thank you for your support. Thank you for letting us be a part of your amazing community. Thank you for making us feel like we are home. Just thanks. -Josh

Back in the 80's, Activision offered a great rewards program. Break a certain score on one of their Atari/Intellivision games, take a picture of the television to prove you did it and mail it to them, and they would send you a patch. This was pre-internet old school 'achievements'. My 7-or-8-year-old self made it my life's mission to get a patch for my favorite game - Pitfall. I played the game a lot, I loved it. Pitfall Harry was the man, and the explorer's patch would be mine! I failed, a lot. But persistance paid off, and late one night - well past my bed time - I finally broke the score. I paused the screen and tore the house apart but couldn't find our camera. Again, no cell phones! What a world! My mom would know right where it was, but she was at work. I resolved to stay up until she returned home and could photograph my gaming glory. I stood watch on the couch, alternating between staring at the door in anticipation of her return, and the giant tube television, convinced if I looked away too long, the score would disappear from the screen. Alas, sleep defeated me that night, despite my efforts. My mom returned home to a sleeping child on the couch, the game controller still in my lap. And she did what mothers do, what many mothers and fathers have done since the dawn of late night video games and children falling asleep in the midst of a game session: She turned off the television and the console. A small parental act that had inadvertently undone all my hard work. I played Pitfall afterward, but it wasn't the same. My near-success had soured me on the game, and soon my young mind had moved on to other games, other challenges. Pitfall remained on the shelf, unplayed for the most part. But I never forgot that patch. I've told this story a handful of times to a handful of people over the years. And now, decades later, an unassuming package arrives in the mail for Christmas. And at long last...

Three Year Anniversary

Three years ago this week I unlocked the doors of Retrofix Gaming & Collectibles for the first time and prayed for a customer to walk in. I was nervous. I had dreamed of opening a game store since I collected board games as a kid, and here I was, actually giving it a shot. I had a 5 year plan and a lot of hope, and not much else. Now here we are, three years later, and so much has changed. We've grown from a very modest 1,200 square foot storefront with mostly video games to a 3,000 square foot location with a great play area and expanded gaming options. We continue to grow, sometimes a little uncomfortably, to accommodate our customer base of video game collectors, magic players, board game enthusiasts, and other hobby gaming aficionados. We've made mistakes, learned a lot, and have done our best to conduct business honorably and transparently. We've made a lot of new friends, a few enemies, and hopefully raised the bar as to what to expect from a game store. Thank you to the video game collectors that “get” us. You understand what we're trying to do and appreciate the effort we put in, which makes it worth doing. Thank you to the magic players who didn't buy into the BS and gave us the opportunity to show you what we really are about. You gave us a chance, and we're grateful. Thank you to the board gamers who spend Saturday afternoons with us, and the vinyl collectors who stop by and browse for their holy grails every week. Thank you to the gaming community leaders who choose inclusion over divisiveness, who are far too busy building up to devote energy to tearing down. Let's face it, we live in negative times. Staying positive in the face of the rising tide takes courage. Thanks to the fans of the shop, here and abroad, who offer encouragement and support. Thank you to my team for working so hard and making the store what it is. And to the haters? Thank you for keeping me motivated, focused, and pushing every day to do better than the day before. Mostly, here's to the people who turned an idea rolling around in an awkward 10-year-old kid's head into a real community. You are what it's all about. Not with us yet? Just because you are late to the party doesn't mean you aren't invited. Are you excited for the next three years? I am. -J.