This past year has been one of the most challenging and rewarding in our history. Growing a store as large as NPHX has been an enormous undertaking, and we are still working on it every single day. We grew faster than our systems and procedures could keep up, navigated a tough economy, and kept our focus on building a foundation that ensures this place will last.
Because of that, we did not put energy into planning a big anniversary celebration this time. Our attention has been on stability, on strengthening our team, on making sure Gamers Guild remains a home for this community through both good times and hard ones.
So instead we want to say something more important. Thank you.
To our employees: you are the heartbeat of Gamers Guild. You do the hard work every day to live up to our Code of Conduct, not just in words but in action. You set the tone, you uphold the ideals that make this a safe and welcoming place, and you carry the weight of turning a vision into reality. The persistence and care you have shown this year are the reason we have been able to grow at all.
To our Ambassadors: thank you for shepherding growth and shaping the player experience with care. As our community has grown quickly, so has your ability to get everyone involved. This is not easy, especially as now more than ever people are finding in-person tabletop games so rewarding. We see new types of customers every single day, and your ability to fold them into our community is amazing.
To our Members: your faith in us helps drive our mission forward. In 2025 we have seen many businesses that claimed to stand for inclusivity show their true colors. Your monthly support has been a steadfast reminder of why we remain committed to inclusive gaming and to providing safe third spaces to everyone, every day.
To our owners: thank you for making sacrifices to keep up with the pace of this growth.
And to our community: thank you for showing up, playing, supporting, and making Gamers Guild North Phoenix one of the largest and most successful game stores in the country. To have built this place together has been the privilege of our lives.
We promise next year’s anniversary will be unforgettable. As a small preview of that, we have both a four year commemorative Gamers Guild challenge coin coming this winter and an anniversary shirt arriving soon. Every staff member, owner, and Partner will receive one of each merch free, and Members will be able to get theirs at a steep discount.
This year, come on in, collect your crisp one year high five, and let us say it to your face. Thank you for being part of this with us.
With warmth and love,
The Gamers Guild Team
