A JRPG Enthusiast Invests $2,000 to Create a GameStop in His Basement: “Passion Projects Can Unite Us”

In December, a Reddit user known as Chef Bill made waves in the gaming community with his incredible recreation of a GameStop interior, which he used to showcase his game collection in his basement. I stumbled upon this after an official GameStop social media account shared his post, and I knew I had to chat with Chef Bill about the inspiration and effort behind this impressive setup. The story behind it is both budget-friendly and heartwarming.

Bill began his gaming collection journey in the late ’90s and early 2000s, starting with Nintendo and later adding PlayStation classics like Resident Evil 2 and Final Fantasy 7. “These games sparked a lasting love for JRPGs, which are now a big part of my collection,” he shares.

Frequent visits to stores like Electronics Boutique and Toys ‘R Us during high school led Bill to eventually buy a house with a spacious finished basement. His wife suggested transforming it into a “man cave” to display his games, setting the stage for what was to come.

“I can’t pinpoint exactly when the idea of a retail format hit me,” Bill recalls. “It might have started as a joke with a friend: ‘I’m going to build a game store down there.’ I kept that thought in my mind without a clear plan until last Christmas when my wife gifted me a glass display case. That sparked my imagination, and I realized it made perfect sense to use retail-grade components to showcase my collection.”

Soon after, fortune smiled on Bill. A local fabric store was closing and liquidating its inventory, offering commercial furniture and fixtures at rock-bottom prices. He seized the opportunity, purchasing the most challenging items at a steal and making multiple trips to gather everything he needed for his shop. He bought so much that the liquidation team even gave him extra items on the final day.

Building Bill’s GameStop took about three months and cost around $2,000. He tackled everything from electrical work and lighting to painting and installing shelves. “There were definitely some misconceptions about my financial situation,” he jokes. The impressive results were made possible by the low-cost materials from the closed store. He faced challenges with the basement slatwall, which required adjustments in height and paneling. At one point, he had to redo the ceiling due to spacing issues, but he ultimately felt it was worth it for the look he wanted.

“The CRT ceiling mount is a point of pride,” he says, and he has plans to expand both his game collection and the overall quality of the room. “This has always been a lifelong hobby, and now that I have the space, new possibilities arise every day.”

What started as a unique way to display games took on deeper significance for Bill. “This was also a way to cope with grief,” he shares. “I lost my father to lung cancer in 2024, and I was searching for positive outlets to deal with the pain. He taught me to be handy, which helped me complete the project on my own. As I worked, it felt like he was there with me.”

Bill noticed that others in the comments on his Reddit posts seemed to be struggling too. “It reminded me that our passions can both distract and heal,” he reflects. “The spaces we create around our interests can bring people together, especially when they need it most. Knowing that my content might have helped someone else was incredibly powerful.”

The online response to his collection left Bill “blown away.” The nostalgia for this era of gaming, especially as GameStop has been closing more locations, resonated deeply with viewers.

“It goes beyond the games; it’s woven into the fabric of our lives,” Bill explains. “These stores were where we grew up, played, and connected with each other over the media we loved. I realized I had created my own magical space, no longer just a memory or dream. Seeing others share what made these places special while inspiring a new generation brought me immense joy.”

This led me to two questions when I first saw Bill’s GameStop. First, has he ever worked at a GameStop? He hasn’t. Second, does he ever roleplay working at a GameStop now?

“I haven’t had much foot traffic yet,” he admits, “but we’ve definitely considered doing some fun skits, like my buddy coming in with a rare find and me making a ridiculous offer or trying to upsell him on a pro membership.”

Having worked at a GameStop myself, I can tell you that authenticity shines through.

Last year, a GameStop Switch 2 console and some iconic items were auctioned off for $250,000, with all proceeds going to charity.