February 2020
ISD Gaming
| ISD Gaming |
| Carr 107 KM 2.8 West Professional Building Ste 11 Aguadilla, PR 00603 (787) 938-4292 |
| Website |
Did February sneak up on you too? With the last full month of “official” winter on the horizon, it seems fitting to take a foray into the tropical warmth of Puerto Rico. In the most northwestern tip of the island we will find the city of Aguadilla; it’s one of the principle cities of Puerto Rico, and also where we can find our Featured Official Tournament Store (OTS) for February 2020: ISD Gaming!
ISD Gaming started with humble beginnings out of the living room of Josue Arroyo, the owner. Josue began his business 8 years ago selling singles online. However, within six months, he was able to raise enough capital to lease a 500 square feet storefront. Three moves later he grew his business from a small shop to his current location that’s 1,500 square feet. “We are one of the biggest stores in Puerto Rico,” says Josue. “Yu-Gi-Oh! is the biggest TCG that we offer by far. We pride ourselves in being the premiere Trading Card Game Store in Puerto Rico, and we take pride in our customer service and community growth. We run several Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG tournaments weekly.”
Within the first year in business, ISD Gaming acquired OTS status, and it’s been a boon for Josue. “If we weren’t an OTS, we’d be out of business. Players want Regional Qualifiers and want everything official. If we didn’t offer OTS Tournament Packs, the players won’t come to us. So, our status is critical for us.” That drive to cater to his customers is what keeps them coming back.
“Make becoming an OTS a priority. Players appreciate the OTS program and support.”
– Josue Arroyo, Owner
Josue takes a lot of pride in his store, and community. He said, “our main goal is to provide an all-age, friendly space for people to enjoy, learn and make friendships throughout trading card games and collectibles. We take pride in how we present our layout, gaming area and how we invest in keeping a fresh look month by month. People feel safe, they enjoy being here and their feedback is always “I wish we have a store like these where we live.”
ISD Gaming’s Yu-Gi-Oh! community has a wide range of Duelists. Josue explained, “our community is the most diverse in Puerto Rico; we draw in the widest age range, from the young 6 to 7-year-olds to adults.” And among those adults there are many parents! “We encourage parents to bring their kids, and we teach the game to the parents. We see parents play in the tournaments along with their kids. It’s something they can enjoy together,” said a very gratified Josue. And he has much to be grateful for.
The store’s mettle was tried and tested back in September 2017 when Hurricane Maria, a Category 5 hurricane, descended onto the island. Regarded as the worst natural disaster in recorded history to affect the island, ISD Gaming was not spared from the destruction. Josue recounted the damage from the 2017 storm: “The water went through the roof and we lost thousands of dollars in merchandise. Seeing the photos is not good for me. From the outside it looked ok, but going inside, you could see that everything was water damaged; very little was spared. But we bounced back though. It took a year, and patience from our players, but we’re back.”
When asked if there was any advice for up-and-coming stores, Josue said “make becoming an OTS a priority. Players appreciate the OTS program and support. It will bring new players and customers to your store. If you’re already an OTS, maintain good status.” Congratulations to our Featured Official Tournament Store for February 2020, ISD Gaming!
