Business Review: Freaks and Geeks Denton, Texas

GGB Denton Business Spotlight: Freaks and Geeks

This is our first Business spotlight, and the honor goes long time supporter Freaks and Geeks LLC. Alec Featherstone has been encouraging and supportive since our chapter founding April 2016. Here’s an interview done with Alec and his new partner Joey Ramirez.

I asked Alec and Joey a few spotlight questions (And they thought the mini profiles were hard!) about the business and they will be referred to as AF & JR respectively for the rest of the spotlight.

What products do you sell?

AF: We specialize in vintage video games, action figures, and toys. As I like to say, Anything nerdy goes!

What’s the one thing you’re known for?

AF: I know it sounds cheesy, but customer service. Something many might not realize but when you come in here you will get the same quality service  every visit, in a comfortable environment where each search and conversation is customized to you.

How did you get started?

AF: It really just started out with me collecting my own stuff, and selling my own personal stock. We were buying, selling, and trading at conventions. That led me to open the store front, and be in it for ourselves. Dove head first into owning a small business after reading up on a few rules and requirements, realized it wasn’t as bad to do, and just, did it.

What’s been your biggest success to date?

AF: Conning Joey into joining [laughter] but really, it’s surviving. The odds are stacked against you if you open a small business, but this [Denton] community is invested. I never thought I’d get emotional over my business, but having a young kid come in and say this is their favorite store, and it just hits you. I’ve never worked anywhere else that gave me those feelings.

JR: Getting into this! Ever since I was a young kid, I wanted to open my own game shop and now, this is my chance to fulfill those dreams.

What’s your biggest risk?

AF: Putting myself out there, thinking that you have a brand, a thing that people want, and risking it all to make those things happen. Thinking that you’re better at providing a service than all the other guys out there {small laugh]. It’s also letting people see that it’s just us, not a corporation, here in the community.

JR: Leaving my guaranteed job (starting this month!) to come work for myself. Small business is risk, but I’ve known Alec, shopped here almost from the beginning, and seeing how much pleasure this bring him, and it makes me excited to join. I want to put in as much as Alec, I want us to invest in community events and activities.

If you could do it all over again, is there anything you’d change?

AF: Nothing. Everything has attributed to where I am today, all the meetings, the planning, the conventions, etc. These experiences made us who we are today.

JR: I believe in things happening for a reason, like a c’est la vie mentality. [laughter] this all started for me when I went for Chinese food! I send him a picture of my fortune cookie, “You will profit soon from an investment opportunity” and he responded with, yeah, I’d love to have you come on board. [more laughter] I thought I was just going to find a new sale to go halfsies with, not a new business opportunity! But bam! I’m in!

What do you want to be known for?

AF: Being that place that curates a stronger, safer community for those that need one. We host events, have a relaxed manner, and give our best. Denton community is our home, our people, our outreach. Our 3 year anniversary  is this next January, and we want everyone to know that we want to be here, we want the Denton community to be ours.

JR: Community involvement, we want to be known for being the guys who build up and become the spot here.

Anything else you want people to know?

JR: Alec is the only one here, this isn’t a big business, or a multi employee compant (except me!) this guy you see at 2pm is also the same guy you see tomorrow at 2 pm, and every day after that. This is the owner, he handles everything personally, it gives the shop a sense of pride, knowing that you’re dealing with the guy making the decisions.

AF: [I dig it]

JR: [snicker] See, he digs it! I’m so glad to be on board with Alec, he’s a stand up guy.

AF: The truest/hardest part of real business success is mitigating expenses. We’re not in this to be millionaires, but to serve our community, fulfill our place, and be a place for people to come and feel welcome, but by knowing how much goes into running this, you learn that budgets are a necessity.

If you want to know more about these guys please visit them online, or in store. Go in, find yourself a new game, a new hangout spot, new action figure, or sweet button (like my Poe Dameron!) for your swell denim jacket. Easily some of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet, and you can sling onto their couch to play N64, try out the Wii U on display, or find that classic PS1 favorite game (or dig through the Atari selection!). What rad thing are you missing that you could find at this Victorian style house on Locust?! I you can’t make it to the store, you can always hunt via online!