| Card Brawlers |
| 7105 Rue Saint-Denis Unit 202 Montreal, Quebec H2S 2S5 (514) 495-7758 |
| Website |
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22-year-old David Quon once dreamed of opening a card store. At the most unlikely time – amid a pandemic – David turned that dream into a reality by opening up a store in Montreal. This store – Card Brawlers – just celebrated its one-year anniversary, and we are proud to have Card Brawlers as our Featured Official Tournament Store (OTS) of the quarter!
Business for David started small. He grew his online presence and contacts, and eventually felt that he had enough business to open a physical store and become an OTS. The opportunity to do so finally arose for David in October of 2020, when he opened Card Brawlers. At the time, Montreal was in complete lockdown, and customers were not allowed to enter David’s new store. It wasn’t until early in 2021 that customers could finally see the inside of Card Brawlers.
Fortunately for David, opening his store while Montreal was in lockdown allowed him to immediately plan his business for a post-pandemic world. He expanded his online presence and quickly started hosting Remote Duels. “Since we became an OTS, we’ve only seen growth,” he said. “The OTS program has allowed us to engage with our community through promotional events and Remote Duels. We now have a larger customer base and a wider reach outside of our local community.”
Up until recently, Card Brawlers hosted Remote Duels several times a week as the only type of Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME (TCG) events they could offer. But with the COVID situation improving in Montreal and restrictions being lifted, Card Brawlers has finally shifted to hosting in-store events. To keep customers safe, Card Brawlers enforces a mandatory mask policy in its store and has hand sanitizing stations set up for everyone to use. In addition, in accordance with local laws, proof of vaccination is required to enter the store and compete in a tournament.
“The OTS program has allowed us to engage with our community through promotional events and Remote Duels. We now have a larger customer base and a wider reach outside of our local community.”
– David Quon, owner
There are four in-store Yu-Gi-Oh! events per week at Card Brawlers, and although Remote Duels have taken a back seat for now, David plans to utilize them for larger events, like potential Regional Qualifiers. Local events at Card Brawlers are free of charge, incentivizing new customers and Duelists to participate. Children as young as 9 years old have participated in Card Brawlers’local events, and their parents are always happy to see them compete for free and get an OTS pack for competing. New Duelists also have the luxury of a supportive community.
David describes the Card Brawlers’community as very friendly. “Even the competitive crowd gives cards, tips, and suggestions to new players,” he says. Always looking toward community growth, Card Brawlers advertises wherever possible, and hosts giveaways and contests to promote the store. This drive comes from a personal place. He grew up playing the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG and has always loved to play it. Therefore, he understands the game well and has made it the focus of his business.
While opening a physical store during a time that no one could enter it was certainly risky, David is happy to have made the decision to do so. “There’s nothing I’d rather be doing, and I think I’d regret it if I didn’t take the risk,” he said. “Owning a store is the most fun I’ve ever had.” His advice to OTS owners is to “have fun with it. You’re running a gaming business – you have to enjoy it. You have to love what you do. If you love what you do and you’re passionate about it, everything will follow suit. Customers will gravitate toward your store, simply because it’s a good environment.” David does his best to make sure that Card Brawlers has a welcoming environment for all Duelists.
Card Brawlers is a new store that rose up and persisted through one of the toughest times for businesses. It is committed to growing the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG in Canada and provides positive tournament experiences for Duelists of all ages. For those reasons, we are excited to call Card Brawlers this quarter’s Featured OTS!
