Inspiring Conversations with Spencer Williams of Sandbox Game Lounge

Today we’d like to introduce you to Spencer Williams.

Hi Spencer, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up right here in Strongsville, Ohio, and if you’ve spent time in SouthPark Mall over the last decade, there’s a good chance you’ve seen me somewhere along the way.

At 15 years old, my first jobs were right here in the mall. I worked at the McDonald’s in the food court directly across from where Sandbox Game Lounge exists today, and later worked at Cinemark and several other retail businesses throughout the mall. Looking back now, it’s surreal seeing the journey come full circle, from being a teenager working in the mall to becoming a business owner operating inside the same building years later.

Creativity and entrepreneurship were always a major part of who I was growing up. In high school, I was an honors art student, voted one of the most creative students in my graduating class, and attended Polaris Career Center for digital art and design. I later earned an Associate Degree in Small Business Management from Tri-C a few years before opening my first business.

Even at a young age, I knew I wanted to build something of my own. Since I was around 18 years old, I had the vision of becoming a business owner, I just didn’t fully know yet what that would look like. When it came time to build Sandbox Game Lounge, I personally designed the name, logo, branding, graphics, website, and much of the visual identity of the business. I also built and installed much of the signage myself, combining my background in art, design, and hands-on construction to bring the vision to life!

Before opening Sandbox, I spent years working across different industries. I landscaped homes throughout Northeast Ohio, worked in branding and graphic design for local businesses and larger fortune 500 accounts, managed retail stores, worked construction, and learned firsthand how to work under pressure, lead teams, solve problems, and create experiences people remember.

Ironically, one of my earliest jobs was doing children’s birthday parties – costumed entertainment, tying balloons, face painting, and entertaining families. At the time I never imagined that years later birthday parties would once again become a major part of my life, just on a much bigger scale.

At 25 years old, I took a leap of faith and opened Sandbox Game Lounge inside SouthPark Mall. I invested the skills, money, and experience I built from landscaping, retail, art, and entrepreneurship into creating something unique for the community, a place where gaming, creativity, competition, and connection could all come together under one roof.

What started as a simple idea quickly became something much bigger than I expected. 3 years later Sandbox has now hosted hundreds of birthday parties, built a customer base of thousands of families and gamers, optimized VR attractions in house, and become a recognized community presence in the mall. Every inch of the space was designed intentionally and built hands-on through persistence, creativity, and long hours.

Running Sandbox taught me more than business. It taught me leadership, marketing, operations, financial responsibility, community building, and how to stay calm under pressure. It showed me that I’m not just someone who owns a business, I’m someone who loves building things that bring people together.

That mindset eventually led me into financial services and entrepreneurship beyond Sandbox through SW Unlimited LLC, where I began learning more about leadership, scalability, financial education, and helping families think about protection, legacy, and long-term freedom. I didn’t come from wealth or a business family, but I’ve always believed that if you’re willing to learn, work hard, and stay persistent, you can create opportunities for yourself and others.

Today I’m continuing to build, businesses, relationships, experiences, and community. My story is really about growth, taking risks, learning from mentors, and creating something meaningful in the same community that helped shape me.

And honestly, I still feel like I’m just getting started.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but honestly, that’s part of what shaped me as an entrepreneur.

One of the biggest early challenges came before Sandbox even officially opened. My mentor Moe, who had helped inspire and support the vision, became seriously sick during the process. Suddenly I had to figure out how to move forward and open largely on my own. We ended up opening about 15 days later than planned, which meant I had half a month to somehow generate a full month’s worth of revenue just to make rent in the very first month. Thankfully, through long hours, persistence, and community support, we made it happen.

Another challenge has been adapting to the realities of running a modern business. When Sandbox first opened, I didn’t have many systems in place, no website, no automated booking process, no real online marketing structure. I had to learn everything through experience: building a website, running ads, improving social media, understanding analytics, and figuring out how to bring online attention into real-world traffic.

Mall business is also extremely seasonal, so learning how to navigate slower months and changing customer behavior was a huge lesson in adaptability. There were times where I worked incredibly long hours without much backup, handling operations, marketing, customer service, repairs, events, and business decisions all at once.

There have also been smaller challenges that come with any public-facing business , things like theft, equipment failures, unexpected expenses, and moments where plans simply didn’t go the way I expected. But those experiences taught me resilience and forced me to trust myself more as a leader and problem solver.

Looking back, I think the struggles were necessary. They taught me how to stay calm under pressure, think creatively, and continue building even when things felt uncertain. Entrepreneurship has humbled me, but it has also shown me what I’m capable of.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Sandbox Game Lounge is a family-friendly gaming and entertainment venue located inside the SouthPark Mall food court in Strongsville, Ohio, directly next to Cinemark Theater. We’re open 7 days a week and specialize in creating interactive entertainment experiences for gamers, families, birthday parties, and the local community.

Our biggest offering is our private gaming birthday party experience, where groups can reserve the lounge for two-hour events with access to console gaming, VR attractions, lounge seating, and our massive 300-inch gaming theater screen. We also offer walk-in gaming, day passes, VR motion rides, tournaments, and weekend community events including our Sunday chess club.

Sandbox combines elements of a gaming lounge, entertainment venue, and retro game store all in one place. In addition to gaming experiences, we also buy, sell, and trade video games, consoles, accessories, and collectibles across multiple generations of gaming similar to a modern gaming retail shop with a social entertainment atmosphere.

Guests can enjoy PC gaming, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, retro gaming, VR experiences, competitive tournaments, and social events designed for both casual and competitive players. We’ve hosted fighting game tournaments, Smash Bros events, Mario Kart competitions, chess meetups, movie tie-in events, and community gaming nights.

What sets Sandbox apart is the experience itself. The combination of our 300-inch theater gaming screen, immersive VR rides, lounge-style setup, and hands-on community atmosphere creates something people typically can’t find at a traditional arcade or retail store. We wanted to build a place that feels exciting, creative, social, and welcoming to all ages.

One thing I’m especially proud of is that Sandbox has continued growing into its third year of business while building a loyal community and hosting hundreds of events and parties. One memorable milestone was hosting a birthday party for the child of a former Cleveland Browns player, which was a surreal moment that reminded me how far the business has come.

More than anything, I want readers to know that Sandbox is built for everyone, families looking for memorable birthday parties, gamers looking to compete or socialize, collectors looking to buy or trade games, and people simply looking for something fun and different to experience.

Our motto is simple: “Play Without Limits.”

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
A few books and tools have definitely helped shape the way I think about business, creativity, and growth over the years.

Some books that stood out to me are The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker and 77 Ways to Get More Customers by Chris Cardell. Both helped me better understand leadership, systems, marketing, and the importance of making intentional business decisions.

Another book that had a major impact on me was The Purpose Driven Life. I read it before opening my first business, and it helped shape my long-term vision for living a life centered around purpose, relationships, growth, and significance rather than just chasing money.

From a technology standpoint, platforms like Wix and Clover have been huge for helping manage bookings, operations, payments, and customer experience at Sandbox. Adobe Illustrator has also been a major tool for me creatively since branding and design have always been a big part of my background. More recently, tools like ChatGPT have helped me organize ideas, solve problems, and streamline more complicated creative and business tasks.

Beyond tools and books, I think mentorship and surrounding yourself with growth-oriented people has had the biggest impact on me overall. Being involved in entrepreneurship and financial services helped sharpen my mindset around leadership, communication, scalability, and long-term thinking.

I’m always trying to learn, improve, and stay adaptable because both business and technology evolve so quickly.

Pricing:

• Unlimited Gaming Day Pass – $25
• VR Motion Ride Experiences – Starting at $10
• Private Birthday Party Packages – Starting at $299.99 for 2 hours / up to 10 guests
• Buy, Sell, Trade Video Games, Consoles, and Accessories
• Weekend Tournaments, Chess Club, and Community Events

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sandboxgamelounge.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandboxgamelounge/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Sandbox-Game-Lounge-100091635124857/