Red Castle Games
Red Castle Games is a Portland, Oregon tabletop game store and community gaming space that combines retail of board games, TCGs, and miniatures with an on-site cafe, tournament programming, private event rooms, and structured D&D and Magic youth academies serving hobbyists and families.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Red Castle Games does
Red Castle Games, LLC is a privately held tabletop game store and community gaming space founded in March 2010 by Matthew Micetic and Evan Halbert, operating from a single storefront at 7160 SE Foster Rd in the Foster-Powell neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. The business combines physical retail of board games, trading card games (Magic: The Gathering singles and sealed product), Warhammer miniatures, puzzles, and hobby accessories with an on-site cafe (Ruby Brews Cafe Bar), a free in-store demo and rental game library, and two private game rooms equipped with HD Smart Monitors. There is no proprietary technology platform; commerce runs through the company's own online store and a TCGplayer Pro integration for Magic singles, while operations are managed via WordPress, Square, and standard social channels.
The revenue model is multi-stream and predominantly transaction-based: one-time retail purchases, hourly private room rentals ($15-$40/hr), tournament entry fees, food and beverage sales, and structured program tuition. Youth programs — D&D Academy campaigns ($209.99-$289.99), Magic Academy leagues ($149.99), and themed summer camps ($199.99-$399.99) — and adult D&D services (Learn-to-Play at $25/seat, Red Castle Quests one-shots and 5-week campaigns at $25-$100/seat) anchor a higher-margin experiential line. A Youth Scholarship Program extends financial accessibility and broadens the family segment.
The go-to-market is community- and event-led: weekly recurring tournaments (Friday Night Magic, Commander nights, Warhammer sessions), special prereleases, and free monthly board-game nights drive foot traffic, while organic Facebook and Instagram activity plus in-store event promotion handle top-of-funnel acquisition. The venue serves two primary segments — tabletop hobbyists (board games, TCGs, miniatures, RPGs) and youth/families seeking structured gaming programs — plus a secondary event-hoster segment using the private rooms for birthdays and team-building. The company remains founder-owned with no external investment, has recovered from a 2015 storefront incident via community support, and continues to broaden its programming and digital reach.
Red Castle Games firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Red Castle Games
- Legal name
- Red Castle Games, LLC
- Website
- https://redcastlegames.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Red Castle Games is a Portland, Oregon tabletop game store and community gaming space that combines retail of board games, TCGs, and miniatures with an on-site cafe, tournament programming, private event rooms, and structured D&D and Magic youth academies serving hobbyists and families.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Red Castle Games industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Tabletop Gaming Retail and Hobby Services
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120)
- SIC
- Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming) (CRALAFAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Wargames & Historical Board Games Retail (CRALALAD), Miniatures Games & Tabletop Skirmish Games Retail (CRALALAH), Board Games, Card Games & Puzzles Retail (CRALAFAF)
Keywords
Where Red Castle Games is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Red Castle Games business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Retail Sales: Sales of board games, card games (Magic: The Gathering singles and sealed products), miniatures, puzzles, accessories, and hobby supplies from physical storefront and online store.
- Room Rentals: Private game room rentals for parties and events. Small party rooms accommodate up to 8 guests at $15-20/hour, large party rooms accommodate up to 16 guests at $40/hour.
- Youth Programs: D&D Academy campaigns ($249-$289 for 6-7 week programs), Magic Academy leagues ($149.99), summer camps ($199-$399), and one-shot adventures ($25/person).
- Tournament Entry Fees: Entry fees for weekly tournaments (Friday Night Magic, Commander nights) and special championship events.
- Food and Beverage (Ruby Brews Cafe): On-site cafe serving coffee, tea, soda, food, wine, and beer. No outside food or drink allowed, with exceptions for celebratory desserts.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Small Party Room Rental - Non-peak |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Small Party Room Rental - Peak |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Large Party Room Rental |
| Per seat | Pay-as-you-go | D&D Learn to Play Sessions |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | D&D Academy Campaigns |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Magic Academy Leagues |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | D&D Summer Camps (Ages 10-17) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Magic Summer Camps (Ages 10-17) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Miniatures 40,000 Summer Camp |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Red Castle Games product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Red Castle Games is a single-location tabletop game store in Portland, Oregon that sells board games, trading card games (Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon, Star Wars Unlimited, One Piece TCG), Warhammer miniatures, puzzles, and hobby accessories in-store and online. It layers experiential gaming services on top of retail: an on-site cafe (Ruby Brews Cafe Bar), a free demo and rental game library, hourly private game room rentals, weekly tournaments and prereleases, and structured youth programs (D&D Academy, Magic Academy, and themed summer camps) led by professional Dungeon Masters. The combined offering positions the store as a community gaming destination for both hobbyists and families rather than a transactional retail outlet.
Product overview
Red Castle Games is a physical game store and community gaming space in Portland, Oregon, operating as a single unified retail and entertainment venue. The core offering combines game retail sales (board games, trading card games, Warhammer miniatures, puzzles) with an on-site cafe (Ruby Brews Cafe Bar), free game library access, and private event rentals. The company extends its offering through structured youth programs including D&D Academy, Magic Academy, and various summer camps for ages 6-17, as well as adult events like Learn to Play sessions, Red Castle Quests D&D campaigns, and competitive tournaments. The business model integrates retail sales with experiential gaming services, making it both a product seller and a gaming destination.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ruby Brews Cafe Bar: On-site cafe serving coffee, tea, soda, chicken tenders, tater-tots, wine, beer, and other food and beverage items within Red Castle Games store.
Products and services
- Game Retail Store Physical retail store selling board games, trading card games (Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon, Star Wars Unlimited, One Piece, Gundam), Warhammer miniatures, puzzles, and related gaming accessories. Serves casual hobbyists, competitive tournament players, and families in Portland, Oregon.
- Ruby Brews Cafe Bar On-site cafe serving coffee, tea, soda, chicken tenders, tater-tots, wine, and beer to store customers and tournament participants. Some gaming events require cafe purchases.
- Game and Demo Library Free in-store play library and demo library allowing customers to play games from the collection at no additional cost when paired with a cafe purchase; includes a borrowable rental library for room rental renters.
- Private Room Rentals HD Smart Monitor-equipped private game rooms for parties, group events, and corporate team-building. Small party rooms accommodate up to 8 guests at $15/hour weekday off-peak and $20/hour peak/weekends/holidays; large party rooms accommodate up to 16 guests at $40/hour. Renters can borrow games from the rental library.
- Events and Tournaments Weekly tournaments and special events including Magic: The Gathering Commander nights, Friday Night Magic, Warhammer Age of Sigmar sessions, Star Wars Unlimited, One Piece TCG, Gundam TCG, Blood Bowl, KeyForge, and special prerelease/championship tournaments.
- D&D Academy After-school Dungeons & Dragons 2024 campaigns for players ages 9-17. Multi-week programs run by professional Dungeon Masters include guided character creation, miniatures, snacks, and private gaming room access. Pricing ranges from $209.99 to $289.99 per player for 6-7 week campaigns.
- Magic Academy After-school Magic: The Gathering leagues for players ages 10-17. Priced at $149.99 per player for 6-session leagues, includes play boosters, Jumpstart packs, card sleeves, card boxes, and dice. Professional counselors teach formats including Two-headed Giant, Brawl, and Emperor.
- Miniatures 40,000 Summer Camp Warhammer 40,000 miniature painting and gaming camp for ages 10-17. Campers receive a Kill Team miniature set (~$75 value), 16-color paint set (~$40 value), brushes, foam, and terrain materials to build dioramas over 25 hours of supervised instruction.
- Pokémon Summer Camps Pokémon trading card game camps for ages 6-9. Participants learn from Pokémon Professors, receive starter cards, card boxes, and flip coins, and participate in guided gameplay with chances to win prizes.
- Combined Summer Camps (D&D and Magic) Full-day or half-day summer camps for ages 10-17 combining Dungeons & Dragons (morning sessions, $399.99 week-long or $319.99 for 4-day weeks) and Magic: The Gathering (afternoon sessions, $249.99 week-long or $199.99 for 4-day weeks). Includes supervised lunch hour, themed campaigns, and character miniatures.
- D&D Learn to Play Sessions Two-hour introductory Dungeons & Dragons sessions for ages 8+ held on first and third Saturdays, including character creation primers and D&D 2024 Learn to Play Adventures drawn from the D&D 50th Anniversary Play Series. $25 per person, 5 players maximum, led by professional Dungeon Masters.
- Red Castle Quests: D&D Adventures 5E D&D one-shot adventures and 5-week campaigns run by professional Dungeon Masters for ages 16+. Up to 5 players per session, priced at $100 per person for 5-week campaigns and $25 per person for one-shot adventures.
- D&D Encounters Celebrations Seasonal three-hour preview one-shot adventures celebrating new D&D book releases before they are available for purchase. Priced at $30 per player for ages 18+.
- Youth Scholarship Program Financial assistance program covering the cost of youth academies and summer camps for children from all financial backgrounds; community members can also sponsor scholarships.
- Online Magic Singles Store Online retail platform for Magic: The Gathering single cards via TCGPlayer Pro integration, offering in-store pickup and shipping options.
Companies that use Red Castle Games
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Red Castle Games technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Red Castle Games partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Ruby Brews Cafe BarcoreOn-site cafe partnership within the Red Castle Games location. Serves coffee, tea, soda, food, wine, and beer. Entry to some gaming events requires purchase from the cafe. Provides food and beverage service during tournaments and events.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Red Castle Games competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mox Boarding House: Tabletop game store with a full-service restaurant and bar in Bellevue, WA, plus a Portland, OR location. Closest direct comparable to Red Castle Games given its hybrid retail + cafe + event model and Pacific Northwest footprint.
- Pair of Dice Games: Independent tabletop game store in Knightdale, NC, hosting Magic, Pokemon, and board game events with a tight community focus. Comparable indie retail + events positioning.
- Blue Highway Games: Independent tabletop game store in Lacey, WA, with regular tournaments and a library of demo games. Comparable indie retail + event model in the Pacific Northwest.
- EndGame Oakland: Long-running independent tabletop game store in Oakland, CA, with a strong tournament and event calendar across Magic, Warhammer, and D&D. Highly comparable business model: retail + event space + community programming.
- A-1 Comics & Games: Independent comics and tabletop gaming store in Lakewood, WA, with a strong Warhammer and tabletop miniatures focus. Comparable indie retail mix covering miniatures, RPGs, and hobby games.
- Labyrinth Games & Puzzles: Independent hobby game store in Washington, D.C., specializing in board games, card games, and puzzles with a strong demo library and event programming. Similar indie, community-driven retail model.
Others
- Meeple Mountain / Meeple Source: While primarily a media and content site, Meeple Mountain connects to the same indie board game retail/consumer ecosystem. Cited as an ecosystem peer because it tracks and supports indie hobby retailers like Red Castle Games.
- Ruby Brews Cafe Bar: On-site cafe within Red Castle Games. Co-located cafe-and-games hybrid models are uncommon; this is included to highlight the operational partnership that defines Red Castle's differentiated dwell-time model.
Regional players
- The Dragon's Keep: Long-running tabletop game store in Eugene, Oregon, hosting Magic and other TCG events. Comparable in-game mix and Pacific Northwest community orientation, but does not offer a full cafe.
Broad incumbents
- StarCityGames: Major online TCG retailer and tournament organizer that also hosts regional championships (including a 2016 event at Red Castle's venue). A larger incumbent against which Red Castle competes on community and event programming, though at very different scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Red Castle Games social profiles
Digital presenceRed Castle Games financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Red Castle Games leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Red Castle Games funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Red Castle Games M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Red Castle Games
What does Red Castle Games do?
Red Castle Games is a single-location tabletop game store in Portland, Oregon that sells board games, trading card games (Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon, Star Wars Unlimited, One Piece TCG), Warhammer miniatures, puzzles, and hobby accessories in-store and online. It layers experiential gaming services on top of retail: an on-site cafe (Ruby Brews Cafe Bar), a free demo and rental game library, hourly private game room rentals, weekly tournaments and prereleases, and structured youth programs (D&D Academy, Magic Academy, and themed summer camps) led by professional Dungeon Masters. The combined offering positions the store as a community gaming destination for both hobbyists and families rather than a transactional retail outlet.
Is Red Castle Games a public or private company?
Red Castle Games is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Red Castle Games founded?
Red Castle Games was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Red Castle Games based?
Red Castle Games is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Red Castle Games make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Retail Sales are the primary driver. The others are room Rentals, youth Programs, tournament Entry Fees and food and Beverage (Ruby Brews Cafe).
Who are Red Castle Games's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mox Boarding House, Pair of Dice Games, Blue Highway Games, EndGame Oakland, A-1 Comics & Games and Labyrinth Games & Puzzles. Others are Meeple Mountain / Meeple Source and Ruby Brews Cafe Bar. The Dragon's Keep is listed as a regional player. StarCityGames is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Red Castle Games have an API?
No public API is recorded for Red Castle Games.
What industry is Red Castle Games in?
Red Castle Games's product category is Tabletop Gaming Retail and Hobby Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALAFAH, Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming), with a secondary code of CRALALAD, Wargames & Historical Board Games Retail. Its NAICS code is 459120 and its SIC code is 5945.