Flatus Maximus
First Post
Seconded!
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The VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Tell me about your favorite game store
- Thread starter goodmangames
- Start date
Seconded!
ExploderWizard
Hero
. . .. the game vault .. . .
The Game Vault in Fredericksburg VA is my go-to place. Not only is there plenty of table space for gaming but the store will stay open till the game is finished.
There are good shops in Northern VA too, but this one is 5 min from my house.
The Game Vault in Fredericksburg VA is my go-to place. Not only is there plenty of table space for gaming but the store will stay open till the game is finished.
There are good shops in Northern VA too, but this one is 5 min from my house.
Wulf Ratbane
Adventurer
And I'll point out that 4 out of 5 of us who've chimed in aren't currently even able to shop at Games Plus, have access to local game stores, and still consider it the best.
Badwe
First Post
Adding to the Ohio list of good gaming stores (on top of warzone):
Ever since I was 10 years old I had been frequenting Mr. Cards & Comics on the east side of Cleveland, OH. The owner is a friendly guy, and a shrewd businessman. The store is positively tiny, but he manages to pack as many magic-bearing tables into the tiny store as possible. Rather than pushing pure MSRP for magic packs onto anyone who walked in, the owner would often cut your price down to "box level" for as little as 5-10 packs bought at once. If he knew you for a long time, you could get that deal at 2 packs. He also was an expert at finding 8 people and talking them into a draft. Obviously it was in his interest to do so since he'd make a buck, but he helps a lot of shy, unsociable nerds organize themselves and group up with strangers.
A more recent discovery of mine is Underhill's Games in cuyahoga falls, Ohio. Their bread and butter is the top 40 off of boardgamegeek.com, but they also dutifully support pathfinder and 4e, as well as carrying most of the major or new collectible franchises (WoW TCG, Magic, Monsterpocalypse, etc.). They have been my outlet for all of the D&D gameday events i've attended, they're starting to host LFR RPGA days more often, and people organizing local cons often come to advertise the existing of their cons. I'd never been to a con before frequenting that game store because they all seemed so far away and intimidating, but this has since changed. Interestingly that's not even the store's main thrust. They host a few different boardgaming events, bimonthly, and at some events food is provided along with demos of brand-spanking new games (that day has a small fee, but if you try out enough games you get part of your fee back in store credit.)
Speaking of demos and store credit: Underhill's handles both quite intelligently. No matter what day you come in, they have a pile of store-copy boardgames available to try out if you're curious about buying. And when you do buy, any purchase over 25$ (and what boardgame or RPG book isn't?) you get 10% in store credit. This isn't some piddly coupon though, their store credit are delightful wooden poker chips, custom made with the underhill log on them. They have shrewdly predicted that i am often conflicted between cashing in and building a larger pile of specialty coins for me to stack and un-stack.
Ever since I was 10 years old I had been frequenting Mr. Cards & Comics on the east side of Cleveland, OH. The owner is a friendly guy, and a shrewd businessman. The store is positively tiny, but he manages to pack as many magic-bearing tables into the tiny store as possible. Rather than pushing pure MSRP for magic packs onto anyone who walked in, the owner would often cut your price down to "box level" for as little as 5-10 packs bought at once. If he knew you for a long time, you could get that deal at 2 packs. He also was an expert at finding 8 people and talking them into a draft. Obviously it was in his interest to do so since he'd make a buck, but he helps a lot of shy, unsociable nerds organize themselves and group up with strangers.
A more recent discovery of mine is Underhill's Games in cuyahoga falls, Ohio. Their bread and butter is the top 40 off of boardgamegeek.com, but they also dutifully support pathfinder and 4e, as well as carrying most of the major or new collectible franchises (WoW TCG, Magic, Monsterpocalypse, etc.). They have been my outlet for all of the D&D gameday events i've attended, they're starting to host LFR RPGA days more often, and people organizing local cons often come to advertise the existing of their cons. I'd never been to a con before frequenting that game store because they all seemed so far away and intimidating, but this has since changed. Interestingly that's not even the store's main thrust. They host a few different boardgaming events, bimonthly, and at some events food is provided along with demos of brand-spanking new games (that day has a small fee, but if you try out enough games you get part of your fee back in store credit.)
Speaking of demos and store credit: Underhill's handles both quite intelligently. No matter what day you come in, they have a pile of store-copy boardgames available to try out if you're curious about buying. And when you do buy, any purchase over 25$ (and what boardgame or RPG book isn't?) you get 10% in store credit. This isn't some piddly coupon though, their store credit are delightful wooden poker chips, custom made with the underhill log on them. They have shrewdly predicted that i am often conflicted between cashing in and building a larger pile of specialty coins for me to stack and un-stack.
Vyvyan Basterd
Adventurer
I have to agree that Games Plus is the best. Even though GP is over an hour away AND a long-time friend of mine owns a hobby store that I could easily walk to, there is no denying that the staff of Games Plus makes it the best store by actively promoting the hobby. Any game store looking to stay in business would benefit from the business model GP has put together.
Montague68
First Post
You might think that the only gaming store for 350 miles would be a run-down take-it-or-leave-it place. Not so with The Comic Shop in Fairbanks, AK.
They have huge shelves filled with books and accessories from just about every publisher big and small. Plus loads of comics-graphic novels, anime, boardgames, Magic: The Gathering, Pokemon, and a really impressive Warhammer 40k section. Best of all is all RPG's are 10% off and the owner gives really good deals on volume purchases. Honestly though if you live in the area and are the least bit geeky you already know about it.
From back home in Ohio I'd give an honorable mention to Kenmore Cards & Comics in Akron. Extensive selection of games and geekery, but kinda cramped and a lot of the stock was aging and that was 5 years ago, so no idea how it is today.
They have huge shelves filled with books and accessories from just about every publisher big and small. Plus loads of comics-graphic novels, anime, boardgames, Magic: The Gathering, Pokemon, and a really impressive Warhammer 40k section. Best of all is all RPG's are 10% off and the owner gives really good deals on volume purchases. Honestly though if you live in the area and are the least bit geeky you already know about it.
From back home in Ohio I'd give an honorable mention to Kenmore Cards & Comics in Akron. Extensive selection of games and geekery, but kinda cramped and a lot of the stock was aging and that was 5 years ago, so no idea how it is today.
MichaelSomething
Legend
The Games Keep is my FLGS. It's a great place to hang out and stuff.
Even if you can't be there in person, why not browse through its Amazon marketplace? If you can't beat'em, join'em!
Even if you can't be there in person, why not browse through its Amazon marketplace? If you can't beat'em, join'em!
It's hard for me to name a "favorite" here in the Twin Cities.
"The Source Games & Comics" is the biggest, and I used to live across the street. Nice selection and good staff.
"The Monster Den" is South Minneapolis is different from The Source. It and "Dreamers" in Saint Louis Park are owned by the same guy, Jason, who treated skirmishers very, very well. The Den has much of its space dedicated to gaming, including console games, and isn't as heavy on product. Dreamers is a smaller space.
"Village Games" in Anoka is fun and moved from it's cool, old Post Office location to an also cool building by the river. Carl and Dan are good guys. Dan makes great terrain. The have a good selection of board games too.
"Outpost 2000" has two locations, one not far from where I live now and the older location in Brooklyn Park. Jeff, Colleen and crew are very friendly too.
"Unicorn Games" in Oakdale is also a friendly store in a small-to-medium space. I'm forgetting the owner's name at the moment (Jeff?), but he's a very nice guy and has always treated gamers well.
"Misty Mountain Games North" in Burnsville has HUGE amounts of gaming space. The parent store is in Madison, WI and I was treated very well on my two trips in there.
Speaking of Madison, Pegasus Games on Odana Road was my stomping grounds while I lived there. The State Street store is closed now, I think.
Gone, but not forgotten:
When I was at UW Milwaukee, Napolean Games in Shorewood was home. It was a short walk from campus and had tons of cool stuff from miniature war gaming stuff and killer chess sets to RPGS. Just a great store.
My first FLGS was "The Next Generation" in La Crosse, WI. It, and my RA sophmore year at UW La Crosse, opened my eyes to the amazing world of gaming beyond the curiosities and interst I had in my childhood.
"The Source Games & Comics" is the biggest, and I used to live across the street. Nice selection and good staff.
"The Monster Den" is South Minneapolis is different from The Source. It and "Dreamers" in Saint Louis Park are owned by the same guy, Jason, who treated skirmishers very, very well. The Den has much of its space dedicated to gaming, including console games, and isn't as heavy on product. Dreamers is a smaller space.
"Village Games" in Anoka is fun and moved from it's cool, old Post Office location to an also cool building by the river. Carl and Dan are good guys. Dan makes great terrain. The have a good selection of board games too.
"Outpost 2000" has two locations, one not far from where I live now and the older location in Brooklyn Park. Jeff, Colleen and crew are very friendly too.
"Unicorn Games" in Oakdale is also a friendly store in a small-to-medium space. I'm forgetting the owner's name at the moment (Jeff?), but he's a very nice guy and has always treated gamers well.
"Misty Mountain Games North" in Burnsville has HUGE amounts of gaming space. The parent store is in Madison, WI and I was treated very well on my two trips in there.
Speaking of Madison, Pegasus Games on Odana Road was my stomping grounds while I lived there. The State Street store is closed now, I think.
Gone, but not forgotten:
When I was at UW Milwaukee, Napolean Games in Shorewood was home. It was a short walk from campus and had tons of cool stuff from miniature war gaming stuff and killer chess sets to RPGS. Just a great store.
My first FLGS was "The Next Generation" in La Crosse, WI. It, and my RA sophmore year at UW La Crosse, opened my eyes to the amazing world of gaming beyond the curiosities and interst I had in my childhood.
Joshua Randall
Legend
Yeah, I overlooked that one. I guess I don't think of it so much as a "game store" but more as a "Magic: the Gathering" store. Of course, MtG is a game, so....
There are lots of amusing stories about Mr. Cards' owner. He is quite a character.
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