When it came time to move EndGame across town to its Old Oakland location a decade ago, professional movers weren't needed - the game store's customers were more than happy to load the trucks.

"There were a number of folks who told us they wanted to help. They told us, 'We're available,' " said EndGame founder Aaron Lawn. "I said, 'Great. We'll box everything up, and we're going to need help moving over.' It was like moving an apartment."

Most successful retail businesses list "consumer loyalty" among their prized assets. At EndGame, there's a much finer line between customer and employee. The unique symbiotic arrangement has allowed the store to survive, and even expand, despite a business plan and location that to an outsider might look like a longshot.

In a world overwhelmed by smartphone apps and video games, the store sells only board games, card games, miniatures for war gaming and other analog pastimes. Still, the sprawling second floor is often packed with regulars on weeknights. EndGame announced a Kickstarter campaign last month, with a $25,000 goal to help turn the abandoned storefront next door into a cafe. It received pledges of more than $21,000 in the first 24 hours.

Customers, owners

Most of the store's five co-owners - Lawn is one of two with emeritus status - are former customers. The newest full-time employee, Matthew Reid, got his start at EndGame on the other side of the cash register when he was 12, playing the futuristic battle strategy game Warhammer 40K.

Founded in 2001, EndGame moved into the old Swan's Market building in 2004, when the site at Washington and 10th streets had been empty for more than a decade. A curious feature - a pair of mezzanine levels with no stairway access - was a selling point to Lawn and his new partners.

'This is perfect'

"When we walked in it was a shell. Nobody had been in here for years and years," Lawn said. "I pulled out a ladder and climbed upstairs, and said 'This is perfect. We have a place to play up here, separated from the showroom.' "

The nine-month construction project, aided by a redevelopment grant from the city of Oakland, included staircases and a bridge between the platforms.

The community did much of the rest. Partitioned game stations were built - sort of a cross between a work bench and a Las Vegas craps table - to hold the terrain, dice and painted figures used in war games such as Warhammer and the Viking game Saga.

Along with events and tournaments, EndGame has hosted concerts. The weekly Friday night "Little Generals" program has a summer camp vibe, with a group of teens playing strategy battle games with kids as young as 7. Last weekend, the popular annual board game auction drew more than 100 patrons.

Playing space

Lawn, a data analyst, founded the original store after he lost his job during the dot-com crash. The idea to carve out playing space came after watching customers in other game stores, who felt intimidated by the often complicated games.

"If you walk upstairs in our store, you can see the table, you can see the terrain and you can see people playing," Lawn said. " 'Where do I get started?' 'Here's where you get started.' "

The bigger the challenge, the more customers seem to rally. Owners say Occupy Oakland was a particularly tough time.

"That was the time period when I was most proud of our customers," Lawn said. "They kept coming in, and they would specifically say, 'I'm here because I was worried that nobody else would come.' "

The level of loyalty sometimes borders on absurd. Last year, when a young Magic: The Gathering player accidentally took another player's "Uncommon" card - worth less than a dollar - several customers offered to help.

"There was a 15-comment Facebook post exchange, just trying to get that card back to the person," co-owner Chris Hanrahan said. "That's the kind of community we have. The kind of community that will fill (a holiday) toy barrel 20 times over."

Geek stereotype

Customers say the male geek stereotype of gamers still exists, but baby steps are being made toward a wider demographic. Longtime board game night regular Eric Vogel, a clinical psychiatrist from Hayward, notes with amusement that a hipster crowd has started to seep in - and has turned him on to the New Parkway movie theater and nearby art galleries. Vogel was among the vocal supporters of the Kickstarter effort, which has exceeded its goal by more than $10,000 with two weeks left. The EndGame Cafe will serve the public, and the barista will bring coffee and food to game-players at their tables.

Co-owner Chris Ruggiero says 2013 was EndGame's best financial year since the mid-2000s, with a boost from technology that might surprise nongamers. EndGame owners say app versions of board games playable on smartphones and tablet computers have helped sales of tabletop games. Kickstarter has opened up a new market for local game makers. Board game-centric Web series have fueled sales.

"The motivation was to form a community and have a good time, not to make money," Hanrahan said. "But we've made a little money. If we were going to close now, it would be because we were bored."

Peter Hartlaub is The San Francisco Chronicle's pop culture critic. E-mail: phartlaub@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @PeterHartlaub.