Founded in 2003 by Wissam Merhi, who began selling games out of a Sunoco gas station, the Game Headz franchise has made waves in southeast Michigan with five locations in major Detroit suburbs.  Merhi has surrounded himself with fellow avid gamers and hopes to expand by 10 franchises in the next two years as his business continues to grow.

DEARBORN – With so many large electronics chain stores and corner game shops out there, it’s no secret that breaking into the video game retail industry is a difficult task.

But for 29-year-old Wissam Merhi, an avid gamer and the owner and founder of the burgeoning Michigan-based Game Headz chain, breaking into the business came naturally. 

It all began at a Highland Park, Michigan Sunoco gas station where Merhi worked, using his gaming expertise and knowledge of the local customer base to keep the games flying off the shelves. The first store, a 3,000-square foot location, opened in Melvindale in 2003 after Merhi had saved up through long hours selling games and working behind the counter at the station. 

Now, Merhi is the owner of five stores in Michigan in the cities of Highland Park, Melvindale, Dearborn, Inkster, and the newest location in Livonia, which opened earlier this year. 

Merhi is not shy about opening his Game Headz locations directly across from or in the vicinity of the big boys on the block like Best Buy and Gamestop, unafraid of competition and believing firmly in his mission to cater to both serious and casual gamers.

“In this business, everything is not standard, it’s not like you’re making the same burger every time,” he said. “You have to know the business because new games come out every single week…inventory management is huge and I was a big gamer before I got into this so I feel I had an advantage over every other business owner.”

Merhi calls the video game retail business “recession proof” because of the entertainment value customers receive and the growing consumer base that is starting to include more women and older adults.

Game Headz founder Wissam Merhi (L), Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly and Wissam’s wife Lola Elzein-Merhi at the Dearborn grand opening last fall. PHOTOS: Nafeh AbuNab/American Elite Studios

“Every year, it’s getting better and better,” he said. “Games are a great value because a new one can last you two to three months instead of paying 20-30 dollars for a day at the movies.” 

Subsequently, the company has kept an eye on expansion as it continues to add new franchisees.

Mike Davis, who runs the Dearborn store, which opened in Fall 2010, is excited about the company’s prospects for gaining market share in the area.

“I think Game Headz has a very strong future, we have a secure foothold here with great franchise support,” he said. 

“The reason I do so well is because I have Wissam on my team, he has ten years of experience and he helps me with everything from managing employees to customer service; it’s all great.” 

Merhi hired Davis in part because of his knowledge and his own affinity for gaming.

“Michael was the best candidate, he is a die-hard gamer who loved video games and wanted to open up a business, he left a big company and paid a big franchise fee to join us,” Merhi said. 

The store maintains personal relationhips with customers and recommends games while offering other perks such as a pledge to beat competitors’ prices and a wide selection of retro games and systems ranging from the original Nintendo and Sega Saturn all the way back to the Atari 2600. Gamers can also try out full versions of the latest titles on big-screen plasma TVs before buying instead of just demos like many other places offer. 

Merhi also travels to expos such as the popular E3 in Los Angeles to scope out the latest games, systems and industry trends. 

It wasn’t easy, but Merhi has now developed a model that works and he’s excited to see how far he can take it.

“It was a risk when I went from a corner store in a gas station to the 3,000-square foot location,” he said. “It was a big challenge to me. I worked very, very long hours with no other employees and many many mistakes, but I learned from them and it all worked out in the end.” 

Merhi is hoping to expand the business by another 10 stores in the next two years, and franchising opportunities are available by contacting him at 313.995.5376 or by visiting the company Web site at www.gogameheadz.com.