A A

NEW MINAS, N.S. —

He believes most gamers just want to find a place where they belong, somewhere they fit in with people who share similar interests and can have fun.

Matt Balcom, owner of GameTronics in New Minas, is an entrepreneur as unique as his collection of games. The store features a wide selection of video and board games, including many retro video games that can be difficult to find. Chances are they can source the game if it isn’t already on hand.

His store is a welcoming hub for the local gaming community, a place to not only buy games but to play them and enjoy socializing with other gamers. He said his favourite aspect of the business is the sense of community building surrounding it.

Balcom ran the business for a decade before deciding to buy it in 2010. He has been in his current location at 9049 Commercial St. for almost six years. He describes himself as being a “nerdy computer science” type when he was younger, so managing the business and eventually owning it was a natural progression.

Growing up, Balcom enjoyed playing games like Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer and Dungeons and Dragons but there wasn’t a place where he could go to play with other Annapolis Valley gamers.

“Every store wants to sell you things, no store wants to give you a place to actually play with those things,” he said. “I think that was something that was missing when I was a kid.”

Providing a physical space such as that is important to Balcom, as it promotes social experiences that are lost in an online gaming realm. People meet face-to-face and end up making friends. His store is 5,000 square feet, with as much as half of the space devoted to tables where people can sit and play.

People can come in and play demo board games (there are between 300 and 400) any time the store is open. GameTronics also has evenings devoted to playing certain games requiring more players, including Dungeons and Dragons on Wednesdays; Yu-Gi-Oh! card game tournaments on Thursdays and Magic: The Gathering on Fridays.

LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE

Balcom said they’ve been inspired to donate as much money as they can to the Children’s Wish Foundation.

A few years ago, a father, Ryan Wittenberg, came into the store looking to have some Ghostbusters Mystery Minis shipped in for his four-year-old son, Cole. A supplier Balcom found in the United States was going to take up to two months to deliver them.

Wittenberg offered to pay more for a speedier delivery but Balcom told him it was unlikely that the order could be expedited. Wittenberg told Balcom that Cole might not have that long to wait. His son was battling cancer.

Balcom made it his mission to get the toys for Cole - and he succeeded. He convinced a supplier to make an exception and waive the usual red tape. The supplier even shipped the two boxes for free. Balcom was honoured that he got to open the toys with Cole.

“It was life changing because, afterwards, Cole came over and he asked for a hug…and then he told me he loved me,” Balcom said, fighting back tears. “We try and teach the kids that they should reach down and help the people who need help when they need it.”

Cole Wittenberg passed away in 2017 at the age of four-and-a-half.

PAYING FORWARD FITNESS

One unexpected aspect of GameTronics is the weightlifting gym set up in the back of the store. Balcom works out there and invites customers who are interested in getting in better shape to try it. He gets to know his customers and wants them to be healthy.

Balcom sees this as a way to pay forward the help, support and motivation he received to start working out.

“People are illogically scared of things they don’t understand,” Balcom said. “There’s too much in this world where people don’t take the time to teach that other person.”

Balcom said he used to weigh 330 pounds. He got sick and his leg swelled up so badly that he had to be put on intravenous antibiotics or risk getting cellulitis in the bone and, potentially, an amputation. Doctors also discovered that he had diabetes.

GameTronics owner Matt Balcom with one of his favourite items, a limited edition shirt signed by powerlifter Mark Bell and podcast producer Andrew Zaragosa. KIRK STARRATT

A customer, Luke Testroete, kept telling him he should come to his gym to work out. Balcom gave it a try, liked it, and started losing weight. After Testroete was unable to continue attending the morning workouts due to his busy schedule, Balcom discovered powerlifter Mark Bell’s Super Training Gym online videos.

He followed the workouts and started Bell’s “carnivore diet” in January of last year. Balcom has lost about 115 pounds since he started working out and dieting.

Balcom donated to a Memorial Day fundraising effort sponsored by Bell and received a limited edition T-shirt with Balcom’s name on the back in return. The shirt is autographed by Bell and Andrew Zaragosa, who produces podcasts for Bell. Balcom has the shirt framed and proudly displayed in his store.

“I put that up there so the kids can see it,” Balcom said. “It’s kind of my thing to say don’t be afraid to reach out and ask somebody.”

Balcom said if he hadn’t reached out to Zaragosa, watched Bell’s videos and asked them questions, he probably wouldn’t have been able to accomplish what he did in terms of losing weight and getting stronger and healthier.

Kirk.starratt@kingscountynews.ca

RELATED: