People in Central New York interested in buying high-quality billiard tables — as well as table tennis, shuffleboard, foosball, air hockey and dome hockey tables — recently were able to get a taste of some of the finest choices on the market at a retailer booth at the Syracuse Home and Garden Show in mid-March. The event was not a one-time local visit from a national retailer, however, but rather the “coming out” of a newly enlarged, locally owned business that has relocated its operations to Route 13 in the town of Cazenovia.
Games, Grills, Etc., owned by Scott Grimm, of Erieville, is the exclusive U.S. distributor for Cornilleau table tennis products, a partner with Olhausen Games premier indoor gaming tables and a distributor of Memphis Grills and other pellet grills — all of which have been available online but have lacked a presence in Central New York.
The advent of the company’s new location, which officially opened March 18 in Cazenovia, is, Grimm believes, the opportunity for CNY residents to see and experience top quality recreation tables that have previously been limited to website viewing.
“We’re not trying to build a commercial retailer on Route 13,” Grimm said. “What we want is to give Olhausen a presence in Central New York, maybe even the Adirondacks. We want to provide an outlet for people who want it.”
Grimm, a former Information Technology businessman, started his original business, Total Table Tennis, in 2003 when he purchased the company from the previous owner in California. It was a strictly online business at the time.
“I always loved table tennis, and I could work from home [in Erieville],” he said of his start 11 years ago. “It really worked out well … but everyone said I was crazy.”
In 2005, Grimm started selling Cornilleau table tennis products and began importing his own inventory in 2007 and business began booming. In 2011, he became the exclusive U.S. distributor for Cornilleau.
Part of Grimm’s business plan was to get involved with a leading billiard manufacturer to distribute table tennis products through their dealer network. He partnered with Olhausen Billiards, the manufacturer of the finest billiard tables in the U.S., which shortly thereafter began to develop and manufacture a line of shuffleboard, foosball, air hockey and dome hockey tables
The next step in Grimm’s business evolution decided to become a pellet grill dealer and only offer the best brands. He selected Memphis Grills as his premier brand, offering units that are a combination barbecue, smoker and convection oven that use pellets of different wood species such as, hickory, mesquite, pecan, apple and cherry.
With all of his retail products in place, Grimm’s most recent business advance was the purchase of the former Sunderman Plumbing and Heating property on Rippleton Road. The barn has been converted into a warehouse and the lower level of the main house is used for offices and a showroom.
Games-Grills-Etc.com will go online this spring, but, after the business’ introduction at the Syracuse Home and Garden Show March 13 to 16, the new showroom for Central New York customers opened on March 18.
“We’re a regional showroom with a national website,” he said. “We want people to come in and play and try the products out. I believe in these products and really just want to make them available to this area.”
For more information, call 877-688-7487 or go online to games-grills-etc.com or totaltbletennis.com. Games-grills-etc., also has a display currently in the Cazenovia chamber of commerce window on Albany Street.
Jason Emerson is editor of the Cazenovia Republican. He can be reached at [email protected].
