April Update // Springtime Sublimation
Hey all, a lot has happened since our last update in December. Grab a cozy beverage and we’ll go over some of the fun, complex, and mundane things moving behind the scenes.
Space Search Update
During our anniversary party in March, we announced that we’ve partnered with a broker to help us find Waystone’s next space. Getting help from the community in the beginning stages of the search process was essential, but we’ve realized that continuing without a professional by our side isn’t feasible (or, frankly, responsible).
We scraped a lot together with very little when we first opened–found a space we liked, talked to the landlord ourselves, paid a small security deposit, and moved in (sort of like moving into a new apartment). We’re now learning that experience was pretty atypical. In the world of commercial real estate, the best spaces are accessible only to industry insiders, and the process of negotiating rates, space improvements, abated rent, and more is difficult without an advocate.
In some ways, Waystone is like a gangly teenager—the strategies which got us through our infancy just don't work at our new scale, and we’ve had to revise a lot of the “knowledge” we gained in our first couple years. It’s paying off, though. We’ve recently found a promising space that satisfies almost all our essential criteria. That doesn’t mean it’s perfect, or that we’re anywhere close to sealing the deal, but my gut says we could make a really amazing long-term home for ourselves here:
Some things I’m particularly excited about:
It’s fairly close to our current location (some folks will be more enthusiastic about this than others).
It’s got space for a larger bar. No more crowding around two stools when you want to unwind before or after a game.
There’s enough room to spread each table out even more, including a fully wheelchair accessible table.
Segmentation in the space allows some areas to be more communal and others to remain calm and quiet, despite remaining connected throughout via windows and doorways.
I’ll temper the above by saying that we’re only just beginning the negotiation process. Nothing is set in stone. Communicating about this all still feels important, though, and community insights will continue to be essential, so don't be afraid to share your thoughts next time you stop in.
If we do get this space, we’ll need to renovate it, build a bar, and transplant our entire operation while continuing to do all the things we currently do to keep the club running. It will be a bigger logistical and financial challenge than our little team has ever faced before, and we’ll need help. We’ll reach out when opportunities to support present themselves.
Safety and Anti-Harassment
Our mission has always been to provide a space that’s comfortable and welcoming for any enthusiast of minis games, regardless of their gender, sexuality, race, and more. This feels more urgent than ever in the current political climate, and as folks in various communities experience an increasing sense of vulnerability and lack of safety.
Our approach has always started with keeping our values and code of conduct front-and-center, and on forming strong relationships with the folks who play here. When someone reaches out, even with something uncomfortable, they need to know that our values align with theirs, and that the person they’re communicating with will be someone they trust and will take them seriously. This is part of the reason Stefan and I never plan to stop working behind the bar, even if traditional wisdom says that business owners should be spending their time on other things.
One thing we’ve been lacking has been reliable pathways for anonymous feedback. We do this a little bit during our biannual Community Surveys, but otherwise haven’t had a consistent, dedicated form that anyone can fill out at any time. With that in mind, we’re implementing a new Anonymous Contact Form, as well as an exit survey that will go out any time someone ends their membership. Both will allow respondents to share information anonymously, as well as indicate if they’d like a staff member to follow up with them.
Even if these forms go unused, knowing they exist should contribute to a greater sense of integrity and safety in our space. This work is essential to Waystone’s purpose, so thank you to everyone who has reminded us of this need.
Deep Striking the Card Companies
The math behind running a wargaming club is a constant, shifting puzzle. Once upon a time, we thought that having lots of members would amount to a decent income and a fairly stable work-life balance for our staff. Last year’s expansion into the Annex challenged that assumption, and as the club has grown, our expenses have tended to go up at almost the same rate. This poses a major sustainability challenge.
While there’s a simple solution that would address a lot of our problems (raising membership prices) we are also striving to preserve the financial accessibility of our space. How can we best walk the tightrope between providing a living wage for us and our staff, keeping the club itself financially healthy, and making full participation as affordable as possible?
Besides rent and payroll, Waystone’s largest expense by far is credit card processing. The economic reality behind this makes sense, since taking payments is essential to keeping Waystone running, but it sure doesn’t feel good on an emotional level that a portion of all our income goes to Visa, Mastercard, and American Express rather than the people who work here or create the things we sell.
So, rather than increasing membership prices this year, we’re encouraging everyone to switch their billing method on WellnessLiving from credit card payments to ACH (bank) payments. Running payments through ACH costs us about half as much, so if even a fraction of our community switches their payment method, it’ll save us thousands of dollars.
In one month, we’ll also be implementing a 3.5% fee on credit cards charged in WellnessLiving. Folks who want to avoid this completely can take a moment to switch to ACH sometime in April, and those who continue using a card will see a small increase in their payments starting next month. In-person purchases and purchases on the Waystone webstore will be completely unaffected.
We think this is a clever alternative to simply raising rates for everyone across the board.
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Thanks to everyone who has made it this far—both in terms of this blog post, and our overall journey. Seeing the ways folks in our community have continued to support one another throughout a tumultuous time has been an important salve for me, personally.
All the best,
Dustin
