The Story of Sword and Board

From Digital Battlefields to a Local Legend: The Story of Sword and Board

It all started in 2004 with a digital spark. Like many of you, my first foray into the grim darkness of the far future wasn't with a paintbrush, but with a mouse and keyboard. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War was my gateway drug. I was hooked on the lore and the scale, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that the true heart of the hobby lived off-screen.

When I discovered the tabletop miniatures, the transition from pixels to plastic was instant. I didn’t just want to play the game; I wanted to build the world.

Finding the Community

The hobby is nothing without its people. Years ago, I posted a simple community post on the Edgemead Facebook group—a call to arms for local players to gather for a small meetup. That’s where I met Brennan.

What started as a few guys rolling dice in a living room grew into a genuine passion for community building. We spent years hosting tournaments, from the tactical grit of Warhammer 40k and the epic scale of Warhammer Fantasy Battles to the high-octane clashes of Warmahordes.

The Evolution of Sword and Board

In 2014, I stumbled upon a game called Infinity. I was so impressed by the system that I decided to make it accessible to our local scene. I launched Sword and Board as a modest online store, specifically focused on importing Infinity miniatures for our growing community.

For four years, Sword and Board lived in the digital space, but the dream was always bigger. In 2018, Brennan approached me with a proposition: let’s take this offline.

The Perfect Match

We realized we had the perfect "stat block" for a business partnership:

  • My Role: I brought the "behind-the-scenes" logistics—expertise in product sourcing, the complexities of international importing, and product management.

  • Brennan’s Role: He brought the soul of the shop—unrivaled customer service skills and a raw, infectious passion for the hobby and business management.

In July 2018, we officially opened the doors to the Sword and Board physical store.

Why We’re Here

Sword and Board isn't just a retail space; it’s a culmination of nearly two decades of hobby history. We built this store to be the hub we wished we had when we first started. Whether you're a veteran general or a newcomer who just discovered their first PC game, we’ve built a seat at the table for you.

See you at the shop,

Steven Groot Wassink Co-Founder, Sword and Board