Discover HammerHouse, a thriving game store in Singapore, offering an extensive range of tabletop miniature games and art supplies. Founded in 2020 by Alex Huang, HammerHouse has flourished despite the pandemic, promoting the miniature art and gaming hobby. Explore their unique events, hands-on demos, and growing community.
Q: Please give a short introduction about yourself and HammerHouse. What is your role? What is HammerHouse about?
I’m Alex Huang I head up a local game store in Singapore called HammerHouse. Established in 2020, HammerHouse Singapore offers a wide range of tabletop miniature games, hobby art supplies, and a welcoming space for gamers in Singapore. Our mission is to INtroduce & INspire: To promote the miniature art & gaming hobby awareness & community in Singapore.
Q: Readers are always curious about the origin stories. When did you decide to start HammerHouse? What was your motivation for starting HammerHouse?
We started when COVID struck in 2020. We almost didn’t make it as we began as a traditional brick-and-mortar store. Given the tough times, we had to drastically change our business model and pivoted just in time with our own webstore, where things thankfully took off and we never looked back. Our motivation was to keep the miniature art and gaming hobby alive amidst the current trend of digital gaming. I wanted more people to experience the hobby as it promotes social interaction and hope that one day my kids will take it up too.
Q: We understand that you opened the store during COVID. Was that intentional or coincidental? Other than to start up a webstore, what are innovative ideas or activities did you do, to keep your community engaged in miniature gaming while everyone is stuck at home?
It was purely coincidental, as I started in January 2020, just before the COVID impact hit in March. Activity-wise, we focused on keeping everyone engaged with what's new and providing help with the hobby art aspect, as they worked on their miniature projects during their time at home.
Q: How has the company grown since its founding days? What are the new products and services that have been added since then?
We have grown quite a bit since our founding days, expanding from a relatively small unit to a split-level store with dedicated floors for retail and gaming. We focus heavily on the ever-popular Warhammer hobby and offer a wide range of specialized art supplies that complement the miniature hobby. Our webstore mirrors our physical store's offerings, with nearly 10,000 products available for the Singapore community.
Q: Your company is the distributor for some of the most popular miniature wargames in Singapore. How much has the interest in miniature wargames grown since you started?
We are primarily a direct-to-consumer retailer and an established e-commerce platform for all things related to the miniature hobby. Interest in miniature games and art surged during COVID, as people stuck at home had time to express their artistic talents or complete their miniature army projects. Currently, I feel that the hobby is still on the rise, as it is very niche and continues to grow daily, especially with Henry Cavill, aka Superman/The Witcher, now producing a Warhammer series on Amazon.
Q: Your team will be participating in Tablecon Quest. Can you tell us about the highlights of what you are presenting in this event and what attendees can look forward to?
We are bringing our annual HAMMER FEST event to TableCon Quest, focusing on introducing the miniature gaming and art hobby to everyone. This event aims to educate and grow the community. You can expect activities like painting a FREE miniature, demo games of Warhammer 40,000 (the most popular tabletop miniature game on the planet), and getting INSPIRED by a showcase of well-painted armies on parade. Lastly, if you decide to explore the hobby further, you can grab a starter set for painting or gaming.
Q: There is this impression that miniature war gaming is an expensive hobby with a steep learning curve. Is the impression wrong? Where’s the best way to start in this hobby?
There's no better place to begin your miniature gaming journey than at HammerHouse. We offer free scheduled demo games and introductory painting sessions at our store, guiding you until you grasp the hobby's intricacies and connect with the community. While we can't control inflation, HammerHouse provides options to split your purchases into manageable monthly payments with 0% interest through our valued partner Atome. Additionally, we've partnered with Shopback to offer customers 4% purchase rebates, ensuring value for every purchase.
Q: What are the future plans like new products or events for HammerHouse? Any dates already in consideration?
HammerHouse is brimming with events for the second half of 2024. We offer weekly game days, monthly meet-and-play events, and two major upcoming events: GAME FEST in October, featuring large-scale play events, and ART FEST in November, spotlighting an art showcase and competition to celebrate the miniature art scene in Singapore. We continuously update our product lineup with new arrivals almost weekly, so be sure to follow our socials or webstore to stay informed.
Q: Where can we find out more about HammerHouse?
There is always something going on at HammerHouse. Do follow our socials @hammerhousesg on Facebook / Instagram. Checkout our full range of products on our webstore at www.hammerhouse.com.sg and most importantly drop by our 2 level retail and gaming concept store at 24B Temple Street, a very short walk from Chinatown MRT exit A.
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