The Battlebox Video Games was built through community

Nearly 10 years after opening its doors in the Uptown neighborhood of Milwaukee, The Battlebox Video Games has become one of the city’s most enduring independent gaming and collectibles stores.

Co-owner Bryant Wilcox has turned a lifelong passion for gaming into a community hub where collectors, families and casual players all feel welcome.

Located at 5431 W. Lisbon Ave., the store started as a small game development studio but quickly grew into a retail space. Wilcox runs this family-owned business with his wife, Joyce Wilcox, and their son, Bryant Adams, a Milwaukee firefighter. Over the years, its focus has shifted from building games to building community.

“I’d rather have 100 supporters than 1,000 customers,” Wilcox said.

Wilcox’s love of gaming started in grade school, when trading cards and consoles filled his backpack.

“My backpack was a smaller version of this place. I’ve always been buying, selling and trading games,” Wilcox said.

The store operates out of a former pawn shop, a location Wilcox said drew him to Milwaukee’s Uptown neighborhood. The building’s reinforced construction provides added security for high-value inventory, including vintage games, consoles and collectibles.

“This place is a fortress,” Wilcox said. “I can sleep better knowing my inventory is secure.”

As national video game chains have closed locations across Milwaukee, The Battlebox Video Games on the city’s North Side has remained viable by prioritizing trust over volume. 

Wilcox said independence has always been central to the business model.

“I didn’t feel like giant corporations should be in charge of my hobby,” he said. “I’m small, but I’m durable.”

That approach proved critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because the store already operated using a call ahead system, Wilcox was able to continue transactions while limiting capacity. He also distributed masks and hand sanitizer to community members who needed it.

Today, products are sold both in-store and online through platforms such as Whatnot, Mercari and eBay.

Beyond retail, the business has become a resource for local students. Wilcox runs an honor roll incentive program that rewards students with store credit for academic achievement, an effort he said is meant to encourage long-term thinking.

“If kids can learn how to save here, even a little bit, that carries over into life,” he said.

The shop hosts youth-focused activities and gaming-related events through its adjacent lounge.

After nearly a decade in Uptown, The Battlebox Video Games stands as a space sustained by passion and community support.

“I want us to be loved, needed and supported by the community,” Wilcox said. “That’s how a place like this lasts.”

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Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.

This article first appeared on Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.