Trading video games: For Andrew Zoller, it started as a hobby, a quick way to make some money in college.

"It was kind of just a thing to make cash," said Zoller.

After graduating from Dakota Westleyan University in South Dakota - he had majored in human services and communications - Zoller came back to Bismarck and began working on the business in his grandparents' basement.

"I didn't really see anything in my career field," he said. He wanted to see if he could make money at something he loved to do, and do it in Bismarck, so he set a six-month trial period for himself.

And the business began to grow.

He enlisted the help of longtime friend Eric Walth; Walth had graduated from the same university with a degree in business administration, having majored in management and finance; he seemed to be the perfect fit.

Five years later, that cash-making hobby turned into three successful retail stores called Rock 30, which buy, sell and trade video games, consoles, DVDs and CDs, as well as sell disc golf equipment on the side, with a fourth store on the way.

Five years later, Zoller was receiving the "Entrepreneur of the Year" award from the Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce.

"He's very passionate about what he does," said Sally Paulson with the chamber. "Although he's young, he's just very grounded, and has a really good business sense about it."

"Passionate" can easily describe Zoller, but it's also how he describes his team: "They've been key to our success," he said.

After working out of his grandparents' basement for a year and half, Zoller and Walth decided to make the move to an actual bricks-and-mortar retail store on Bell Street. Within another year and half, they set their sights on opening a store in Jamestown, too.

What makes this story a little more tricky is that Zoller, Walth and Rock 30 couldn't get financing early on for the venture; they couldn't even get a small, $5,000 loan, Zoller said.

So the lease, the equipment and any additional overhead were "pay as we go," Walth said.

"We did that 'pay as you go' strategy," Walth said. "The good thing about having that sort of approach is that you don't overstep your resources. You're not going to go into a huge amount of debt, because, well, the banks won't let you."

Soon after opening the store in Jamestown, they found a "rock star employee" to run it, Walth said.

Around November 2005, they were able to move into the larger space on State Street, giving them more exposure and more room to work. That quadrupled their lease, Walth said, but it was worth it.

Now they have a store in Grand Forks, and will open one in Dickinson in about a month. And, about a year ago, they were able to get their first loan, which went toward a computer databasing and networking system that linked all of the stores.

Ultimately, they'd like to have a warehouse and repair space; all repairs go to the Bismarck store, and each store holds their own inventory in a back room.

And truly, Walth said the end goal is to be the premier retailer of this type in the region. They're taking it store by store, step by step, setting goals and meeting them.

Neither thought what was first a hobby would turn into a four-store venture.

"I'm surprised that it happened so quickly," Zoller said.

Walth said he didn't think he would get so involved, but said it's truly what he's passionate about.

Paulson, with the chamber, said this year's award had three nominees; she personally nominated Zoller after hearing him talk about his story at one of the chamber's roundtable discussions.

"As we were talking, he was telling a little more about his business, how he started and the trials and tribulations he went through …" Paulson said. "It was kind of one of those stories that really stuck with me."

(Reach reporter Crystal R. Reid at 250-8261 or at crystal.reid@bismarcktribune.com.)