Broad choices at local game store

Level Up Games is a local video game store in downtown Whitewater offering hard to find services and ways to interact with its customers. The idea behind the store is to give video gamers a better and more personal gaming experience.

"It's always nice to go someplace and talk with the people about something when they really enjoy what they do," store owner and manager Allan Paquette said.

The 21-year-old entrepreneur attended UW-Whitewater briefly studying marketing and realized Whitewater was a perfect place to start a video game store because of the proximity to the campus.

"It kind of made sense for this being a prime location because of the campus right there," Paquette said.

Unlike other stores in town that sell or rent out video games like Wal-Mart or Blockbuster, Level Up Games provides services such as buying used games and systems from customers. The closest gaming stores that offer similar services are Gamestop locations in Delavan and Janesville.

One advantage for consumers Paquette said is his store buys older systems and games ranging from the original Nintendo, Super Nintendo, Sega Saturn, Dreamcast, Playstation One, and original Xbox consoles, as well as their accessories.

"We do take everything," he said.

Not only does the store buy back a bigger variety of games and systems from customers, but Paquette said the trade-in value for what customers bring in is higher than Gamestop and other competitors.

Future services include disc and system repairs, with the former being Paquette's main focus right now.

Paquette's establishment may not be as busy as a Gamestop, but because there are only two persons employed, Paquette and fellow employee Dan Prince are able to form a more personal relationship with their customers.

"If you come in more than three times or so I'll probably get to know your name," Paquette said. "One of us is always here all the time."

The two are looking to involve the public more in the future by holding gaming tournaments for such games like "Super Smash Brothers Brawl" in hopes to spread the word about the store.

Paquette started the store in August 2008 after being presented with the idea by a roommate. Initially, the store was to be called "The Save Point" but Paquette and his roommate felt the store could have been confused with a thrift store.

"I said we will do our research and see if it would be a plausible idea," Paquette said. "It turns out it was."

Paquette's roommate dropped out part-way through the idea but Paquette decided to keep pursuing it.

The highest priority for the store now is advertising and although Paquette said it's a slow process, he said he has high hopes for the store's future.

"With the college here and new people coming in every year, hopefully it will be enough to keep us going," he said. "Ideally, I could probably stay here forever and be fine with that."