Testing the Waters
I knew I couldn’t just leap in without doing my homework. As much as I believe in this vision (and as much as I personally want a space like this to exist) I had to stop and ask the hard question: What if I build it and no one wants it? And so I wrestled with actually executing this idea for the better part of two years.
It would be easy to romanticize the process, throw a bunch of money into building something cool, and hope for the best. But the reality is, if I’m going to do this right, it can’t just be driven by passion. It has to be evidence-based and data-driven (I know, I know, my psychology background is showing). It means talking to real players, hearing their frustrations, learning what they wish existed—and seeing if they’d actually use something like The Mind’s Eye Experience™.
So I started having conversations. I reached out to game store owners across Utah. I’ve spoken with stores big and small, in cities and small towns, and asked them what they need, what challenges they face, and what they’ve seen work—or not work—in their communities.
Every one of those conversations helped me fine-tune the vision. Some stores had too little space. Some loved the concept but needed proof it could bring in new foot traffic. Others were interested but cautious, wondering if players would pay extra for a premium session environment. And I get it. If I were in their shoes, I’d want to see real demand too.
That’s where Phase 1 comes in.
Before a single screw goes into a wall, I’m starting with the most important thing: player interest. I’ve launched a short survey designed to capture what real tabletop players actually want—how often they play, what frustrates them, what they’d pay for a better space, and how likely they’d be to use something like this.
Because here’s the truth: I don’t want to build this for myself. I want to build this for you. But if it turns out no one’s actually looking for this kind of service? Then I need to know that before I sink thousands of dollars into something that won’t serve the community the way I hoped.
The data from this survey is going to guide everything that comes next. It’s what I’ll use to demonstrate value to store owners, refine the booth design, and shape pricing models that make sense. And more than anything, it’s a chance to make sure this entire project is built with the community—not just for it.
If you’ve ever wished for a better in-store game night… if you’ve ever struggled to hear your party over the din of four other tables… if you’ve ever dreamed of playing in a space that feels like stepping into a story—then I hope you’ll take a minute to fill out the survey. Your input could shape something really special.
This isn’t just a product. It’s a shared effort to make local game nights better.
