This thread inspired me to take my own tour.
Recently learning that Reveal lives nearby I invited him along. He posted
Tony and Dave's FLGS Tour about it.
The Game Shoppe, the first stop. I was looking forward to introducing him to Norm, the proprietor. It turned out I didn't need to, they were old gaming buddies who had fallen out of touch. What a small world. The store is clean and comfortable with a large playing area and a growing selection of RPG's. It's an all around game store, from Euro board games to Warhammer 40k to D&D and BRP. Most of the stores have a similar selection. The staff are bright and friendly and big gaming enthusiasts. I game there a lot. They are hosting a free rpg day event this very weekend. I think thier focus is on wargames and board games, but they are growing into RPG's more and more.
Ground Zero Bellevue is a venerable old game shop. I've probably spent more time gaming in that store than anywhere else. I grew up gaming there, in fact. Years ago they used to be right close to where 'The Game Shoppe' is now and I started gaming at that location in the early 80's. There used to be a balcony in back where the gaming was, now long since cordoned off, what I would do to run a game up there just one more time. The store is full of hidden secrets and gems, as an example, In a nondescript box stuffed high on a shelf is a collection of lead mini's and ancient dice, dice filled in with crayon. A D&D game from way back, just set aside waiting for when those kids, all grown up, come back and finally finish off that dragon. I love that store. You'll never get an unbiased opinion about it from me. I game there a bunch too.
Ground Zero Omaha the Bellevue store's sister store, was next. Right under a tatoo parlor and a pizza joint. Is there anything more cliche? It's a great store run by huge rpg enthusiasts with a large gaming area. It caters to regular gamers, right down to the lockers on the back wall. Don't worry though, they are very inviting to new folks. They are hosting free rpg day and a local con's game day this Saturday. I game there when I can.
Dragons Lair Omaha is one of the oldest stores in Omaha. It really shows in the deep collection of rpgs available. They really have quite a lot, stuff I thought I'd never see in a store. I sometimes wonder how they can do it. The gaming area seems to be always busy, even if a bit small. It's distance from where I lived as a kid meant it was always a kind of myth to me. A far off place of treasure that I would plunder, some day. It's been at it's current location, I think, since it opened in 1975.
Next was
Krypton Comics. They moved and I lost track of them. Reveal showed me where they were. To me they were always a comic shop with games a distant second, no RPG's. So I was shocked to discover a shelf of RPGS. Mostly D&D with one or two exceptions, still, it's a start, and it counts. I think they might be hosting free rpg day, you should check before going. They did have a very small gaming area, there were gamers there rolling dice, Mechwarrior clix I think.
Dragons Lair Millard followed. It's like a modern, shiny new version of it's parent store. A little smaller, with a smaller collection of RPG's, and a game area that somehow seems bigger. The employees seem to work both stores, and I sometimes wonder if there isn't some secret portal in back between the two.
And last, but not least is
Coliseum Gaming. It's a neat little place with a gaming area covering over half the store. They have a bit of everything, from card games, to board games, to rpgs, to mini games. I seem to run into somebody else I know that works there every time I go in. Folks I had no idea worked there. I'm still mulling over that one. Will I walk in one time and find myself behind the counter?
There are two other stores that we didn't visit. Capes in Benson and Bit Kingdom in Ralston. We couldn't find Bit Kingdom, though I have since, and we didn't really have time to go to Capes. There are also a few other stores that have recently closed doors. Ten Penny in Bellvue, Anarchy comics in the old market, and Phantac off of 108th and Q. Unfortunately I never ever visited Anarchy comics.
