Meet David Haynes | Owner/Operator

We had the good fortune of connecting with David Haynes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I’ve never been one to shy away from the risk of starting a new business. I love to work as long as I’m seeing some type of growth. I enjoy the challenge of building a business; either new or existing, and the learning part is always the payoff!

During Covid lock downs, it was difficult, but you figure out a way. I focused on my online store. When the lock down was lifted, I had a decent online presence and a Brick & Mortar shop. Having both is crucial.
Of coarse, living in our small tourist town is a challenge during the winter. It’s a little light on the tourists and when the snow fall is weak, it can be devastating.

All the businesses work together. We are quite a nice little niche.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
In my field: comic books, Role-playing games, Fantasy, & Scifi, there isn’t a lot of “working together.” And I’ve felt it was always a failing. Our competition isn’t the other comic shop down the street. It’s the other things that pull from us. That extra coffee, hitting the big box stores, things like that. There’s a reason why the intersection has a restaurant on all four corners. It keeps the customers in the same space. I have never had an issue with calling other stores to see if they had something that I was out of or never carried. It creates a nice bond between shops and a great sense of loyalty from the customer.
That has always been my practice and I believe that is the main reason why I’m able to do this.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We have the absolute best summers in our little mountain town. The Arkansas River is always bursting with entertainment. Fly fishing can’t be beat here. And the river rafting is amazing. Our history is also alluring. We had every sought after means to become wealthy, in the late 1800’s. From gold and silver, to most every mineral. This also made us a most dangerous town.
Hiking to our ghost towns and cemeteries highlights our past in a way few others do.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Everyone has played a part in my “growing up.” My parents, siblings, friends, and schooling. They each had a part in my development. Some more than others, but I couldn’t break it down. The time I was fired from a job to the time I was promoted. My pets even teach me patience.
Owning a business makes you tolerant. It’s also great when you can decide the course knowing you have no one to blame but yourself.

Website: https://fgandcs.com

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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTImc4Xv3-MUyaXapx1cIeg

Image Credits
Photos by Fantasy Games & Comics