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I needed an excuse to get out of the house so as not to be in the way this weekend citing home repairs. I mapped out the three ‘Friendly Local Game Stores’ an hour from my front steps in southern New Jersey USA and went on tour.
The first was about 5 minutes away, a little thing called Ron’s Comic World. It’s pretty small but did have part of the store devoted to tabletop gaming (either RPGS or Card Games). It’s about 75% comics and 25% gaming…or, rather 4e. It had shelves lined with every 4e item from the launch last year right up to Monster Manual minis, but not a glint of any other RPG at all. Decent folk there, but hardly worldly on games. A classic comic shop dabbling in gaming.
The second was about 20 minutes away: All Things Fun, and it rocked. They had a tournament of sorts on and there had to have been 50 folks in their tabletop area playing games. It’s about 25% comics, 50% games, and 25% “all things fun” (like toys). It was very neat and clean. Despite the chaos, the owner took time to talk with me. He was very knowledgeable and energetic. Very well stocked, 4e naturally, and a surprise sampling of other RPG core books and supplements as well, and plenty of Paizo’s Gamemastery items like map packs and cards (but no Pathfinder books yet). To me, this is more of what a FLGS should be. They made sure to remind me of Free RPG day and to come and run something.
Last was one about 45 minutes away, The Gamers’ Realm. Back in the late 90’s into early 2000’s this was my hangout of choice before I moved. And, before it came under new management and went right down the tubes that is. I had a list of horror stories to share before I stopped going over five years ago, and they haven’t changed a bit. Despite the place looking nearly condemned (and a classy pile of garbage on the sidewalk outside; see the pic) the place was dark and gloomy. It is 100% games, and had a pitiful sampling of 4e, plenty of Paizo’s Gamemastery maps and cards (but again no books) and shelves and shelves of stuff like 3e 3rd party books, 2e boxed sets and board games from the past 20 years. There was a gaming section in the back that was dark and empty.
And that concluded my visitation. I have to hand it to All Things Fun, they are a legit, actual “FLGS” alive and well right here in 2009. Unlike the other places, they’re participating in worldwide D&D game day, free RPG day and host weekly tournaments like card games and Star Wars minis. Hat’s off to them!
Have any game stores you'd recommend or warn folks away from in your area?
-DM Jeff
Last edited by DM_Jeff; 8th June 2009 at 09:53 PM..
I mapped out the three ‘Friendly Local Game Stores’ an hour from my front steps in southern New Jersey USA and went on tour.
Wow, I didn't know South Jersey had any significant gaming stores. I have done the tour of game stores in the nearby areas of surrounding states (PA & MD...as I said, I didn't know of any in South Jersey). I knew a number of gamers from the Pennsville, Carney's Point area and they always had to travel across the bridge to Delaware for their gaming fix.
I am glad to say that my local stores stack up very well with any I had visited. In fact, the first store that held up well was down in Norfolk. I admit, I did miss the Compleat Strategist, but only because I couldn't find it while in King of Prussia.
__________________ David A. Blizzard
"The only constant I am sure of is this accelerating rate of change" - Downside Up by Peter Gabriel
Last edited by Glyfair; 9th June 2009 at 01:15 AM..
The Compleat Strategist in King of Prussia is well worth the effort of locating -- they are probably the best store in the area in terms of what they have in stock in the store. I used to make the trip out there every 2 or 3 months for just that reason.
But if we are talking about South Jersey, another store well worth checking out is Ye Olde Hobby Store, which is now located in Cinnaminson across Route 130 from the Acme. They have a D&D 4E game every Friday evening, other RPGs on Saturdays, and a variety of war games the rest of the week. For people who live in or near Philadelphia, it is a much shorter drive than any of the other game stores mentioned so far in this thread.
By any chance is Ye Olde Hobby Store the old Gamers Realm 2 location?
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I have done the tour of game stores in the nearby areas of surrounding states (PA & MD...as I said, I didn't know of any in South Jersey).
How's Legends Comics and Games in Towson? I'm about to move and I think that's the closest gaming store -- there's a comics store in a stripmall that's closer, but it's light on non-4e stuff.
How's Legends Comics and Games in Towson? I'm about to move and I think that's the closest gaming store -- there's a comics store in a stripmall that's closer, but it's light on non-4e stuff.
As I'm moving to Towson, MD in August, I'm really hard up for any game store recommendations. Please, please post if you know any good ones!
As for my localities (Dale City to Richmond, VA), there are there are three that I recommend patronizing and several that I don't feel strongly enough to recommend one way or the other.
The first is Game Parlor in Dale City, VA. Although the folks attending the counter don't always live up to it, this is the most professionally run game store I've ever been. Large, well-lit, and clean. On the inventory side of things, the store is incredibly well stocked, keeping Hardbacks for virtuall every game system I've heard of. In addition to 4e stuff, I've been able to buy the new PARANOIA book and the new edition of Baron Munchausen. Their board game stock is even better. On the downside, there are no discounts, so one may experience sticker shock after buying books cheaper elsewhere. Still, this brick-and-mortar gaming Amazon is well worth the trip.
Did I mention that not only to they have 30 or so game tables, but also a separate roleplaying room in the back?
The second is Game Vault in Fredericksburg, VA. This store is unfortunately not as clean as Game Parlor, and is not as well stocked, but has several features that make it my favorite of the three. The first is hours. While Game Parlor closes every day at 9 p.m. sharp, Game Vault will regularly stay open past midnight to acommodate customers. One time they stayed open an hour late on a weekday just so I could drive up from Richmond and buy a board game. Also, Game Vault offers discounts on special orders, discounts to customers who have spent a certain threshhold of money (200 and 500 dollars), and occasionally has roll-a-d20-and-get-that-percent-off-days. Game Vault also has a well-stocked game library from hich anyone can just walk up and use. Finally, Game Vault has incredibly cheap snacks and offers regular customers a small tab payable at the end of the month. Customer Service is something they take really seriously here, and I think it shows.
Finally there One Eyed Jacques at Richmond, VA. This store offers such steep discounts (40-60%) discounts on products at their ebay store that I feel like a sucker buying things anywhere else. The store maintain decent stock on mainstream current RPGs like GURPS, WoD, and D&D. They have good minis selection. This is the smallest of the three, and consequently there isn't as much play space, and it is often monopolized by long-established groups of grognard magic and D&D players.
__________________ Some easy tips for speeding up 4E combat:
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2) Subtract 2 from each defense of all monsters and increase all damage die sizes by one. If the die is already a d12, simply add +2 to their damage.
How far are willing to drive? A friend has recommended I go to a place in Fairlawn but I just haven't had a chance.
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How's Legends Comics and Games in Towson? I'm about to move and I think that's the closest gaming store -- there's a comics store in a stripmall that's closer, but it's light on non-4e stuff.
Never been there. Mostly because the last time I was in Towson (besides passing by on 95) was when Origins was there.
__________________ David A. Blizzard
"The only constant I am sure of is this accelerating rate of change" - Downside Up by Peter Gabriel
Last edited by Glyfair; 10th June 2009 at 12:45 AM..
Wow, I almost forget how blessed I am here in the Twin Cities metro. I used to be across the street from the biggest store (The Source Comics & Games in Falcon Heights) but also have Monster Den (South Minneapolis), Dreamers (St. Louis Park), Misty Mountain Games North (Burnsville, original store in Madison, WI), Village Games (Anoka) & Unicorn Games (Maplewood). Phoenix Games (South Minneapolis & Burnsville) and Red Dragon Games (Apple Valley) closed in past years for various reasons (Phoenix went online-only).
There is also CedarCliff Collectibles (Eagan) for single miniatures and older RPG stuff.
Our FLGS, All Fun N' Games, here in Cary/Apex NC is really awesome. They just expanded the game room, have RPG stuff for 4e, from Paizo and Goodman, have some older 3e stock (admittedly not much) and they have lots of gaming going on. I've been there on a typical open RPG night and seen 4-6 tables going on at once. They also have LFR games like twice a week.
Really great store. I haven't had a good FLGS in a long time and I am glad I moved near one.
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Books currently in play: Dungeon & Dragon Magazine (*Scales of War AP*), WOTC 4e Core and Supplemental books
Current Campaign: Scales of War - Lost Mines of Karak -- Kodirgo, Minotaur Barbarian 6; Vondal, Dwarf Cleric 6; Karithul, Gnome Bard 6; Marshaun, Elf Druid 6
How's Legends Comics and Games in Towson? I'm about to move and I think that's the closest gaming store -- there's a comics store in a stripmall that's closer, but it's light on non-4e stuff.
Thanlis, where are you moving to? It might be a bit of a hike for you, but Renaissance Games in Fallston is a great store that I frequently visit and buy from. Hell, I'm running a game there right now. Same goes for you Poetic Justice. Fallston might be a bit of a hike if you don't have transportation, but with a car, you'd be golden.
I've only been in Legends once, but it really didn't impress me, I don't recall them having a massive amount of RPG stuff and it was really dark. But this was a couple of years back and may have changed by now, so YMMV.
I grew up in Jersey. In the town right next to the one All Things Fun is in. The store sprang up just a few years ago, when I was living in Philly, but I still shopped there a lot. The owners are really cool people, and the store has a nice atmosphere.
Theres another comic shop right down the street called Stormwatch. It has (had?) gaming stuff but not a ton. The owner of that place was a really cool guy too... Apparently he and the ATF owners were friends... which always amused me. How do you open a competing store a block away from your friend's store and still remain friends?
I used to shop at Gamer's realm back when they had a second store in Pennsauken. Classic "dingy" gamestore. But it did have a huge selection.
I live near Game Kastle in San Jose, California. It's pretty good. You can see from their home page that they are running games constantly -- the session I DM'd last week was photographed and put on their home page... although they filed it under D&D 4th edition when I was actually running a 3.5 session. But anyway, their collection of games is varied, and their book collection is pretty good. They still have a shelf of D&D 3.5 edition books, with some Swords & Sorcery d20 stuff and lots of Gygax books (Book of Names, and maybe 10 others). They stock battle mats, board games like Apples to Apples, tons of minis including a bin of D&D minis that they broke out of the booster packs and sell individually, and a couple of cardboard boxes filled with modules. I haven't known many game stores to sell boatloads of modules -- it seems like they sell core books and a token few modules. However, these guys have modules from obscure 3rd parties, including a few that look like they were mimeographed. I kinda want to just walk in the door and shout, "$200 for the whole damn box!" and see if I can take 'em all.
I live near Game Kastle in San Jose, California. It's pretty good. You can see from their home page that they are running games constantly -- the session I DM'd last week was photographed and put on their home page... although they filed it under D&D 4th edition when I was actually running a 3.5 session. But anyway, their collection of games is varied, and their book collection is pretty good. They still have a shelf of D&D 3.5 edition books, with some Swords & Sorcery d20 stuff and lots of Gygax books (Book of Names, and maybe 10 others). They stock battle mats, board games like Apples to Apples, tons of minis including a bin of D&D minis that they broke out of the booster packs and sell individually, and a couple of cardboard boxes filled with modules. I haven't known many game stores to sell boatloads of modules -- it seems like they sell core books and a token few modules. However, these guys have modules from obscure 3rd parties, including a few that look like they were mimeographed. I kinda want to just walk in the door and shout, "$200 for the whole damn box!" and see if I can take 'em all.
I saw that place while headed to the airport a few weeks back. On the way home, my wife saw my interest and said we should stop, since we won't be down in san jose anytime soon again... I was too tired from the plane ride / 5 hour suckfest in the airport to stop though, so I just kept driving home.
Thanlis, where are you moving to? It might be a bit of a hike for you, but Renaissance Games in Fallston is a great store that I frequently visit and buy from. Hell, I'm running a game there right now. Same goes for you Poetic Justice. Fallston might be a bit of a hike if you don't have transportation, but with a car, you'd be golden.
I'm gonna be in Cockeysville, so right up the road from Towson. But Fallston doesn't look like much of a trek.
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