Silver Dragon Games: A Family Venture Post Retirement

After a 37-year career, Silver Dragon Games store owner Scott DeBoard, a former competitive sword fighter, wanted to decide what to do next with his family. He didn’t want to sit around and do nothing in retirement and pondered the notion of a family business – something he hadn’t done previously. Scott’s son suggested a game store. The store consisted of 6-8 months of design and construction continued for 3-4 months afterward. They’ve been operating for two years and counting. According to the Wizards of the Coast Store & Events Locator, Silver Dragon Games is Arizona’s only store in Peoria within a 10-mile radius.

Scott’s gaming journey started with Dungeons & Dragons in 1980. When he entered the gaming industry, he set out to create more than just a game store. For example, his wife, a fan of Dungeons & Dragons and who enjoys buying miniatures, didn’t want to go to a game store. Knowing this, Silver Dragon Games’ vision was born: build a store for women. Scott’s wife is the store’s interior designer. He says his wife and a group of women have veto rights on any interior design changes for Silver Dragon Games. One of those interior design decisions features a tavern with a fireplace for customers to grab a drink or a snack. The store’s goal was to create a community space or as Scott notes, a “third space” which is a place separate from where you live and work.

The Early Days of Silver Dragon Games

When starting, Scott says he contacted store owners to learn how they operate. He notes that everything Silver Dragon Games does is based on the best practices of other stores in North America. Furthermore, game store owners help one another because it’s a hard industry. They’re all gamers at the end of the day, Scott says. Moreover, he says at Silver Dragon Games, they “like people and take care of people.” For example, he saw a lot of adults and kids who didn’t know how to talk to people. With that in mind, Scott wanted to create a place to connect with people over gaming. According to Scott’s son, who suggested Silver Dragon Games as the name, the liking and caring about people ethos is the exact meaning behind the “Silver Dragon” name.

The Early Growth & Initial Design Plans

Silver Dragon Games has evolved after opening and has grown year over year. In 2024 alone, they saw 20% growth. To grow, the business model operates on three components: retail, event management, and the tavern. From an event standpoint, Scott runs multiple big events every weekend. They offer classes to teach new players how to play games and have an invitation-only Discord with ~2,500 members. Scott says they consider themselves Arizona’s best Dungeons & Dragons store. As an owner, he shares that it’s fun to create opportunities for people that get them excited and passionate.

“The staff and people are very welcoming. The area is clean and they create a positive environment for people who want to learn new systems/games or play in systems they already know.“

-Diana Berge, customer feedback on the Silver Dragon Games Facebook page

The tavern was in the store’s initial design plans. However, the licensing process for the tavern took some time. That said, it launched six months after the store opened. After launch, a partnership with a local business featuring a line of Dungeons & Dragons-themed meats was born. This culminated in an exclusive Silver Dragon Games meat. Moreover, Scott tells us they also partner with local brew houses for the drinks served at the tavern such as Scale & Feather and Bone Haus Brewery. Still, he says the tavern is more of an additive to the store than its main feature.

One Event, One Major Impact On The Business

Scott tells us about the non-profit trade organization called The Game Manufacturers Association, better known as GAMA, which heavily influenced the story of Silver Dragon Games. He says the best decision he made for the store was attending GAMA, as it changed their business model. That said, he recommends it to any aspiring game store owner and sees Silver Dragon Games in attendance every year. In 2024, they won two out of four “power retail” awards. Per Scott, what started as a place for learning has morphed into a place to hold business meetings. 2025 culminates the Silver Dragon Games journey with a presentation at GAMA sharing its impact on the store.

While fond of GAMA, Scott has attended several events like PAX and Gen Con. He plans to continue doing so due to the networking opportunities provided. However, Phoenix Fan Fusion is the main go-to. Scott attended this event with his family for 15 years. The dedication has led to sponsoring the event for 2025, where he’ll bring Dungeon Masters to run Dungeons & Dragons events.

Building A Team To Support Silver Dragon Games

Silver Dragon Games has 10 employees. Scott says they invest a lot in their staff to run the tavern, events, and retail. During the recruiting process, they hire film students from a local art school to work at the store. Scott’s role in the store incorporates operations and planning. Running a large operation is not nerve-racking for him due to the experience he obtained in his previous career. He’s always looking at what Silver Dragon Games can do better. Scott delegates an employee to manage events and ensure they’re “show ready” when gaming begins at 6 p.m. Board games don’t work for the store, though they did attempt to introduce them early on.

The games that have worked are Magic: The Gathering, which Scott says is a stable of the store. Warhammer 40,000 is steady, but the standout, he says, is Pokémon, which has been “crazy popular.” Another focus noted is creating a full line of products around Role Playing Game (RPG) systems. However, Scott learned that if Silver Dragon Games cannot capture the community early, they will probably not do great in that segment. He’ll ask questions like what constraints are holding them back in a segment from reaching their goals. Scott always wants to improve the customer experience and know why something is not working at a given time.

Playing To Your Strengths & Taking Care of Your Customers

A segment where they’ve been successful is Lorcana. Overall, they like to put energy into games where they know they’ll do well. It follows Scott’s philosophy of playing to their strengths. Furthermore, the strengths include the aforementioned learn-to-play segment, which they introduced for Dungeons & Dragons. Recognizing what the community wants, being honest, and pivoting when necessary define how Silver Dragon Games continuously improves customer service. An example would be the cessation of their NYE party event.

Reflecting on the current store, Scott believes if they decide to open a second store, it will be twice the size of the existing location. That said, they focus on creating memorable and fun experiences. An example would be hosting parties where they handle the organization for the customer. Parties can take up the entire store or a single room. Moreover, they’ll offer concierge shopping services for moms. Yet, Scott says the most important is the growth and health of the store.

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