Aim and

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Brad Reynolds takes

Aim & Game meant for families, really

Opening of this shop fulfills a fun hope Dusty Manderson had for Lynden

By Elizabeth Kayser elizabeth@lyndentribune.com

LYNDEN — Dusty Manderson and his wife Rebecca like to do date nights with their kids. Manderson really enjoyed paintball and wanted to try an easier and painfree version with his two oldest kids for one of those date nights. He and his wife set up a Nerf gun area in their basement, with makeshift bunkers. They played mom and dad versus the kids. Man derson said he was expecting the adults to win, but was sur prised when the kids did.

That’s when he realized Nerf gun competitions were really meant for families.

“I just loved how every one can play,” he said. He also liked how parents can be in volved without having to bring down their skill level.

Manderson used to pro fessionally compete in paintball competitions. He learned that getting hit by a paintball hurts and it can be expensive. Paintballing is also an all-day activity, which for families

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doesn’t work so well.

So last summer Mander son decided to open up Nerf’s Up, a Nerf competition facility, on the outskirts of Lynden for his kids to have an option to play with the family and their friends. They also added oldschool arcade games.

Then Manderson sold his landscaping company, which he had owned for 12 years, to devote his time to Nerf’s Up. He wanted to expand the new business more, and so looked for a bigger location. Out of various Whatcom County sites considered, he settled on 211 Grover St. in Lynden.

“We wanted Lynden be cause it’s our community,” Manderson said.

He also said Lynden has limited options for kids’ birth day party locations and other indoor activities for families.

He also believes a Nerf competition is a great way for team-building for companies. When he owned the landscap ing business, he tried to do different team-building activities.

If he had taken his whole crew to paintball, however, it would end up being a very expensive outing. Nerf is a whole lot more affordable. He said it ends up being less competitive because of the mindset going into a Nerf competition as well, which helps with the team-building. “We aren’t just a kids’ place,” he said. Nerf competi tions are a way for socializing to not be awkward, he said.

With the change in build ing came a new name for Manderson’s business — Aim & Game. The Nerf gun competi tions and arcade games are kept, and Xbox competition is added in.

Manderson said e-sports, or competitive video games, are sweeping the nation as the next big socially competitive thing. He likes the idea of kids in the community having a place where they can get their start in e-sports.

Aim & Game has done some Xbox competitions, like Call of Duty and Halo, and plans to do more. It is set up as

Dusty Manderson wants his Aim & Game business in Lynden to be for family fun. (Elizabeth Kayser/Lynden Tribune)

a single-elimination bracket system of eight teams of four players. A Fortnite competi tion is planned for March 20. In the observation area of the building, a television is set up so people can watch what the

players are doing.

“Xbox is only going to get bigger,” Manderson said. “So we’re jumping on the train early.”

See Aim & Game on page 10

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Aim & Game has also added dodgeball and, as the weather gets better, will add outdoor chess. Right now, Manderson explained, dodge ball doesn’t work for drop-in; it will have to be done in the form of leagues.

Manderson said he loves that his new business is not a copy of anything else and he gets to really think outside of the box. “It’s also the hardest part, but the funnest,” he said. Ultimately, though, the best part of his job is that it’s so family- and communityoriented.

“I love the fact that my kids can get dropped off here and they jump into something they enjoy,” Manderson said. “It’s a family-based business.” He gave the example of his daughter enjoying organizing and counting the tokens while his son enjoys the gaming as

pect.

They want every kid in the community to be able to check out Aim & Game. Man derson said he has started to bring “Golden Tickets” to lo cal schools for students to get in for free during the week. So far, he has passed out tickets to two schools and will do more, but wants to space them out.

Aim & Game is truly a place for families, Manderson emphasizes. Parents don’t need to drop off their kids and just let their kids play — they can all stay and participate. “Parents can have a blast, too,” Manderson said.

One thing he wasn’t able to do much of in the landscap ing company was to give as much as he would have liked back to the community. Aim & Game gives him the chance to donate to auctions and chari ties. He said anytime someone comes in asking, he is willing to give out passes to help them out.

Here are some tips for those

An area in the building is set up for playing the games that Aim & Game supplies. (Elizabeth Kayser/Lynden Tribune)

wanting to check out Aim & Game:

• Younger than 10, try to use the regular Nerf guns with the traditional darts.

• Older than 10, use the Nerf guns with the balls.

• You can bring your own Nerf guns and the ammo will be provided.

• Make sure you wear socks.

• This place is foodfriendly, so you can bring in what you like. Also, nearby Westside Pizza and Muddy Waters will walk orders over for you.

• All equipment, includ ing guns and masks, is cleaned between uses.

• Feel free to make a sug gestion about an improvement.

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You Might As Well Have the Best!

Who’s Who in the role of general greeter at Porchlight Property Management in downtown Lynden? Meet Baker, the active and alert Red Boxer dog of business owner and designated broker Mitzi Baldwin. Baker might be warming himself in the storefront window or he may welcome someone coming in the door. Baldwin, background right, and assistant property manager Marlae Stanovich tend to take a back seat to Baker, and that’s okay, they said. This business was started about 10 years ago and has been at 519 Front St. for about a year. (Calvin Bratt/Lynden Tribune)