Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Cao.
Hi Matthew, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I have had quite the eclectic journey and it would take some time to really delve into how I got to where I am today. I started off in the fields that were supposed to be “stable” – accounting followed by pharmacy. When I got engaged, I started to feel God tugging me towards pursuing a passion of mine which was designing and building wood furniture. I quit my full time job when we came back from our honeymoon to start my own company in 2017 – Rooted in Design. With the support of my loving wife, I went all-in to building the business from the ground up. That time really tested my faith in God’s provision because there was no back up plan. The business finally started to take off post COVID but came to an abrupt halt the end of 2024 when I started to develop tendonitis in both of my hands. There were days I could barely open my hands and I was in so much pain, both physically and emotionally. I was devastated. It didn’t seem fair to have taken such a leap of faith to build the business only to lose the ability to use my hands.
This ultimately led to me having a lot of free time on my hands as the business got put on hold. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been a gamer. I started to sell cards and collectibles online and among my social circles as a way to bring home some income. One thing led to another and I felt a new calling to open up a brick and mortar game store the beginning of 2025. I once again went all in and signed a 3 year lease. In the matter of months, the people started coming and before I knew it the community in our store completely boomed. By the 6 month mark we found ourselves running out of space. By the store’s one year mark, we purchased 2.5 acres and a 7,000 square foot building in our efforts to expand.
I could have never in a million years imagined this is what my life would have looked like, but it truly is just a testimony to how God works. My passion is to provide the community a third space where they can ultimately be in relationship with one another. We simply see games as a medium to help achieve that. We are excited to see what else is in store for us in the future.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Getting to this point was definitely not a smooth road at all. There are so many sleepless nights, stress over bills, being away from my family, there are so many things that have made this endeavor a struggle. I think the hardest thing for me is being away from my family working so much. My schedule is completely flipped from my wife’s schedule so we do not get much time together. My daughter was used to me having dinner together and bedtime every night and now whenever I drop her off in the morning for school she tells me she will see me tomorrow. They both tell me they miss me all the time but understand why I am working so hard. I think that is the biggest struggle I have had to deal with. Money can be made if you work hard but time is something you never get back.
We’ve been impressed with Rooted Games, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Rooted Games is a local game store (AKA an LGS). We believe in being community-centered, which means prioritizing people over maximizing profit. Our industry has been under public scrutiny for some time due to products being marked up well beyond MSRP (what we consider the market price should be). Unfortunately, this pricing model pushes out collectors and players because they cannot afford to spend 100-200% more than the MSRP for a particular product. We are determined to prove that an LGS can be viable and flourish by selling at MSRP and/or close to MSRP.
Our mission is to first and foremost provide a third space for the local community that is accessible, safe, and welcoming. We want to improve the perception of local game stores to be one that is family-friendly, clean, bright, and fun. Every individual is made in the image of God, which means that we want each person who walks into our space to feel seen, heard, and loved. With the expansion into a second location, we will be pushing more towards our mission by hosting more community events. We don’t want Rooted Games to just be “a local game store”. Rooted Games is a space for people to connect with one another, with games simply being the medium that helps facilitate that connection. We want to see families and friends come in together and each person feel like there is something for them at the store, whether they play games or not.
In the next year we hope to build out future expansions in our new location which will include things like play areas for children, rotating food trucks, and community events (such as crawfish boils, non-profit fundraisers, karaoke nights, etc).
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory was being able to spend time with my dad. We used to go to the movies and played video games together. As the oldest of four, I had to grow up a bit quickly. Even when the latter part of my childhood became more challenging, I still held onto these core memories of doing things together with my dad. This is what pushes me to make sure that I do what I can to make core memories with my daughter as well, even in the little day to day things. Although it is something I have not been able to do as much lately, it continues to fuel my drive to ensure I set up the business in a way where I can do more with my family.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rooted-games.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rooted_games/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rooted.games/
