by Tom Gibes, Founder @ Tabletop Bookshelf
This year was a special year for the shop. We grew from a small part-time project serving hundreds to a full-time operation serving thousands. How did we get there? Here's a month-by-month recap of our 2025 journey.
January: Stabilization
After maintaining the 2024 holiday momentum into the new year, it became clear I needed more efficient operations. I spent the next month building a more efficient fulfillment space. This required new shelving, new tools, and lots of sweat equity to keep the books moving fast.
February: First Crowdfunding Campaign
In February I launched One Way Out, a two-player experimental storytelling game with mechanics based on game theory. We were able to secure funding within 24 hours, and I was happy to bring more attention to the shop and what else it can be.
March: Support Needed
In March, Tabletop Bookshelf hired its first employee, and it was without a doubt the best move all year. Through a mutual connection, I found Dee, and it was a perfect match. Dee has taken on most of our fulfillment tasks, freeing me up to focus on new opportunities.
April: Ups and Downs
April was a weird month. We had our best sales day ever when we tabled at the Midwest Gaming Classic, but it was ultimately not profitable. There was a dip in mid-April, but the Spring Sale at the end of the month was a success.
May: Moving Right Along
May was a quietly successful month. We expanded our collection with new partnerships and worked on tweaking the website and operations to make them more usable and efficient. However, my marketing mix was not hitting targets, which led me to launch Read & Reviewed.
June: Read & Reviewed
After seeing the news of gaming publications hitting the skids, I thought it was a great opportunity for the shop to step forward. So I decided to redirect a part of my marketing budget to professional reviews. The impact of this has been gradual but powerful.
I need another post on this, because I'm so proud of the Read & Reviewed series and what it's brought to the world. I'm so grateful for all the writers who contributed to this journey of exploration. I'll be breaking out another post to talk about this effort by itself soon.
July: Summer Sale Success
As marketing stabilized and new site optimizations kicked in, the shop had a big Summer Sale that exceeded expectations. This proved out the point that promotions still matter. You have to be careful not to blow your profitability, but most people still love a sale.
August: The Floods
In early August, I woke up one morning to see the river across the street had crested its banks, crossed the road, and was 20 feet from my home's front door. Somehow, my basement and the books within remained dry. But it became clear at this point: the shop needed its own space.
September: The Search
I started searching for physical locations for Tabletop Bookshelf. I could've found a warehouse in the suburbs, but I found a special spot near downtown Milwaukee. A unique place that would work for the shop, full of light and possibilities. So I started negotiations.
October: Everything, All at Once
October was too much. Lease negotiations, crowdfunding fulfillment, and in the middle of it all, Gamehole Con. Gamehole Con was an incredible experience. The weekend drove new sales records, and I was finally able to connect with many of the talented shop partners.
November: Holiday Ramp Up
I had actually prepared for the holiday season this year, but was still surprised by the demand that came in. It started to ramp up earlier than expected, and the shop saw a huge rush over the Black Friday weekend. People who shopped earlier in the year came back. Success! ⭐
December: Holiday Rush
Since then, the shop has been working at a level of elevated demand that's exceeded our expectations. I've been struggling to keep up with stock-outs. We're hitting our fulfillment targets, but we are maxed out. Good problems!
The Future: Moving On Up
So we've hit the limits of what we can achieve as a basement operation, and it's time to take this shop to the next phase at our physical location in Walker's Point, Milwaukee. This will allow us to expand and optimize basically everything—inventory, operations, marketing.
I can't wait to invite everyone to the new space, and I can't wait to see what happens when I'm able to dedicate myself full-time to the shop. A big secret is that until now, I've been a part-time operator with a full-time day job. But that's all changing this January—I'll be a full-time merchant.
One thing I can say for certain is Tabletop Bookshelf is going to have a huge 2026. I'm so grateful to everyone who has been a part of this life-changing journey, and I can't wait to bring everyone along as the shop continues its growth into something that I had only once imagined. 🙏
