Community-minded game store owner named Oregon Small Business Person of the Year
Learn how a neighborhood game shop turned hardship into community strength.
Find out how Red Castle Games builds connection – and wins statewide recognition.
Red Castle Games owner Matthew Mičetić talks with U.S. Small Business Administration officials Bryan Zulko, District Director, and Matthew Schmidt, Deputy District Director, during the awards presentation held at his Foster Road store.
By David F. Ashton
A little earlier this summer, on June 15, a familiar S.E. Foster Road merchant received national attention when Red Castle Games owner Matthew Mičetić received the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2026 Oregon Small Business Person of the Year award.
Matthew Mičetić – owner of Red Castle Games – holds his Small Business Person of the Year award, while standing with two U.S. Small Business Administration officials – Bryan Zulko, District Director, and Matthew Schmidt, Deputy District Director — during the presentation at the Foster Road store.
Mičetić opened Red Castle Games in 2010 as a small neighborhood shop in Southeast Portland’s Mt. Scott-Arleta neighborhood. Over sixteen years, the store evolved into a regional destination for tabletop gaming – drawing families, hobbyists, and competitive players from across the metro area.
This national honor recognized more than his sales success. Federal officials pointed to the shop’s resilience through a series of blows – from the COVID-19 shutdowns and shifting retail habits, to the 10 break-ins over twenty months that caused more than $250,000 in losses and damage – as reported in East Portland News. [CLICK HERE to see our stories about these crimes.]
Instead of giving up and closing the store, Mičetić kept investing in his business and its patrons. He expanded his inventory and upgraded his Foster Road location in 2020.
Red Castle now organizes numerous events. “If we ask the community to stand with us, we do have to keep showing up for them,” Mičetić reflected, describing each expansion as “another way to make more room at the table.”
Matthew Mičetić, owner of Red Castle Games, shows off his “Small Business Person of the Year” award, while standing with the presenting U.S. Small Business Administration officials – Bryan Zulko, District Director, and Matthew Schmidt, Deputy District Director.
Mičetić remarked that this award belongs as much to his customers, staff, and volunteers as to himself, emphasizing that the store’s success grows out of community support. He also pointed to the value of “in-person gaming in a screen-dominated world” – describing Red Castle Games as a place where people build friendships, learn new skills, and always feel welcome.
The SBA’s “Small Business Person of the Year” program highlights owners who combine growth and innovation with community service – a role Red Castle Games now officially occupies in Southeast Portland.
Red Castle Games: 7160 SE Foster Road, 97206; www.redcastlegames.com.
Images provided by Matt Lippay
© 2026 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
