This Toy Store Almost Never Happened...

Red Genesis has become one of the most unique toy, game, and nostalgia shops in North Carolina—but just a few weeks after opening, Red almost walked away from the entire thing. In this episode, Scott visits Red Genesis in Gastonia, North Carolina to see how the store has changed, dig through some incredible collectibles, and hear the story behind the shop. What starts as a store tour quickly turns into a much more personal conversation. Red talks about the inspiration behind the store, growing up around physical media, flea markets, toys, Ghostbusters, Sega Genesis, VHS, and the kind of places that made an impression on him as a kid. Then he shares something he says he’s never told anyone before: Just a few weeks after opening Red Genesis, he packed up the entire store, rented a U-Haul, took everything home, and was ready to quit. Thankfully, one conversation convinced him to give it another shot. Five years later, the store is still here—and thriving. Along the way, Scott also digs through: Vintage Ghostbusters ’80s and ’90s toys Sega Genesis collectibles Physical media and VHS Nintendo 64 memorabilia A sealed Mario 64 AM/FM clock radio Vintage Spider-Man Retro store displays Oddities and one-of-a-kind pieces And of course, Scott manages to leave with a few things for himself. The episode ends with Red sharing advice for anyone thinking about opening their own toy store, game store, collectibles shop, or small business: be yourself, buy what you love, build relationships, and don’t treat everyone around you like competition. Sometimes the hardest part of chasing a dream is simply not quitting. 📍 Red Genesis — Gastonia, North Carolina 💬 Have you ever come close to walking away from something you worked hard to build? Let us know in the comments. #GamersAlley #RedGenesis #ToyStore #RetroCollecting #RetroGaming #VintageToys #SmallBusiness #GameStore #Collectibles #ToyHunting