We had the good fortune of connecting with Laurence Gagnon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laurence, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My purpose with NYC Tekken originally was simple: I wanted people to play offline Tekken with and didn’t see that space already existing. So I started running them myself. Over time it grew into what it is today, but the goal has always remained the same: Give our local community a space to play Tekken offline together with the lowest barrier to entry possible.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The freedom running my own events provides is really what I love. I’m not beholden to any sponsor or company and can experiment with new formats, productions, and concepts. I’ve worked with so many people who just love fighting games as much as I do and want to create amazing experiences.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Kinokuniya for manga shopping, Chinatown, Clockwork Bar, Prospect Park. Next Level, BrookLAN, Brooklyn Arcade.

In a city like New York, letting yourself get alittle lost is one of the best ways to explore.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There have been alot of people along the way who have supported me. Early on, notable competitors like Blood Hawk, Spero Gin, and NYC Fab gave me credibility when I was very new the scene, providing feedback, advice and support. Haya at iFixMachine arcade gave us our first home. Later on Henry Cen and Next Level Arcade opened there doors when we needed a new venue to host our events, and Victor ‘ Spooky’ Fontanez for providing a stream and platform for us to grow into. There’s so many more people that I’d be here all day naming them all.

Twitter: @NYCTekken/@HelstNYC

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/NewYorkCityTekkenCommunity

Image Credits
Dstyles Media House

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