Level-Up closes Fostoria location

Level-Up, a video game and movie store that also sells skateboard equipment, has permanently closed its Fostoria location. However, its Tiffin and Bellvue locations will remain open. Creator and owner of the business, Tom Hayes, said he decided to close the Fostoria store for multiple reasons such as poor performance and unpredictable revenue. Hayes also mentioned the physical video game industry has experienced many changes over the years with a lot of video games going digital and becoming available online. "Whether people are purchasing on Amazon or directly through Microsoft, or Sony or Steam, the physical market is taking a hit," Hayes said, "I think we've definitely seen that over the last few years." Hayes also mentioned that he is looking to spend more time with his family while settling into his new property in Monroeville. "Family has taken a lot more time, and between the move and the new property, I haven't had the energy or the time to focus on Fostoria," he said. As for High Scores, the restaurant that partnered with Fostoria Level-Up will remain open during regular hours. The Tiffin and Bellevue Level-Up locations will still offer their full services which include retailing physical copies of video games, systems and controllers. The stores also sell hard copies of DVD's and BlueRay disks. Skateboards and parts for skateboards can also be found within the stores. Level-Up accepts trade-ins for store credit or cash and will repair scratched or damaged disks. Individuals who still have credit at the Fostoria store can redeem them within Tiffin's location. "From day one I kind of concentrated on everything about video games," Hayes said. "We have dealt with both retro and new since the beginning, but it is getting more difficult to define those items." Hayes said he plans to continue to sell physical copies of games and movies, because they are not only collector's items, but also add more value to the game itself. People can collect pieces of their lives through the games, he said. Hayes said eventually he may shift more toward selling collectibles like toys, posters and more. "We have seen the retro market kind of explode," he added. Hayes also explained that he has noticed more people streaming and using cameras, microphones and headsets. The PC side of the market is expanding, he said, adding that he may eventually look into selling streaming equipment. "We appreciate your business over the years and hope that our Tiffin and Bellevue stores can help you in the future," Hayes said in a Facebook post.