Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores Revenue Benchmarks
The average hobby, toy, and game stores business in the United States generates $3.5M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 4,744 hobby, toy, and game stores businesses in the U.S., employing 102,022 workers with an average profit margin of 4.0%.
What Does a Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores Business Actually Do?
Retailers selling toys, games, hobby supplies, and collectibles. Include chains (Barnes & Noble games) and specialty (LGS, hobby shops, comic stores).
Who buys: Gift buyers (huge Q4), hobbyists, gamers, collectors.
Average Revenue
$3.5M
per year
Profit Margin
4.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$163K
per year
Total Businesses
4,744
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$140K
small business avg
Labor Cost
14.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
N/A
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
1.4
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores Charge?
Hobby, toy, and game stores mark up 40–100% and rely on seasonal Q4 (30–40% of annual sales).
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Toys/games markup | 40–75% |
Trading card packs markup | 30–50% |
Model kits/hobby markup | 50–100% |
In-store gaming events (fee) | $5–25 per player |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete hobby, toy, and game stores business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a hobby, toy, and game stores business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the hobby, toy, and game stores industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost of goods sold | $61 | $2.2M | Wholesale cost of merchandise purchased for resale. Retail's biggest expense. |
Wages & benefits | $14 | $490K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $8 | $287K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $144K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $8 | $287K | Utilities, POS fees, shrinkage, insurance, store maintenance. |
Net profit | $4 | $140K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
8.7%
openings/year
Closure Rate
7.58%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+0.54%
annual
Businesses Closed
1,944
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores Business?
Startup Cost
$75K – $400K
Break-Even
20 months
5-Year Survival Rate
48.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a hobby, toy, and game stores business do?
- Retailers selling toys, games, hobby supplies, and collectibles. Include chains (Barnes & Noble games) and specialty (LGS, hobby shops, comic stores). Gift buyers (huge Q4), hobbyists, gamers, collectors.
- How much do hobby, toy, and game stores charge?
- Hobby, toy, and game stores mark up 40–100% and rely on seasonal Q4 (30–40% of annual sales). See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average hobby, toy, and game stores make per year?
- The average hobby, toy, and game stores business generates $3.5M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $140K per year at a 4.0% profit margin.
- How many hobby, toy, and game stores businesses are there in the US?
- There are 4,744 hobby, toy, and game stores businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 102,022 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a hobby, toy, and game stores business?
- Startup costs for a hobby, toy, and game stores business typically range from $75K to $400K, with a 5-year survival rate of 48.0%.
Industry Growth & Survival
The hobby, toy, and game stores industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of 0.5%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 8.7% and 7.6% respectively.
Approximately 67% of hobby, toy, and game stores businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 1,944 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The hobby, toy, and game stores industry has declined 21% since 2000 (from 29,539 to 23,199 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores revenue with other industries: