nerfherder
Explorer
Yes, there are 2 on the same street in Newcastle - a Forbidden Planet and a Travelling Man.
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Do you have an FLGS?
- Thread starter Morrus
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Grogg of the North
Adventurer
Sort of?
The place in question focuses mainly on comics and the like but it does have an RPG, mostly D&D and Pathfinder, and CCG section and runs a Friday Night Magic thing regularly.
I was disappointed a while back when I asked if they had a bulletin board or anything that I could leave a LFG sheet on and was told to try contacting the local university's gaming club instead.
The place in question focuses mainly on comics and the like but it does have an RPG, mostly D&D and Pathfinder, and CCG section and runs a Friday Night Magic thing regularly.
I was disappointed a while back when I asked if they had a bulletin board or anything that I could leave a LFG sheet on and was told to try contacting the local university's gaming club instead.
I technically have access to one in the Anchorage area, but the reality seems to be that it's more focused on CCG's. 5E games were shoehorned into some weird Thursday afternoon timeslot that is probably only useful to high school kids. I would give anything for the hobby store monopoly up here to break.
SwivSnapshot
First Post
A close friend of mine owns my FLGS- Planet Chaos in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin- that's a 15 minute drive from home. There are another 2 or 3 within a 30 minute drive, and 3 more in a 45 minute drive.
I've heard that Wisconsin has the highest per capita number of game stores in the US, so I consider myself lucky.
I've heard that Wisconsin has the highest per capita number of game stores in the US, so I consider myself lucky.
We do have a local game shop but it focuses 90% on TCGs (like Magic), Boardgames, Card Games (like Munchkin), Warhammer, etc. Their RPG section is 2 small wracks in the back corner with a horrible selection. Mostly 5E and Pathfinder but a new player would be hard pressed to find the basics needed to play. Other games are a mere smattering at best and seemingly completely random choices other than a Fate Core book, a few of the new Shadowrun releases and 1-2 copies of some of the bigger competitors like 13th Age and Fantasy AGE, oh and 1 lone copy of Mouseguard.
Yes, many within 30 miles of my house here in Tampa, Florida. A combination of "card & video games only" and "RPGs + miniatures + board games + card games" FLGS; I have an "off from work" store about 25 mins away (Armada Games) and a "right next to work" store about 15 mins away (Critical Hit Games). I bounce between both as time (and budget) allows. 
CydKnight
Explorer
I have two. One I would call friendly and one I would call semi-friendly.
I play two to three times a week at the privately owned friendly gaming store. It absolutely caters to Table Top Role Play Games (TTRPG) and the owner can occasionally be seen playing with other frequenters. All games are promoted and scheduled through Meetup.com and there are typically a dozen or more D&D games a week in addition to other regular games. You can also come in off the street and if they have a table open you can play what you want for $2. There is also a wide variety of board games which you can check out and play along with many accessories for just about any of the popular TTRPG's.
I have been inside the semi-friendly gaming store twice. It seems to cater more to on site video games for younger kids (under 12?). They have a small laser tag arena, several consoles set up with old and new game systems. They also carry a few board games and some TTRPG items but nothing like the friendly store in that regard. You can play TTRPG there but they do not go out of their way to promote or schedule any regular, open table gaming as the friendly store does.
I play two to three times a week at the privately owned friendly gaming store. It absolutely caters to Table Top Role Play Games (TTRPG) and the owner can occasionally be seen playing with other frequenters. All games are promoted and scheduled through Meetup.com and there are typically a dozen or more D&D games a week in addition to other regular games. You can also come in off the street and if they have a table open you can play what you want for $2. There is also a wide variety of board games which you can check out and play along with many accessories for just about any of the popular TTRPG's.
I have been inside the semi-friendly gaming store twice. It seems to cater more to on site video games for younger kids (under 12?). They have a small laser tag arena, several consoles set up with old and new game systems. They also carry a few board games and some TTRPG items but nothing like the friendly store in that regard. You can play TTRPG there but they do not go out of their way to promote or schedule any regular, open table gaming as the friendly store does.
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This is my FLGS as well.
I've had several thanks to my time in the army, but The Sentry Box is special. The first time I walked in the front door I was gobsmacked - utterly blown away by the sheer vastness of the space and its contents. Add to that the ever-helpful staff and it will always be the standard by which I judge game stores.
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
I have to say I'm surprised that a place the size of Southampton (that's where you are, right?) doesn't have a dedicated RPG/CCG shop.
So I suppose you'll just have to swing down to Portsmouth (yay Pompey!
) and try here: https://www.afistfulofdice.co.uk/shop(disclaimer: I don't know these guys from anything, but it's the most promising hit that came up when I googled gaming shops in Portsmouth)
Lan-"though hatched and raised here in Canada I can claim Portsmouth heritage from my father, who was born there"-efan
LordEntrails
Hero
It's really interesting, it's not the size of the place that drives the number of stores.
Phoenix metro area, ~5th largest city in the US, with about 4.5 million people, only has 2 TTRPG (or close to it) shops. There are lots of comic shops, video and game stores. But every few years I go and look for a real FLGS, I can only find Imperial Outpost and one other (which seems to come and go every few years, currently a Games Workshop store).
Based on what others have said in there areas, I would expect ~10 FLGSs, but not the case. And I don't know why.
LordEntrails
Hero
Maybe, but we also have brutal summers that keep people inside. Though we do have a relatively low population density (Phoenix suburban area is 50?? miles in diameter.)
Perhaps there is a cultural attitude? More online purchasers? More online players? Less community and more isolated groups? I don't know. I find it interesting though.
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
How big and-or dominant is Imperial Outpost?
I ask because a similar situation exists in Vancouver, a fairly big city in which there's really only one noteworthy FLGS: Imperial Hobbies. It's big enough and diverse enough that anything else really can't compete, though some have tried. I think but am not sure a similar situation exists in Calgary, where the Sentry Box dominates.
Here in Victoria, about 1/10 the size of Vancouver, we have several places: Curious Comics x 2 (though they've recently slashed back their gaming line), Skyhaven Games, Yellowjacket (best MtG place ever, also has a bit of RPG stuff); and Vorpal Gnome for used and-or old-school.
Vancouver, though, does have one most excellent thing that most of us (sadly) don't: a gaming-themed pub called the Stormcrow Tavern.
Lan-"this world needs more pubs like the Stormcrow"-efan
LordEntrails
Hero
I don't think that's it. It is a pretty big place, two store fronts, so about 60 feet wide and 50 deep? And it's really not much more than a bunch of tables, some with war game terrain and then some card displays and book shelves around the edges. And, last time I went they did not charge for table space or time. They do have a reasonable selection, TTRPG, CCG, War games, etc and even something of a snack bar. But it amazes me they stay open quite honestly.
Those 4.5 million people are spread out and Imp Outpost is probably an hour drive for at least half of them (more in rush hour), it's not centrally located. There used to be another place across town from IO that was big and well known, but it closed ~10 years ago.
Silver Moon
Adventurer
Yes, despite being in a small New Hampshire town of 10,000, we have our own FLGS. It is named "Pop Culture" and the focus is gaming. They have multiple games every night, the primary ones being Pathfinder and Magic the Gathering.
Ath-kethin
Elder Thing
I have a couple; one is a comic shop that carries minis and RPG stuff and hosts the weekly AL game I play in. The other is a dedicated game store, though it caters mostly to wargamers, but it has tables up for grabs and that's where we play when I'm RUNNING the game. Both of those stores are <10 minutes from my house.
There are at least a few more within a half hour to an hour away. One is a gigantic "your whole childhood from the late 70s and 80s on sale" store, which is also a comic shop but is just gigantic. They have a decent RPG section and a smaller room with gaming tables. Another is a wargaming-focused store that carries RPG stuff too. There are probably more.
This isn't even counting chain stores in the mall that Avery RPG stuff. And oh yeah, there's another game store - mostly board games but has a decent stock of RPG stuff - about half an hour away in the other direction.
There are at least a few more within a half hour to an hour away. One is a gigantic "your whole childhood from the late 70s and 80s on sale" store, which is also a comic shop but is just gigantic. They have a decent RPG section and a smaller room with gaming tables. Another is a wargaming-focused store that carries RPG stuff too. There are probably more.
This isn't even counting chain stores in the mall that Avery RPG stuff. And oh yeah, there's another game store - mostly board games but has a decent stock of RPG stuff - about half an hour away in the other direction.
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Badvoc
Explorer
Beanie Games in Stockton-on-Tees probably qualifies as my nearest FLGS. It's a great place for all day gaming sessions on a weekend - lots of available table space as well of food and drink available. Like most places, it's predominantly a boardgame & CCG store, but has a respectable shelf of RPG books for sale and seems to have a few regular RPG groups in attendance.
Over in Seattle, USA we've got a ton. Most are gastropub and board game combo stores though.
Ray gun lounge with pinball machines and beer, Mox boarding house with two locations, Games and Gizmo's (now attached as part of a private club Vern and Wells) and a few comic stores with games as well.
I think we've got it pretty good over here
Ray gun lounge with pinball machines and beer, Mox boarding house with two locations, Games and Gizmo's (now attached as part of a private club Vern and Wells) and a few comic stores with games as well.
I think we've got it pretty good over here
Sword of Spirit
Legend
I seem to be seeing quite a difference of opinion on what constitutes a store with a good RPG selection. The only one I've seen that fits the bill in decades (not that I've done a lot of looking) is Guardian Games in Portland. (Granted, it has an extremely good selection rather than just "good".) But a couple of shelves isn't a good selection to me. My hometown in the US Midwest used to have one with a good selection in the 90s. This is before CCGs dominated everything, and before boardgames invaded gaming stores. It really does feel like RPGs have been pushed to the side in the stores. Oddly, the amount of wargaming products available doesn't seem to have taken the same hit as RPGs.
Mox is okay. I wouldn't really say they have a good selection (unless the second location has more). I'd say it's a decent sampler. The atmosphere there seems pretty cool though. I asked about the area over on another thread a little while ago.
Over in Seattle, USA we've got a ton. Most are gastropub and board game combo stores though.
Ray gun lounge with pinball machines and beer, Mox boarding house with two locations, Games and Gizmo's (now attached as part of a private club Vern and Wells) and a few comic stores with games as well.
I think we've got it pretty good over here
Mox is okay. I wouldn't really say they have a good selection (unless the second location has more). I'd say it's a decent sampler. The atmosphere there seems pretty cool though. I asked about the area over on another thread a little while ago.
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