One of my favorite things about writing articles about Downtown Minot is that I get to find out about businesses that I maybe wouldn’t have known about otherwise. Take for example last Friday morning when I stepped foot into Chaos Games for the first time. I was truly wowed by the experience.
To say that Joseph Hurt is passionate about what he does is an understatement and the path that he has taken to get to where he is today with his business had my interest peaked from the get go. As a business owner myself, I find the details of business start up and the process very intriguing.
While in college studying business and mathematics, Hurt found a job working at a gaming business known as Gorilla Games, in the mall. He quickly realized that he had a passion for Magic the Gathering and was really excelling in it when it came to running a business centered around it. As his skills progressed, he became the expert in Magic at the business and they started hosting events. While the position was not a forever path for him, the knowledge and expertise he gained helped propel him into his own business venture.
In 2017, Chaos Games officially opened and specialized in everything from Magic the Gathering to Pokémon and Dungeons and Dragons to selling used video games. Because he had a background in business and mathematics, he was able to make a calculated plan to roll profits back into the business with the goal of expanding in the future.
Hurt is a player first when it comes to Magic the Gathering, which gives him the advantage of knowing exactly what he wants out of a gaming experience. He spent a great deal of time researching what others wanted from gaming experiences and combined that knowledge to create the business he has today. Located at 121 Main St S. in Downtown Minot, the newly remodeled building is spacious and welcoming. The store is lined with everything a gaming enthusiast could want and then some.
Chaos Games prides itself in creating community. As of now, it is the only table top store in Minot. They don’t charge people to come in to use the table space and you can often find people opening packs of cards and finding valuable individual cards that they use as currency in the store through the vehicle of trading. One unique aspect of this trading system is a person can acquire a card from a different source, such as WalMart, but then bring that valuable card to Chaos and use it as currency via the trade process. They can trade that card(s) for either cash or store credit that can be used to purchase anything in store. This makes it possible to collect all the cards a person may want for their personal collection.
This community atmosphere makes a great environment for meeting new people especially for those who have just moved to the area. According to Hurt, Magic, Warhammer 40k, D&D, etc. travel well and people can even play some of these games when there is a language barrier because the way they’re played is the same across languages. They receive many sales from former Minot residents who still want to purchase items and add to their collections. He loves this aspect of the business because people can stay connected even with thousands of miles between them through the use of technology to connect with each other to play these various tabletop games.
Included in this business concept is an entire downstairs space that offers arcades, consoles, and other games for people to play. They have birthday party packages where there can be up to 20 active gamers. This is an interactive party experience and is great for a variety of ages. The space is more face to face gaming experiences rather than sitting at a computer/gaming console by yourself for hours. A party can be booked through social media, over the phone, or by stopping into the store.
Chaos Games is open weekly Monday-Saturday from 12-7 and Sundays from 12-6. They have active social media pages including Facebook at Chaos Games LLC and Instagram chaos_gamesnd. They are great about answering social media messages and they can also be reached at 701-240-6021.
When I walked into Chaos Games, I will be honest, I had the most limited understanding of gaming, but Hurt has a knowledge that he is willing to share. It is a store for all ages and skill levels with a staff willing to introduce the most novice player or support the most skilled alike. Check out Chaos Games in Downtown Minot and take part in one of the many events they offer. It’s a little piece of magic in the Magic City.
