Board game fanatic turns hobby into business
A board game fanatic has turned his hobby into a business.
The Hodgepodge Wizard opens at Macclesfield's new-look Market Hall on Friday, August 22.
It is the brainchild of 21-year-old Joshua Hayward-Dean, who decided to chase his dreams after being made redundant following the closure of the Sainsbury's Café in April.
He said: "I just thought, do I really want to work for someone else for the rest of my life?
"I've got nothing else going on so why not try?"
Born and raised Macclesfield, Josh went to Puss Bank and then Tytherington School.
It was during his time at secondary school he first flexed his entrepreneurial muscles, setting up a business selling sweets and snacks with his friends.
However, his love for board games goes much further back, first trying his hand at Warhammer at the age of eight.
By age 11 he had started playing Dungeons & Dragons with his dad and his friends.
Now, he is looking forward to turning his passion into a money-making venture at the indoor market.
"I've got a nice unit here, it's small enough I can fill it but big enough to make it worth while," Joshua said.
"It's a good place to start. I've got three years on the lease so hopefully that goes well and we can see where it goes after that!"
Board games have had a surge in popularity in recent years, with many players venturing beyond the classics like Monopoly and Cluedo.
Joshua added: "When GAIL's opened I saw a few people saying we needed something like a board game café. That helped encourage me as there obviously is a demand.
"Macclesfield has had a few shops that tried to sell this kind of stuff but nobody's really gone all in for it.
"I'm hoping being the only person in town selling these kind of board games will help."
He continued: "I've got a saying that Everybody knows somebody. I'd hazard a guess that if you speak to anybody on the street they will know somebody who plays Dungeons & Dragons, it's just not widely spoken about.
"I think the market is definitely there, I've already had a lot of interest!"
Inside The Hodgepodge Wizard you will find a wide range of board games, trading cards, miniatures and dice including big names such as Pokemon, Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons and Citadel.
Joshua will also be inviting people to come and make their own Warhammer models for free and is planning various promotions and raffles to celebrate the stall's launch on Friday.
"It's been a long time coming," he said.
"Once I'm open and we're getting more footfall it will feel a lot more real. I'm looking forward to it!"
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