The co-owner of Thistle Tavern is defying the odds as he celebrates raking in £1 million of takings on his first year on Union Street.
Stuart Robb runs the board game and trading card store with his business partner Andrew Rayner – and the pair are showing that success on the Granite Mile is still possible.
The 38-year-old took a leap of faith opening his shop last June, having no experience running his own business before.
But 12 months on, he wouldn’t trade anything for the community he has created at Thistle Tavern…
‘We just decided to take a leap of faith’
Just across from Summer Street, gamers walking through the door are greeted with shelves stacked from floor to ceiling with a wide range of board games and trading cards.
Stuart greets me with a beaming grin, and we head to one of the playing tables to hear all about his business’ meteoric rise.
Thistle Tavern started out as just a website in 2022, before the duo opened up on the Granite Mile.
“We started our website because our favourite game store in Aberdeen, Reset, closed at the start of 2022,” he said.
“We decided that although there were a couple of other options for people to go and play games in Aberdeen, we wanted to bring something a little bit different, something a bit more niche.
“Me and Andrew worked together and played games together so we decided to take a chance and see what we could do if we started our own business.”
Why did Thistle Tavern choose Union Street?
The Granite Mile has faced various challenges over the years, with major efforts going on to fill its dozens of empty units.
And Stuart was tempted to move in by some of the tantalising incentives on offer – despite having looked at other areas of the city.
Stuart reveals: “We looked around Rosemount and we’d looked at some other places around Aberdeen.
“We knew that our core market was going to be a lot of students who rely on buses and generally live in town anyway.
“Obviously the cost of renting on Union Street was higher, but with those incentives, we decided that the benefits outweighed the cost for us.
“We thought we’ll take the risk if we get a nice enough unit and the one here at the Virgin Bank was perfect because it was ready to move in.”
How has Thistle Tavern bucked the trend?
So in just 12 months, how have Stuart and Andrew managed to make a rip-roaring success of their first foray into the world of high-street trading?
To him, it comes down to the loyalty of his customers and the expertise that himself and Andrew bring to the table.
Stuart reflects: “Honestly, I think we’ve just brought something that people were looking for, a core focus on trading card games and an open gaming space for them to come and play with their friends and build the community.
“Having people that know and play the games helped us understand what it was that our customers were going to want from a game card store.
“We don’t have a cafe here, we don’t do coffees, we just have a juice fridge and snacks, and we think that has also led to our success.
“It’s meant that our staff have been able to focus on serving customers instead of making coffees and food.”
Skyrocketing increase in sales for Thistle Tavern
And the Union Street haven for gamers has the data to back up its success.
In the popular Flesh and Blood card game market, the store has seen an almost 1000% increase in sales.
And 172 customers have already signed up to Thistle Tavern’s annual membership scheme – which offers discounts on products and events.
But Union Street could just be the start for Stuart and Andrew, as the pair are already eyeing up an expansion across the country within the next couple of years.
“Our vision for these new hubs is to replicate our successful community model, offering dedicated play spaces and diverse event calendars in carefully selected Scottish locations,” Stuart added.
Are brick and mortar stores still the way forward?
For the 38-year-old, the most surprising part of his £1 million milestone is that around 60% of that has came from in-store sales.
“That was completely unexpected for us, we thought it would absolutely be the other way around,” Stuart admits.
“We only opened last year, so we’re comparing zero to where we are now.
“We’re like ‘if this is bad, then we can’t wait to see what good is like’.”
And could the location at the top end of the Granite Mile, close to Holburn Street, be a factor?
The Thistle Tavern owner tells me: “I would say we’re very much unaffected by the bus gates.
“It is possible to succeed on Union Street. We’ve been doing it for a year with phenomenal success.”
Thistle Tavern a ‘fantastic example’ of backing passionate traders
And with the Granite Mile move not being possible without the help of Our Union Street, volunteer David White is only too pleased that the duo’s roll of the dice has paid off.
The Granite Mile crusader was one of those who was instrumental in helping Thistle Tavern find a home, and he says their £1 million first year is a “phenomenal achievement”.
David added: “This is exactly the kind of business Our Union Street was set up to support – and it proves that with the right people, the right support, and a bit of collective belief, we can breathe new life into our city centre.
“Thistle Taverns is a fantastic example of what is possible when you back passionate, local entrepreneurs who believe in Aberdeen’s future.”
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