Dunedin trading card and table-top game business Hobby Lords has big expansion plans in 2026, starting with the tourist town.
As well as selling products Hobby Lords offers an in-store social setting to play and trade cards and other games.
It has six stores in New Zealand and one in Malaysia, and plans to open eight more this year.
The first to be announced is a store in Wānaka.
Managing director Liam O’Neill said there had been a significant growth in its player base in the Wānaka area.
There was an established community of about 40 players there and with the order numbers from the area it made sense to open a business in the town, he said.
"The nerd-dom, or fandom, has gone mainstream and it’s no longer seen as uncool to play these games and have fun and enjoy doing something with a friend and that’s the main thing — it brings something different that you don’t see every day."
Although the location of the store could not be confirmed, Hobby Lords bought the building about a year ago and had since been renting it out, he said.
It was waiting for the tenants’ contract to end.
"We’ve been planning this for quite a while, so having an excuse to go to one of the most beautiful parts of the country for business, why not?
"It’s something for the locals to do, the nature is very beautiful, but this is a more family-friendly option that you can do indoors, on a rainy day or during any weather. I think it will do well."
He aimed to have the Wānaka store open in April.
The aim was for it to be able to hold 24 to 32 players at once for a start.
"We’re starting off small — then because of the way the building is built, we have the ability to expand if in a year we decide it is too small," he said.
Hobby Lords’ other new stores would be announced in due course.
