Help us reopen Level Up! I have borrowed $35,000 and have been pumping as much as I can from my job at Thomas Steel but am still short by about $7500. If we can raise this last amount we will be able to get the license unsuspended and reopen the LEVEL UP Tiffin location (and if things go well we can reopen the Bellevue location with limited days).
Level Up has been a customer favorite since 2006! Help us open back up so that we can serve our customers once again. Our humble beginnings came about shortly after GameStop and EBGames merged. Having worked at EBGames for about 7 years, I had witnessed how as they grew and became more corporate, they seemed to care more about profits and less about providing value and service for the customers. It didn't sit well with me and merging with GameStop certainly didn't help. I wanted to provide something better for my customers, and thus Level Up was born. I have tried to be more competitive by keeping overhead low so that I could offer the highest trade values and sell at a very competitive pricepoint. I tried to instill values in my employees that serve our customers best. We want to be helpful but not pushy. We avoid high pressure, gimmicky and deceptive sales. We would much rather have highly satisfied customers that want to return by choice, not be forced because we were the only ones around. While we always strove for WIN/WIN transactions, if there was going to be a LOSE side, I wanted it to be on us. We can learn from that loss and try to avoid it in the future.
Our end goal is still to transfer ownership of the Tiffin store to Jaysen and he has committed to keep the value, service and satisfaction of our customers as top priority under his leadership. I have confidence and trust that he can maintain those values while also growing Level Up and making changes that can better serve the evolving market demands.
It is not easy for me to ask for donations or handouts. I have grown up with a work ethic that rewards are to be achieved as a result of hard work, not luck or handouts. But I have to admit that I cannot achieve everything by myself either. I have practically exhausted all my credit options and am way over my head in debt. I can live with that, but it hurts that I know customers want to have a game store they can trust and actually feel good about supporting. If we can raise these funds and reopen Level Up, we will print a banner to display in store thanking our donors and make a video thanking donors to be promoted in store and on our social media pages. This can be an opportunity to support this local business and promote your own small business, (WIN/WIN). Donations over $20 will get a spot on our THANK YOU SPONSORS banner. Estimated print area will be 7 sq in per $20 donation. Also we can work with small business and charities that donate to help promote their events and causes (hang event posters, pass out flyers, stuff bags with coupons/promotions), we want to reward you for your support. Donors may remain anonymous if they wish, and we reserve the right to decline printing inappropriate material (please keep your message family friendly).
Can you help us reach these goals? Whether you can spare $5, $10, $20 or whatever amount you choose, every dollar can help. Every share can help. Tag other local businesses that would love to help us reopen and get promoted to our customers. Anything you can do to help is appreciated.
- Tom, Jaysen and the Level Up crew
Donation banner artwork and cross promotion requests can be sent to levelupthankyou@gmail.com
