The opening of Geek Retreat – a new gaming cafe and geek merchandise shop in Aberdeen – received a lot of attention during launch day.
At 9.30am on Saturday, Union Street seemed fairly quiet after a long few days of stormy weather.
It was not until a few minutes before 10am that a small crowd of people, some looking like they had just stepped off a film set, gathered around the new purple addition to the Granite City.
The first 20 people in line received free ‘geek themed’ milkshakes of their choice and as the shop filled with people, lots of passersby joined them to see what the fuss was about.
‘There’s something for everybody in this’
The new shop and cafe is part of a UK-wide Geek Retreat network and was set up by enthusiast and ex-marine superintendent, Scott Leslie.
Mr Leslie mentioned that he was nervous leading up the event.
Online, the shop and cafe had been receiving a lot of positive attention but the 34-year-old was not sure how the day would go.
He said: “I’ve been nervous from my emotional investment as much as my financial investment that I’ve put into this business this year.
“I’ve came from the oil and gas industry and shipping background and this is now the proof in the pudding over the huge investment I’ve made for Aberdeen to open this store here. It’s very satisfying to see the turnout so far.”
As he spoke, a few more people come through the doors in costume.
Mr Leslie added: “You can have a boring 9-5 office job all you want but when you get you get faced with a Mandalorian and a Commando Elite in the morning this is a far more interesting start to the day.”
The site is on 177 Union Street, which Mr Leslie picked as he thought it would have “good footfall” and help interested people to come into the shop. With Union Square and the revamp of Union Terrace Gardens on the corner, he believes there will a lot more people walking past.
“And it’s definitely been demonstrated,” he said.
“There’s a lot of people walking past and a lot of people walking into the shop even without knowing about the shop opening so I think that’s going to guarantee me a certain amount of revenue.”
After starting the marketing campaign online, Mr Leslie said the Facebook page received over 2,000 likes. He explained this was further evidence that Aberdeen does have a “sustained geek culture” and that the shop can offer variety to a high street showing a lot of ‘To Let’ signs.
He hopes to convert others from the people passing into this so-called ‘geeky culture’. Mr Leslie added: “It’s more than just board games, there’s something for everybody in this and it’s very exciting.”
Unique to Aberdeen
Throughout the weekend, there are many events planned in the Geek Retreat store and cafe in Aberdeen. Slots to play three hour sessions of Dungeons and Dragons proved to be very popular, selling out quickly online.
Other slots include beginner sessions to learn how to play games like Pokemon, as well as a geeky quiz. There is also a Cosplay competition where the winner with the best outfit of the day will win a prize on Saturday evening.
Becky Morrison, one of the first to receive a free milkshake, said they loved the excuse to dress up in a costume.
Speaking about the shop they said: “It’s definitely going to be a grand central for people just to hang out. It’s a good place to go to and make friends and such.”
“It warms my heart a little just to see the community coming together and showing their support for this place.”
The 25-year-old said they would definitely be back again, just maybe not dressed in costume next time.
Stewart Niven, 23, was the first one through the doors this morning. He said it was the collectables that drew him in. Already boasting over 600 Pop Vinyl Figures, Mr Niven said he had already seen a few very rare collectables on the shelves.
Speaking about the store he said he had been very excited about the opening: “It’s cool to see a place where you can actually go and play strategic board games, card games and stuff because there isn’t really anything like that in Aberdeen.”
Converting Aberdeen to ‘mainstream geeks’
The Geek Retreat store in Aberdeen will be open seven days a week with various opening times.
Mr Leslie said his aim is to provide a welcoming space for everyone. Some of the events he has planned include an LGBT+ night, an autistic sensory morning, parents and toddlers mornings, crochet corner and even a competitive puzzle event for seniors.
He hoped that using all of this, plus some great snacks and milkshakes that “are just to die for”, lots of people will be using the space.
Mr Leslie added: “And hopefully we can convert all of Aberdeen into mainstream geeks.”
To find out more information on Geek Retreat and see what events are happening, visit their Facebook page.
