Philadelphia geek destinations

[jesse.colegoldberg]

Hello all,
I will be visiting Philadelphia soon and was looking for any favorite local game or book stores, or any musts for a geek enthusiast. I have been to the Mutter Museum, in all its splendor, and was looking for any suggestions.
Thanks in advance,
Jesse

 

[Rackhir]

Hello all,
I will be visiting Philadelphia soon and was looking for any favorite local game or book stores, or any musts for a geek enthusiast. I have been to the Mutter Museum, in all its splendor, and was looking for any suggestions.
Thanks in advance,
Jesse

Unfortunately Philly is currently devoid of gaming stores. Some of the comic shops carry stuff, but nobody's really covering the hobby. There is a branch of the Complete Strategist Hobby shop up in King of Prussia, if you don't have a car, the 125 Bus takes you right by it.

Fat Jack's just up from 20th st on Samson St, is a local comic store institution.

South Street from about 10th st down to about 2nd st has a fair number of odd shops and such. There was an excellent action figure store there, but they closed a couple of years ago.

IIRC, the Art Museum (of Rocky fame) has an excellent arms and Armor collection. But my memory could be incorrect on this score.

There's a number of locations that were in "12 Monkeys". The Airport interiors at the end of the movie were actually in the convention center, for example. I can give more examples if that sort of thing is of interest to you.

The SS United States, the US's flag ship from the era of the trans-atlantic ship travel, is tied up down on the waterfront slowly decaying. It could hit 40 knots, which is faster than just about any kind of ship today.

Admiral Perry's flagship the Olympia from the Spanish American war is also down at the waterfront. Across the river in Camden is one of the Iowa Class Battleships, the New Jersey.

 

[Walt C]

If you have a car, there's a great bookstore in Claymont, Delaware that has an excellent RPG section.

http://www.betweenbooks.com/

It's about a half hour drive from Center City (it's only about 15 minutes from the Airport). I'm pretty sure SEPTA has a train that stops in Claymont as well.

Walt

 

[Glyfair]

If you have a car, there's a great bookstore in Claymont, Delaware that has an excellent RPG section.

http://www.betweenbooks.com/

It's about a half hour drive from Center City (it's only about 15 minutes from the Airport). I'm pretty sure SEPTA has a train that stops in Claymont as well.

I recommend this well, as a regular. Their gaming selection is haphazard, but has lots of older stuff as well as the new. The science fiction and fantasy selection is huge.

If you are looking for gaming stuff, and Between Books is on your route, I'd recommend a trip about 20 minutes down I95 to the Days of Knights. Wider new game selection (with a different emphasis, though), better gaming space, and a more gaming focus. I frequent both stores on a regular basis.

I did a tour a couple of years ago of gaming locations around Northern Delaware, and the PA selection just wasn't too exciting.

 

[Wik]

Hunh. Were I in Philly, I'd be trying to catch a playoff game while I still had the chance. Though, I think that ship has sailed already.

 

[Parlan]

Is there still the Star Wars Exhibit at the Ben Franklin Institute? That might be worthwhile.

 

[Glyfair]

Is there still the Star Wars Exhibit at the Ben Franklin Institute? That might be worthwhile.

Closed last weekend.

 

[HandofMystra]

Unfortunately Philly is currently devoid of gaming stores. Some of the comic shops carry stuff, but nobody's really covering the hobby. There is a branch of the Complete Strategist Hobby shop up in King of Prussia, if you don't have a car, the 125 Bus takes you right by it.

Yo, bro! What Philly you talkin' about? Allied Hobbies is at 9475 Roosevelt Blvd (cross street Grant). I am playing D&D there on Saturday. Of course if you look at their web site, you will not find any mention of RPGs (*Sigh*). I live in West Philadelphia (A neighborhood of Philly). The closest gaming store to my part of town is Roundtable games. 515 Fayette Street
Conshohocken, PA 19428: http://www.roundtable-games.com/.
The best geek action in the Saturday Capture the Flag game 1-4, Saturdays in Clark Park (conveniently located a block from my house). The trick is that players get play-safe foam weapons and duel each other rather than tag. It is very youth oriented but I play, when I can (and I am a baby boomer)

 

[Mallus]

IIRC, the Art Museum (of Rocky fame) has an excellent arms and Armor collection. But my memory could be incorrect on this score.

It does.

If you go, you should pay particular attention to the dates on the the more elaborate suits of plate armor and the lovingly-detailed early firearms. And by 'if' I mean when; the Philadelphia Art Museum is a must-see. The building itself is a work of art. In fact, I'm taking my visiting mom there this week.

And while it isn't especially geeky --or perhaps it has its own unique breed of geek aficionado-- Cirque Du Soleil is in town. I hear some people like that...

 

[Mallus]

The closest gaming store to my part of town is Roundtable games. 515 Fayette Street.Conshohocken, PA 19428:http://www.roundtable-games.com/.

That's probably no more than 5 minutes from my office --on Ye Olde Germantown Pike-- and I didn't know it existed. Thanks!

The best geek action in the Saturday Capture the Flag game 1-4, Saturdays in Clark Park (conveniently located a block from my house). The trick is that players get play-safe foam weapons and duel each other rather than tag. It is very youth oriented but I play, when I can (and I am a baby boomer)

So that's what all the nerf-armed kids are doing in Clark Park. My wife and I couldn't figure that out. We also live near the park in University City, which is the marketing ploy part of West Philadelphia.