A Dearth of Game Stores?

[doc]

From what I've been picking up by reading the threads, there are a lot of people who don't have a gaming store near their home. I'm just wondering how far out of their way most people on this site have to go to get their gaming fix.

It seems that most RPGs are sold in stores that actually cater to comics/anime/paintball/weapons/etc. Personally I have seen very few establishments that sell only games. In my neck of the woods I have three comic/rpg shops all within close proximity to each other (with two of them being literally less than a minute away from each other), but only a single place that sells nothing but gaming (The Adventure Game Store in Davie, FL. Formerly Dragon's Lair, which is my personal FLGS).

So what is the farthest distance that any of us have to travel to get our game on? The shortest distance? I'm curious as to just how many game stores are actually out there.

Doc

[Finarvyn]

I guess I'm lucky in that I have 3 game stores "nearby"; which is to say 30-40 minutes from my house. On the other hand, a decade ago that number was more like 10.

[geoffrey]

Where I live there is a rather crappy game store, with no used section. There's no reason for me to go there.

About an hour's drive away is a store that has lots of junk in it, but a pretty good used section. From time to time I go there and dig through the used stuff. More often than not, I get skunked. But sometimes I get some gems--like The Dragon #20 I snagged for $2. ;D

[driver]

I live in the capital city of my state, and there are no gaming stores other than the mall hobby shop, which can be considered a gaming store only because it hosts CCG events. My old college town, Morgantown (WVU), still has a comic shop that I know of, but the old FLGS at which I used to occasionally work has closed. I don't know if any actual gaming shops have sprung up to fill the gap.

I make my gaming purchases online. I'd be happy to support a FLGS if it stocked anything in which I'm interested, but I like older editions of the games I still mess with (D&D and WFRP 1e). I pick up new Harn items occasionally, but there's never been a shop in this state that stocked Harn.

I drive over to the nearest college town, Huntington, about an hour away, to play Magic because the competition and prize support there is much better than here in Charleston, but I'm not playing Magic much right now.

Other than as a source of potential players, I don't have much use for a brick-and-mortar shop, and I've given up on finding anyone IRL who's interested in the sort of gaming I like. My interests are fairly "niche" at this point. Even people who started gaming back when I did are generally an edition or two ahead of where I want to be. So even if there were a FLGS, I don't know what I'd do there.

[philotomy]

My closest game store is about 20 minutes away. However, the closest one that carries used and out-of-print material is about 45 minutes away. The best one I've seen in a while (Central Command in San Antonio) is almost 4 hours away.

[oldgamergeek]

A cool new shop opened last year in my home town they have good help , if it's not in stock they will order it 1-2 week turn around usually .

[calithena]

All the evidence I've seen on this suggests that 1/3 to 2/3 of the gaming stores in the US have died in the last five years.

[philotomy]

While I doubt my patronage (or lack of it) has had a major impact, I don't find that most brick-and-mortar game stores have much to offer me, these days. I'm not into collectible card games or collectible mini games. I'm not playing the current editions of the major role-playing games, so I'm mostly interested in used/out-of-print material, which means the Internet is my best friend, for buying RPG material. I like combat sims/wargames and board games, but I can get better information on Boardgamegeek.com, and better pricing from any number of online retailers. Heck, even finding other gamers in your local area is easily done on the Internet (and in general, I tend to make friends, first, and then turn them on to gaming, rather than finding existing gamers for my group).

Even for someone playing the current editions of the major RPGs, I can see how a brick-and-mortar store isn't necessarily the go-to place for hearing about and purchasing gaming material.

[Stonegiant]

I have to drive about 40 - 50 miles to get to one of the two games stores in Jacksonville, FL. One is just games while the other is games and comics (Wardogs and Borderlands games & comics). Both have nice staff and I have never had a problem with rude or troublesome customers. We had a couple of local stores but none of them lasted for more than a couple of years.

[coffee]

The very first game store I ever went to was the Little Tin Soldier, on Lake Street, in Minneapolis. I doubt if it was later than 82 when I first went there (was it really that long ago?)

Times change, things change, the store became Phoenix Games. Then last summer they closed. At least, as a brick and mortar store; they still had a web presence.

But, this winter at a game convention, I found out that they had re-opened. Neil, the owner, just really needed a place where he could have gamers come in and play or buy stuff or just talk.

It's a small store, but it's a game store.

I also have another game store (which as someone above commented caters mostly toward the CCG players) quite close, but there's not much for me there.

And then there's the biggest and best locally, The Source Comics and Games. It's at least a half hour from me (and that's on the freeway), but they have a lot there.

I guess I'm lucky, compared to what I'm hearing here. You guys have my sympathies.


But still my best source for older material is used book stores, especially Half Price Books.

[jjarvis]

I have three stores within striking distance: in town - Myriad Games, Salem NH.
30 minutes away- The comic Shop, Nashua NH, it has a game collection as big as many game stores. 45minutesto and Hour away- Three Trolls- Billerica Mass, great store just a little too far away for regular purchases.


My favorite was shut down over the past year or two, because of a dispute with lthe andlord, he wanted more rent, they couldn't and wouldn't pay it. He raised rent anyway and kicked them out. The jerk still hasn't rented the space to anyone else.

[makofan]

One block from where I work is a game store - has all the Euro games, plus Descent, Runebound, Dungeon Twister etc, plus all the Warhammer stuff, plus all the D&D 3rd edition+ stuff.

[redpriest]

There's a game store about 10 minutes away from my house, and as long as I want Warhammer, WoTC or WW, then I'm set. There's a smattering of other stuff, but what I want usually has to be ordered, so I'd just as soon do it myself on-line.

Little Wars is just about 80 miles up the road in Baton Rouge, and it used to be quite good. It's been many years since I've been, so maybe it's time for a looksee.

[brumbar]

I have a Chapters bookstore 5 minutes from my house that has some of the new rpg gaming material. The is a hobby and game store about 10 minutes away from there that has some of the older stuff (all new no used stuff), some board games but mostly warhammer type stuff and lots of the card (yugio, magic, etc.)

Back when I was getting into d&d (late 70's) it seemed like you could get the stuff everywhere. The was a bike shop that had a bunch of it in the backroom, a variety store on the way to school and a couple of gaming stores in the downtown area. They have all closed now and I have not seen much to replace it other than what I noted above.

[ffilz]

Right now, I'm pretty lucky. My closest gaming store is about 2 miles from home. Before I got engaged, I visited it once or twice a week on the way home from work.

I'm not quite sure how many gaming stores there are in my metro area (Portland Oregon), but there are two others I used to visit regularly, and one other that I hadn't visited before being engaged but now visit once every few months or so. Our local independent bookstore (Powells) has a nice gaming section at the two locations we frequent.

Of the stores I label gaming stores:
1 is also a model cars & airplanes hobby store
1 has a small comics section
1 also caters to computer and console games
1 also caters to puzzles, wide selection of board games, poker, and disc golf (this is the store closest to me, and the most "neat and clean)

All four host gaming (CCGs (the hobby store one perhaps not much CCG), miniatures, and varying amounts of RPG)

That last one is the only one that doesn't have a used game section, though they do have a used game auction every once in a while. Once, after the auction, they had unsold items out on a table for purchase. I picked up the 1st boxed set of the Greyhawk campaign setting, in it was a copy of Gods, Demi-Gods, and Heroes. The 3rd store currently has a copy of OCE for sale ($200).

Frank

[Rhuvein]

My local gaming store is not very friendly and seemed unwilling to special order things, so I haven't gone there in years.

The mall which is further away has a gaming store where the workers are friendly, so whenever I'm there I'll pick up minis to paint.

So about 99% of my shopping is online. And so it's convenient and I save loads of money.

[Deleted]

The only (2) stores in my area are both mainly comic book stores. POP! Comics & Games in Sarasota, FL. is about a 30 min. drive, & A&R Comics in Bradenton, FL. is about the same.

The problem is that: (a) POP! only carries Warhammer & WotC D&D--in fact, the new owner has said that he is converting his store into a straight-up comic book & CCG store when they move in the summer, no more gaming material (not even dice). In his words "Gaming just isn't lucrative anymore". He will have some rooms for people to use as gaming dens, but that's all.
(b) A&R Comics is predominantly a comic book store with just a smattering of WotC D&D material & dice. Now his story is even better. The guy is in his 50's, extremely wealthy, & really likes comics. His hours are listed as M-F: 5pm to 9pm. That's it, & that's if he even shows up!!! Most of the time, he's never there to open the store.

Either way, neither of these stores carry used material, so the 'net has become my fiancee's & I's gaming friend.

The only redeeming factor about my area is "Brant's Used Books" in Sarasota, FL. I've been going there since I was a little squirt. Once in a while, I can find a real gem in their dusty, hot lair, but not like years ago.

If you want my true opinion, tabletop gaming is dying a slow death.

[Arminath]

The closest store to me is Comic Store West in York, about 10 minutes away. They try to stay 'edition current' though with very little older materials (but once in a while you can get lucky). Its a mix of comics, CCG's and different tabletop gaming materials (D&D, Warhammer, etc). One oddity is that while they have open tables for gaming, there are no D&D groups of any kind there.

The other place I like is about 45 minutes away, The Guild. It has all sorts of new and old items and you can usually find a gem there if you look around enough, many people are willing to trade or sell something if you can't find it and the owner is a true gamer, not just some guy selling stuff he doesn't know anything about.

[greentongue]

Here in Orlando there is a game store that has been around since the 70's.
It has moved several times and changed it's name and owners from Enterprise 1701
to Sci-Fi City www.sci-fi-city.com/orlando.htm
but it has remained open. There have been other smaller stores but they have come and gone.
=

[doc]

YES! I remember Enterprise 1701 from my own days at UCF in the early 90's back when it was near the military base. The first time I walked in I thought that I'd died and gone to Nerdvana. At one point I was going there three times a week and running a game in the back room.

Truly a store that every serious gamer should visit at least once if they can.

Doc

[driver]

I remember Enterprise 1701 well. I grew up in Okeechobee and made frequent pilgrimages.

[Stonegiant]

When I lived in Orlando (96-97) I used to love going to 1701 Enterprise. In 2004 I had to spend three weeks in Orlando for training. Sci-Fi City was a nice store size wise and they sure had everything that was out new at that time but they didn't have anything used/OOP, and the times that I have visited since then I haven't been impressed. I was turned on to a store up in Winterpark area called ACME comics and games (IIRC, I will check with my friend on the exact name), they had a great used/oop section and that old game store vibe going on I highly recommend them.

[driver]

We'd drive the 100 miles up to Enterprise because they stocked Citadel minis. This would have been late 1980s and early 1990s.

[doc]

I remember that back when I was going there, 1701 had a table in the front of the store with old/used games sold dirt cheap. I picked up a copy of the first edition Deities & Demigods (with the Moorcock and Lovecraft stuff) for $4.00. I also found a whole line of Gangbusters and Gamma World products for like a buck a pop. I remember getting the old FGU Flash Gordon game, KABAL, Dallas (yes, an RPG based on the TV show), and the entire run of The Fantasy Trip all for great prices. My belief is that the store would buy entire collections from people and then sell the products at bargain prices.

I also picked up at some point a Wild West game and a Norse fantasy game, neither of which I have ever seen in any RPG catalog, nor have I ever been able to track them down online, though Crazy Egor had mentioned that he had also seen the Norse game in his travels.

Doc

[Stonegiant]

doc said:

I remember that back when I was going there, 1701 had a table in the front of the store with old/used games sold dirt cheap. I picked up a copy of the first edition Deities & Demigods (with the Moorcock and Lovecraft stuff) for $4.00. I also found a whole line of Gangbusters and Gamma World products for like a buck a pop. I remember getting the old FGU Flash Gordon game, KABAL, Dallas (yes, an RPG based on the TV show), and the entire run of The Fantasy Trip all for great prices. My belief is that the store would buy entire collections from people and then sell the products at bargain prices.

I also picked up at some point a Wild West game and a Norse fantasy game, neither of which I have ever seen in any RPG catalog, nor have I ever been able to track them down online, though Crazy Egor had mentioned that he had also seen the Norse game in his travels.

Doc

When you say KABAL would that be the Fantasy RPG advertised in Dragon Magazine with the parchment background from the 80's?

[greentongue]

Yes, Sci-Fi City is now just another chain store.
A pity but they have to cater to their management and market surveys I suppose.

When they first moved to their new location on 50 next to Home Depot they still carry a wide selection but have certainly lost the old feel.
=

[doc]

Stonegiant, I do believe that that is the exact game as in Dragon. It also spawned an espionage version of the game called MISSION. Just as clunky, but also just as much fun for those who were willing to make up some of their own rules to replace the ones that didn't seem to make sense.

Doc