Thurston Talk profiles Christopher and Elizabeth Ecklund, the owners of the newly opened Ecky’s Cards and Games in Yelm, WA. They have been running the business online for the past three years, and the transition to brick and mortar had some challenges. “Several items have to be in store to show to distributors in order to request specific games and supplies,” Elizabeth said. “There is a lot of learning involved and a lot of decisions to be made. Both of us work, so we also have to coordinate appointments around our already packed schedules.” They plan on a lot of community involvement: “Ecky’s will also feature exclusive game items and items created especially for the store through local partnerships with Pacific Northwest artists and local vendors,” Elizabeth said. “There will be a community corner for these specific items. [We are] using local vendors and companies to create a welcoming and cool boutique vibe that also appeals to people who may not have been in a game store previously.”
Miniature Realms & Adventures in Rockvale, PA, is bringing a new dimension to tabletop gaming with a store filled with miniature dioramas of game settings. “Owner Ade Sanya says the idea is to create tiny, physical representations of the action in role playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons,” Lancaster Online reports. “The shop, he said, is an analog version of massive multiplayer online games such as World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV. Players could also use the sets to act out historical battles.”
Shore Gamers of Monmouth, NJ, is moving to newer and more high-profile digs, Red Bank Green reports. The new space has more than twice the area of the old one, and owners Jessica and Gennaro Monaco have big plans including a D&D area with “cobblestone walls and all sorts of cool buildout” and a slot car racing track.
Chase Clark the owner of the newly opened TCG specialty store Cards of Ruin in Rexburg, ID, tells Scrollabout how his store, which expanded from one location to three in just three years, got its start.
The Tri-City Herald reports that Tri-Cities Gaming in Kennewick, WA, has moved to a new, larger space, which they say is “designed by gamers, for gamers.”
Quick Links
At Forbes, Hannah Tolley posts a guide to where to buy board games, covering online and brick and mortar stores with tips for finding local game shops.
Tiffany Thompson runs down the best comic shops in Denver for Thirst Colorado.
WBBJ covers the opening of Superhero Sanctuary Comics and More in Bolivar, TN.
Here’s a useful resource: The UK comics site Down the Tubes just updated their list of comic shops in Ireland and the UK.
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