There must be a dozen or more video game stores in shopping centers scattered across the Richmond region. What makes Bob Broomfield think he can make a success of Play N Trade, a franchise that specializes in buying and selling used games?

Two words: location and service.

Broomfield, who is on track to open his store in mid-July, will be located in Carytown next to Glass & Powder, a well-established snowboard and skateboard shop that caters to a similar demographic. The location is easily accessible to both Virginia Commonwealth University and  the University of Richmond. And Carytown is ideal for pulling in casual visitors from off the street. Said Broomfield in an interview with R'Biz: “We expect a lot of foot traffic – more than many shopping center stores.”

A distinguishing selling point of the Play N Trade franchises is that players can actually play a game right there in the store to see if they like it. Says Broomfield: “When a customer walks out of this store, it’s with a game he really likes.” But the relationship with the customer doesn’t end with the sale. “We will send someone to a person’s house, if need be,” he adds, “to make sure the game is working right.”

Broomfield also hopes to bring customers back into the store to play their games in tournaments – everything from “Call of Duty” to “Family Band.” One tournament he’s organizing will pit six four-person teams from different branches of the armed services against one another. “We’ll have some private things going on, too,” he says. “Like a wine night, and maybe a Wii singles bowling night. We try to find new, creative ways to have fun.”

Bacon's bottom line: Will Richmond ever see anything like the Korean Starcraft tournament, with hundreds of cheering fans, as depicted in the Youtube video above? If so, I'm there!!