Describe your FLGS

[dreaded_beast]

I live in Honolulu, Hawaii, the island of Oahu.

Where I live, there are 4 FLGS and 1 used bookstore that I check out for my gaming needs:

Jelly's Games and Books
Cheapo Games and Books
Gecko's Games and Books
Other Realms
Rainbow Books (Used Bookstore)

Jelly's
The largest of the 4 and the only one in the area. The other stores have sister stores throughout the area. This place carries not only gaming needs, but comcis, used books and music. There is a second-story loft that is used for games such as Warhammer, Mechwarrior, and the traditional RPG. Sometimes they offer snacks on the second-loft during game. The staff looks like your "typical" FLGS staff. I don't really talk to them, but they seem "socially adept". The parking lot is small, but you can find parking in a few minutes. I go here the most since it is closest to my house.

Cheapo Games and Books
I believe this is part of a large chain of national stores, but I'm not sure. Anyway, there used to be 2 in the area, but 1 shut down. The only one I know of is by the University of Hawaii. Anyways, I've only been here a few times. The biggest complaint is that parking sucks, in my opinion. Plus it is fairly far from my house. They also have a music section, which is much larger than their gaming section. In fact, I think their gaming section is relatively small when compared with their used book and comic section. I can't comment on the staff since I have been there relatively few times, but they hold "gaming events" every so often.

Gecko's
I used to go hear alot because they used to give a 10% discount on new WotC books that came out. Plus, the owner was very friendly and knowledgable. Parking is metered. The size of the area is relatively small, but they tend to have books in stock that the other stores would run out off. I've only encountered 2 employees, the owner and this other guy who would watch the store when the owner wasn't working. Ironically, the other guy used to be my DM during 2nd edition days. I would say this FLGS is the farthest from my house, but it was worth the 10% discount. There is a second store on the island that I have not been too.

Other Realms
I would say this is the "fanciest" of the stores. It is placed in a "tourist trap" mall, in my opinion. A mall which has all these speciality stores that mainly tourists seem to frequent. Anyway, the interior is very nice, in keeping with the whole "tourist trap" theme. They have a good selection of gaming supplies and comics. However, for some reason the staff rubbed me the wrong way or I could be confusing this place with somewhere else. They hold frequent game days, which is a plus if you are into that sort of thing. Across the way are large confrence rooms where various events are held. As far as I know, this is the only FLGS on Oahu that holds RPGA sanctioned events.

Rainbow Books
Not a gaming store, but it holds a wealth of OOP RPG products for unbeatable prices. You can find things for less than $10-$5 if it is OOP. You can even find some new stuff there if you're lucky for roughly a 30% discount since it is used, but the quality is still excellent. From what I have heard, many military gamers sell their books before they leave the island since they can only bring so much stuff with them. The staff seems OK, but I don't really talk to them. However, it being a used book store, you can try and wheel-and-deal for a discount on large purchases.

There is another FLGS, Last Sanctuary, that opened up a while ago, but I have yet to visit. The manager used to be a director for an acting group I was in. We didn't leave on bad terms, I just haven't gotten around to checking this place out.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I live in downtown Toronto. I visit Grey Regions and Hairy Tarantula on a regular basis.

Grey Regions is open 24 hours per day, and has a raft of computers for people who like to play Counterstrike, the Sims, or what not. Sometimes they even have a computer outside... no, I don't think you can play on it, though

You have to surrender your bag inside, but otherwise they're friendly. The DnD books are in the back, and there's really nothing preventing you from skimming or outright reading the books back there. They've also got D20 and even non-D20 stuff.

They have sales the first Sunday of every month.

Hairy Tarantula requires you to turn off your personal brain microwave when coming inside... no big deal. There's a huge tribble cat that is very friendly. It won't often come to you for petting, but will reward you if you pet it... it's very loud, and will roll over for you.

But I guess you went there for the books. They have bookshelves of books (lots of non-DnD stuff there, too), mangas, videos (oddly enough, it's easier to get a look at the "adult" stuff than the non-adult stuff... the latter is in this weird glass case), trading cards, and even a room in the back where games are occasionally held.

I've gotten lots of deals for them (55% off on a used Spycraft!).

 

[Herpes Cineplex]

Tucson, Arizona, doesn't have any.

Seriously, the last one folded about a year ago when the restaurant next door bought out its storefront so they could expand. Since then, no new gaming stores have arisen. And probably won't, honestly; it didn't seem like a terribly lucrative business even when it was the only one in town.

One of our GMs had a job that required him to commute to Sierra Vista every weekday, where there was apparently a fairly good comic/RPG shop (which had a lot of sales and discounts available) that he could hit on his lunch hour, but now that he's gotten a promotion and a job that's actually in Tucson, that's basically over and done with. From this point forward it looks like all gaming shopping is going to have to be done online, which I guess is okay because it's so much cheaper, but on the other hand, it also means that there'll be no browsing possible except for whatever Borders or Barnes and Noble actually keeps on the shelf.

Kind of sad, really.

--
no more sifting through the dice bins looking for the luckiest d20
ryan

 

[Hand of Evil]

Heros and Dragons - Comic book store mostly, while has games and toys, business is based on the sell of comic and card games (in my mind), games are secondary, which means limited stock of product for the game market but then there is a limited game market.

 

[Bagpuss]

Impact Games, Liverpool

How he stays in business with such a limited selection (one wall of the shop, about as much as I own at home) I don't know, perhaps he survives on D&D miniature sales and trading cards? Still he gets orders in if you are after something, usually within a couple of weeks, but there never seems enough there to catch my attention for an impulse buy.

Forgotten Realms, Liverpool

A comic shop really without one shelf of gaming stuff, it gets the big titles like WotC stuff, Shadowrun and WoD, plus the Wizkids stuff, but thats about it. Never tried ordering with them.

Bounty Hunters, West Kirby

Really limited RPG selection (I have about 10 times as many books in my house), but stocks Wizkids and occasionally D&D Miniatures. I asked about getting more D&D Miniatures but he said he didn't intend to as the paint jobs weren't very good (this was around Harbinger), I've only been back a couple of times but I did see some Dragoneye so he must have change his mind.

 

[Jaws]

Milwaukee area game stores

We have quite a few in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. My favorite is Fortress Games. They will order anything if they don't have it in stock. They just started a Loyalty program. The more you spend there, the more you will save. They have rpg's, ccg's, comics, miniatures, and whatever your geek in you needs. I know the owner on a first name basis because he used to work with a friend of mine. They have a big game room in back. They are truly a friendly local game store. They give out raffle tickets with every purchase. You can win some cool stuff. I haven't won yet but I keep forgeting to see if my numbers won. You can also win seperately through your Loyalty card if you have one.

Next up is Adventures Games Plus. It was the place to go for me before Fortress Games opened. I still go there sometimes as it has a bigger selection in store. You can get a discount when you buy $100 worth of goods. The discount depends on how quickly you spend that amount. It it mostly rpg and miniature wargaming. It has ccg and other stuff as well. It is a good store. The staff is friendly and knows the products it carries. They have a gaming area downstairs but I have never seen it.

The latest one to open up is Game Universe. You guys should know them as the owners of RPGMall.com, RPGNow.com, and RPGShop. It is clean, organized, and friendly. Because they have an online store, they have most things in stock. If it wasn't across town for me, I would visit more often. They don't have much room for gaming so that is a strike against them and no discount when you go in-store. The bonus they have is if you are interested in a pdf they have at RPGNow, chances are they will have a print version available to browse through. This is how I got Poison Craft: The Dark Art.

There are other places in Milwaukee. Napoleon's is on the east side and is mostly for wargaming. I haven't been there in years.

Those are the ones that I know of and are truly gaming stores.


Peace and smiles

j.

 

[Gnarlo]

Tyche's Games : A nice little shop essentially in a corner of the UGA campus, about the size of a single wide trailer. Good selection of games, both d20 and non, nice collection of anime vids and miniatures; ran by Sean Holland who is quite knowledgeable about games and stuff having a number of writing and testing credits with AEG and others, has a card or minis game going on in the store just about every other time I'm in there, is always happy to special order, and plays cool music

 

[Bagpuss]

I almost forgot.

http://www.rpgnow.com - Is my main FLGS now days. Fast service, great customer service. Loads of stock, one draw back is there is so much stock it can be hard to just browse. I impluse buy there all the time.

 

[Sir Elton]

Out of Business.

 

[Chingerspy]

Leisure Games, London is my local within 10 minutes of home.

They have a wall and a bookshelf dedicated to RPGs and this is overflowing!!
The back of the store is mostly Warhammer and other figures
Opposite the RPG wall is the boxed game wall with all the decent baord games you could want. In between these walls is a double sided bookshelf. One side is dedicated to RPG related novels, the other side is dedicated to small games such as cheapass, non collectable card games and Steve Jackson boxed games.
The very back of the shop is an admin area, something they were lacking in the old shop over the road. They really needed this area for their mail/online orders! I'll visit once a month at least.

Orcs Nest, London, I have to be in the West End for this as the St. Albans store closed many many years ago. Its a great shop with most D&D stuff downstairs and most other games upstairs. They also hold novels and figures. I don't get down there much thesedays. They also mail/online order.

Krackers, Taunton
I visit here everytime I go to visit my mate who moved to Taunton a couple of years ago. He has a tiny bookshelf dedicated to RPGs and usually only stocks the newest books, or ones he can't sell yet! He also carries some Steve Jackson boxed games in a narrow bookshelf. The rest of the shop is kinda divided with Warhammer on one side and comics on the other. He has a nice glass rotating display with warhammer figs on by the window.