Goodman Games

I'd like to second this:


New Moon Comics is not my local gaming store - it is about 2 hours away. I first visited New Moon nearly a year ago, when the shop hosted Craigcon - An annual 3+ day weekend full of gaming for a bunch of old gaming friends (and friends of friends; it grows every year). I'm a friend of a friend - last year was also my first visit to Craigcon.

I was immediately impressed with the store. It is a treasure trove of cool stuff - Comics, graphic novels, figures, collectables, and games. RPG games, card games, board games. As noted earlier, there is an entire room set aside just for playing games. Rob, the owner, was extremely friendly and helpful. I had a blast the entire weekend, played a ton of new games, and brought many of them home as a result.

One anecdote to show what I mean: On Friday evening, around 8pm, the back room was full. The tables were arranged to allow three simultaneous games, of 6 to 8 people each. Around this time, two boys (I'd guess around 15 yrs) entered the front of the store. Rob learned that they were interested in learning about RPGs, but had never played. Rob asked of couple of people at one of the games to step out front for a minute, and introduced the boys. He explained that they wanted to learn about RPGs, and asked us to let the boys watch, ask questions, and see what was going on. He made sure to make them feel welcome and comfortable in a room full of mostly 25-45 year old men. They stuck around as late as they could, and had a great time. I'm sure they became gamers due to the introduction they got than night.

Game HQ
1620 SW 89th St. Ste J
Oklahoma City, OK 73159
405-691-0509
http://www.gameheadquarters.com

GHQ has been in business in Oklahoma City since 1993, and in that time they have garnered a reputation as one the better stores in the U.S. I have visited stores all over the U.S, from California to New York, and have yet to find a store that surpasses GHQ. In fact, few come close to having the variety and stock that GHQ has nor do few have courteousness of the staff at GHQ.

The store, true to its name, is a headquarters in games. Whether traditional board games, card games, role-playing games, war games, miniatures, dice, books or magazines related to gaming, the store has it, and if an item is not in stock the employees will order it from their distributor within a week or, if the distributor doesn't have it, they will track it down. . . even if it means carting it back from an out-of-state convention. They do ship products to customers out of state. The store has two game rooms, which are usually filled with gamers, and the employees run demonstrations and/or regular games each week. In addition, the store has The Dispatch, a monthly letter (posted on the website) which details upcoming games, products, gaming conventions, and store sales.

YottaQuest
7607 Hamilton Ave
Cincinnati, OH 45247
Phone: (513) 923-1985
E-mail: matthewm at yottaquest.com
Web: http://yottaquest.com

YottaQuest is the place to be in the Cincinnati area and a place everyone should check out if you are in the mid-west. This friendly, family owned business has been my hang out of choice for the past four years. My FLGS should be AMERICA’S FLGS.

Are you a gamer? Then Yottaquest is the place for you. Board Games? Both old and new board games stock the shelves and are played in the store. The Cincinnati Board Gamers Group meets at YottaQuest twice weekly if you are in town and want a game! CCGs? YottaQuest has one of the largest selections of Magic singles for miles around and stock most other CCGs. Whatever your obsession, it is there. RPGs? Look no farther than the right hand side of the store. You may have a preference for Fourth Edition D&D or prefer a little more Classic First Edition D&D, YottaQuest has anything you may want for your role playing needs. They even have a lot of lesser-known RPGs like Battle Lords of the 23rd Century! Miniatures? Well, I think you may be getting the idea that they may literally have everything your heart may desire. But if they happen to not have your game hiding on their shelves, they have always been super fast at special ordering in anything that you could want for your gaming needs. Need that European Game that just cracked the top 250 at Boardgamegeek? They can get it for you.

Best of all, it is a personal goal of the Store Owner, Mr. Matt Fay, to see the gaming community of Cincinnati grow and prosper with each passing year. Want to find the other game stores of Cincinnati? Check the links section of their website. There you will also find links to all the gaming groups of Cincinnati as well; including the Greater Cincinnati Roleplayers Meetup Group and the Southwestern Gathering of Gamers Group and many more. Some are even run and supported by Yottaquest and all have regular visitors. Also join everyone there for all the great events run every week, including: Free RPG Day, Friday Night Magic, Pokemon Leagues, Warhammer 40K Leagues, Warmachine and Hordes Leagues, Worldwide D&D Game Days, and many more.

YottaQuest has done all of this while maintaining a family friendly site with a staff that aims to help everyone who sets a foot in the door. In the beginning Mr. Fay aimed at building a store that would help bring a strong gaming community to Cincinnati; now, the Cincinnati Gaming Community has a haven that not only wants to succeed, but also to see other game stores and other places where gamers hang out succeed.

Come and join me at my Favorite Local Game Store, you will surely find me there on Wednesday nights playing Warmachine and Hordes, and you will see what I see and come to agree that this is indeed America’s Favorite Game Store!

Ryan

Compleat Strategist
580 Shoemaker Road
King of Prussia 19406
(610) 265-8562

1. Compleat Strategist has every game I've ever gone looking for, and I have yet to hear of someone disappointed with their selection.

2. Stock Levels: See above (as in, yes)

3. The Strat has three tables which are always open to play by anyone, they just ask that you call ahead to make sure there are not already groups in there. They are extremely welcoming of anyone and any games, and host Living Forgotten Realms (Dungeons and Dragons) games every other Saturday. I've drawn tons of friends in due to how open and friendly they are.

4. They have the 3 (sometimes 4) tables for games, plenty of fold-out chairs, and boxes upon boxes of terrain for tabletops underneath the tables. Running events: see above.

5. My favorite part is not just how nice the store workers are, but they if you invite them, they will sit and game with you. It's nice to know they won't turn you away, and encourage it to the point that the store manager might sit in on a dnd game once in a while.


It's been my gaming store of choice for a decade now. I have numerous stores closer, and it takes me 45 minutes to an hour to drive, but I make the trek at least every week, sometimes twice. I love this store, if you haven't been, go check it out. It was just featured in local Montgomery County, Pennsylvania newspapers. (http://www.montgomerynews.com/articles/ ... 726702.txt) If this isn't a perfect example of America's Best gaming store, I don't know what is.

-Chris Camburn

My vote is for:

Greenfield Games
228 Main St
Greenfield, MA 01301
http://www.greenfieldgames.com
866-774-5223

Greenfield Games is a full service store. They are fully stocked and loaded with everything the nerdcore miniaturist, RPGer, CCGer, TCGer, board gamer, or family gathering might need. The staff are all gamers themselves, so they’re constantly keeping their eyes open for new games that their customers will love. And when they find a new game they make sure it’s fully supported so the new player can jump right in. There are plenty of gaming tables and a steady supply of local gamers, so you can immediately rip open newly purchased games and start enjoying them right away. They have lots of standing gaming events and groups, as well as special gaming ‘holidays’ and new release events. The staff is friendly, welcoming, and knowledgeable about all things game-realted. Greenfield Games RAWKS!

Compleat Strategist
580 Shoemaker Road
King of Prussia 19406
(610) 265-8562
http://www.warhorn.org/constrategist/
http://www.thecompleatstrategist.com/

The Strat carries a variety of roleplaying games, tabletop games, family and party games, along with accessories (dice, paint, minis, etc), and anything they don't have, they are willing to order. One of the best things about The Strat is that the manager and employees are also gamers, and are extremely knowledgeable about their products.

In addition to regular Friday night play and D&D on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month (both for Worldwide Game Days and normal Living Forgotten Realms play), the manager of the Strat encourages anyone with any sort of interest in any game to come in and play at one of the four tables. There are boxes of terrain for war games and if anyone is interested in hosting an event, all they have to do is ask.

I am a 24-year old female who plays at this store with mostly guys, and every single person has been welcoming and patient as I learned D&D, and all have been encouraging and helpful. I love the atmosphere The Strat provides. It's large enough to accommodate many players, but still intimate enough to foster friendships and excellent customer service.

Gnome Games
2160 Ridge Road
Green Bay, WI 54304
(920) 499-4263
http://www.gnomegames.com

Gnome Games is my favorite game store (and I've been visiting stores since the late 1970's) because they are the epitome of the FLGS.

Friendly - and knowledgeable staff greet you, and if you've been in before they'll probably remember what you play or have purchased and have some great new stuff for you to look a. They provide a clean, safe social gaming place that seats a 100 players and fill if with great events every day - for all members of the community.

Local - The folks at Gnome Games are all about being a pillar of the community. Their outreach gaming ministry takes them to schools, libraries, churches and other venues for free family game nights. The contribute to local charities and use gaming events as fundraisers to increase the awareness of the gamers to charitable works and social responsibility, as well as to increase the exposure of the community to the positive aspects of gaming.

Games - The gnomes specialize in a broad selection and are very willing to try to chase down a copy of an out of print game for a customer. For example I wanted a copy of Plague & Pestilence and they were able to get it for me. They also offer learn to play and social gaming sessions - offer RPGA and an in store Living Style campaign that probably has 200 local players involved in it. They also run a ton of card and miniature events - there always is something being played there.

Store - They keep a lot of stock and seem to be able to get games very quickly if they are out of them. They also bring in a lot of smaller publishers - something that needs to keep going to help us have good games to play in the future.

Stock levels: They have a huge selection - and if it's in print they usually have it or get it within a day or two.

Events and community support: These guys are the best anywhere for events - their calendars say it all - http://www.gnomegames.com If it can be played they run it, report the results and do it in a super-fun and professional manner. It's like having a mini Gen Con in town year-round!

Play space: I'd estimate they can seat 125 comfortably and they also use local gyms, hotels etc. for bigger events with tables, terrain, play mats, miniatures and everything a player needs to role-play, play a ccg etc. They also have a hug wall of demo games -available to try or just play for FREE!

Gamer outreach: If you've ever seen the owners at a school game night, a church picnic or at one of their public gaming events - you'd see what outreach is all about. Smiling faces, and new gamers being created en-masse is what the couple that runs Gnome Games is all about - and I think they do is better than anyone else anywhere.

Other: They treat me as a good customer, remember I like to play Cthulhu and get the stuff I want before I know I want it. They run the best OP anywhere for all games - not just cards or rpgs or board games. They are involved in the community at a level that major corporations usually are. These guys (and girls) are what a FLGS should be.

*** I don;t know if they even know about this contest - but I'm going to call them as soon as they open this morning!

Tyche's Games & Anime
1056 S. Lumpkin Street
Athens, GA 30605
http://www.tychesgames.com/



Product selection: If Sean doesn't have it, he can order it. And he's more than willing to sell out of his personal copies to people looking for that hard to find game.

Stock levels: They keep at least a copy of everything I have wanted, and when I have found something they didn't have, Sean made a point of finding it for me.

Events and community support: Free RPG day, CCG tournaments (Sometimes on Sundays when he's normally closed in order to accomodate everyone), After hours gaming. Sean hosts the local Board Game Enthusiasts Club as well as doing a Demo night every few months were several people bring in games to show people.

Play space: despite the small size of the shop, Sean makes sure there is plenty of gaming table space.

Gamer outreach: I have never known Sean to be anything but unfailingly polite and courteous, as well as knowledgeable.

Other: Its where I game.

The Game Matrix
8610 South Tacoma Way
Lakewood, WA 98499
253-583-9708
www.thegamematrix.com

product selection: The Game Matrix carries everything any gamer could want! They have been in business 10 years now and continue to grow each year.
Stock levels: The Game Matrix carries regular stock of thousands of items and order weekly
Events and community support: The Game Matrix attends many cons each year and always runs lots of games and tournaments at every show they attend
play space: The Game Matrix has a 2000sq ft game room open everyday and regularly holds many events for their gamers. The store has 6 miniature tables, tons of terrain and lots of card tables and chairs
Gamer outreach: The staff is well trained and 100% gamers!

Compleat Strategist
580 Shoemaker Road
King of Prussia 19406
(610) 265-8562

Its been my game store since I first broke into the hobby at age 11.

A nice place that has a helpful staff and lets you play in a game before trying to hit you with a hard sell, and then not even hard selling.

The one time I asked for something they didn't have, that was still in print, they had it for me the next time I stopped by. All in all a good store.

Adding on to what has already been stated about my favorite gaming store.

Game Depot
3136 S. McClintock Dr., #11
Tempe, Arizona
85282
480-966-4727

Game Depot has the kind of customer loyalty you would hope for from a store that has been in the business for over 26 years. The owners, Dave and Patty, are avid gamers themselves, with a keen business sense and a sense of caring about the people who visit their store. In a time of economic depression, they have flourished. Gaming occurs in the backroom on a daily basis, featuring games across the spectrum: war games (accompanied by many long shelves of pre-painted terrain), board games, tabletop. In a rewarded effort to expand beyond this, Game Depot proudly displays advertisements for a number of LARPing groups. Their rigorous commitment to supporting the game community is so extensive that it is hard to imagine a local, regional or national event in which they do not take some interest.

While other stores are scrambling to put together a product line, Game Depot is keeping up with everything new and trendy. Their store is always fully-stocked; anything they go through (and they do sell fast, even with the many pre-orders the store regularly receives) is back on the shelves within days. The store carries a large variety of products, including the big names, and smaller lines and accessories, even from little-known companies and lines. They have a selection of older products at the store as well, sure to attract people looking for rarities.

The most engaging thing about the store is the owners' personalities. Dave and Patty have retained ownership and direct management over the entire lifespan of the store. They know all the regulars by name, are friendly and helpful.

Everything comes down to the people. Other game stores may be larger or fancier, but they do not have the same people. Game Depot is a store for both casual gamers and hardcore gamers, families growing up in the hobby, people who have been playing since Chainmail, and people learning it for the first time; Game Depot is a game store for everybody.

Store Name: That Game Place
Address: 230 S. 8th Street
Lemoyne, PA 17043
Phone: (717) 761-8988
Toll Free: 1 (888) 569-4263
Web: http://www.thatgamestore.com

That Game Place has the kind of quality that I would like to see recognized as the best game store. Started two years ago by Charlie Brubaker it has quickly become the mecca for those who wish to enjoy a friendly and homey atmosphere in the Central Pennsylvania region. Carrying on the legacy of a former shop after the owner had retired, it has quickly made its own reputation.

Any given casual customer or a seasoned store veteran can find a vast array of gaming titles ranging from the professional to the novice levels. This plethora of selection includes not only up to date modern games but also titles that are out of print or locally produced. When your needs cannot immediately be satisfied Charlie is always ready to locate your item as quickly as possible.

That Game Place is also a proud supporter of Events such as Worldwide D&D Game Day, Friday Night Magic, local cons and more! In between events the store has slotted nights for specific games and game types and open nights twice a week. The space may be a little limited but Charlie has never asked for table fare and even provides customers with appreciative pizza parties on occasion.

Over all That Game Place is the best game store not just here in the Central Pennsylvania area but as far as I know anywhere. I will be a customer for life and if your in the area stop by and join us for a game!

Alright everyone, thank you for the excellent nominations. We have 53 great stores listed! The nominations are now closed. Look for the voting link to come onto the front page of www.goodman-games.com later today.

Wow, what a list. I think I need to move to the Midwest.

Games Plus
101 W. Prospect Ave.
Mt. Prospect, IL
Phone: 847-577-9656
http://www.games-plus.com/

Product selection: This store carries everything, from hot-off-the-presses new releases to long-out-of-print classics, from the most well-known RPG & minis games to the most obscure foreign board & card games. If they somehow don't have it, they can most likely find it!

Stock levels: I can count on one hand the number of times something I wanted has been out of stock, and if it's still in print it's always been replaced by the following week.

Events and community support: Games Plus has been a staple of the Chicagoland gaming community for decades, whether in sponsored events like Worldwide D&D Day, or local gaming league nights, they're right at the forefront. Of special note is the auction they hold every spring & fall, bringing gamers from hundreds of miles around -- it's so big they have to spread it out over 4 days!

Play space: Games Plus has a HUGE gaming area adjoining the main store, containing many tables big enough for RPGs & wargames alike (separated by rolling privacy walls), plus a separate, smaller enclosed gaming room for added solitude (or isolating the rowdiest groups... ) . There is a sign-up sheet to reserve a table in advance for your game (my current gaming group has been playing there every week since 1996). There is a good-sized selection of terrain available for miniatures play as well.

Gamer outreach: The staff of Games Plus are uniformly polite & knowledgeable, without any of the smug, condescending "Comic Book Guy" attitude that can drive away a new or casual customer. The shop has a large community bulletin board where gamers can find new games or new players, buy/sell/trade, offer painting services, etc.

Other: I've been gaming for over 30 years now, and most of that time has involved Games Plus. Owners Jeff & Curt have almost literally watched me grow up in their shop, and it feels like a second home to me. Even in an age of deep-discounting online retailers, I still prefer to give my business to my FLGS, not because they need it more, but because they deserve it more!

Whoops, seems I'm a bit late to the party...

No worries -- my store's on the list (& hopefully in the lead) -- good luck everyone!!!

The voting booth is now open! Cast your vote here:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=b ... QHiw_3d_3d

I gotta second, third and fourth YottaQuest in Cincinnati. Fantastic WELL stocked store, customer friendly staff, and lots of play area. If Matt would let me move in, I would.
YottaQuest IS gaming in Cincinnati.

Village Games
2665 4th Ave N, Suite #1, Anoka, MN 55303 USA
763-506-0303
http://www.villagegames.net/

I LOVE Village Games! Always has something to bring me back. Wish I didn't have to work so I could hang out there 24/7!

All Fun N' Games
958 U.S. Hwy 64
Apex, NC 27523
(919) 468-6322
http://www.allfunngames.com/

Product selection: There are a wide variety of RPGs, collectable Games, war games, board and card games.

Stock levels: The store maintains a solid stock of new and older games, lots of 4e and other RPG materials (including Goodman Games products), CCGs, board games, miniature games like WH40K and Hordes, along with some overstock and older edition materials.

Events and community support: Their excellent play space was recently expanded (even more) supports multiple weekly events. Worldwide D&D Game Day, Free RPG Day, Delve Days, Yu-Gi-Oh Tournaments, Friday Night Magic, RPGA and LFR, D&D Miniatures, Warhammer 40K Play Day and team leagues, Wednesday Night Magic Booster Draft, Board Game nights, Home School Game Days, Heroclix, etc.. It's a VERY active store in the gaming community. There has been even times where they would stay open later to let us finish quests.

Play space: The playing space is big, clean, and arranged to allow for many different games to be played at the same time. There are often major events that take a large amount of space, but almost always, there is room to come in, sit down and play. I often like to go in and bring my materials to work on my game. It puts me in a gaming mood and I can focus on my DM work, while the sounds of a regular 4e game, Warhammer, Magic and LFR going on in the background. Good stuff.

Gamer outreach: Vivian, Michael, Keegan and all the staff are wonderful. The store is always kept clean and the workplace professional. The staff includes people with deep knowledge on many different games, and the friendly, regular customers are always willing to aid someone who is looking for information about a niche game. The family-friendly atmosphere is great with rules for swearing and poor behavior. There are 50 year olds and 15 year olds enjoying games together. Parents can rest assured that their kids are safe in the store.

Robert

BATTLEGROUND GAMES & HOBBIES
1501 Bedford Street, Abington, MA 02351
781.261.9669
http://www.battlegroundgames.com/

Product selection: These guys have EVERYTHING. I've evn seen games there that none of my friends have learned of! They even carry Order of the Stick books!

Stock levels: Usually, yeah. And if they don, they can put it on hold for you.

Events and community support: They do it all. My favorite is Friday Night Magic, but they also do tons of other events I don't even know of! Whenever you walk in, they're bound to be doing something.

Play space: Like you wouldn't believe! Huge tables for gaming and miniatures and card games and all sorts of stuff. Sweet terrain, very good lighting. This isn't some basement!

Gamer outreach: They're really cool guys. The owners make sure to learn your name and advise you on what to do/buy for that awesome idea of yours. They even have discount programs and hold meetings like "miniature painting for newbies". It's cool what they do for the community.

Other: I just really like the atmosphere. Whether you're looking for minis or browsing books, you're bound to get caught up in the spirit of gaming in this place. The employees aren't nosy and stuck up but actually helpful. I must say, it made quite an impression on me the first time I went there, oh so long ago.

Dragon's Lair
6111 Burnet Road
Austin, TX 78757
(512) 454-2399
http://dlair.net/

Product selection: From the big guns to the little guys, Dragon's Lair has it all. All of the major companies are well represented and there's almost always at least one copy of even the smallest press' work. A large selection of board games rounds out the selection nicely.

Stock levels: It's a rare day that you can't find what you're looking for at Dragon's Lair. And if you don't find it, they're quite willing and able to help you track down what you need. Dragon's Lair also has great, long hours so you can get what you're looking for at almost any time that even approaches "reasonable."

Events and community support: Dragon's Lair is on it, baby. I've never seen an event that they didn't support and support very well. They even do Author Signings. They offer an up coming new author a great outlet.

Play space: Dragon's Lair has a large gaming room plus they often set up tables in the store proper for gaming of all sorts. Miniatures, RPGs, card games. If you want to play it, you'll find space at Dragon's Lair. They have an active calendar of events ranging from tournaments to pokemon leagues to miniatures painting classes and open board game nights. And that's just the scheduled stuff. Sundays and Tuesdays are also dedicated open gaming.

Gamer outreach: I've never known a more customer-focused gaming store. The staff is friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. I've seen the employees engage everyone from hardcore regulars to dazed looking grandparents in search of a gift. More importantly, the employees seem to have an innate sense of when to engage and when to back off and let the browsers browse.

Other: It just plain feels good to shop at Dragon's Lair. They have served the Austin gaming community well for nearly 23 years and have always had their finger on the pulse of the gaming scene. I miss the old house location, but both storefronts they've occupied since then have been great places to shop. Plus, the store kitty makes it all the more homy.

Games Plus
101 W Prospect Ave
Mount Prospect, IL
http://www.games-plus.com

A lot of good comments about the store so far, so I'll just add a few things I think people may have missed.

Games plus runs an auction twice a year. If you've ever wanted to hunt down some obscure RPG that was long out-of-print, or are just looking for some bargains, then you want...no, NEED, to get your butt to their semi-annual auction and check out the goods! The auction is an absolute gold mine when it comes to picking up anything more than a few years old. They have auctions for historicals, collectables, RPGs, and minis.

Also available at the store are some little things that I think make for a nice "comfort" factor. Microwave, pop vending machine, snacks, a photo copier, a display cabinet for figs for minis painters looking to sell or advertise their work, and they even sell some individual D&D and star wars pre-painted plastic figs.

They even have a supply of board games in the back if you can spare the time to read the rules. These aren't games like chess, or even Monopoly; these are large boxed games like DOOM! and World of Warcraft the boardgame. It's a fantastic way to, "try before you buy." And that's not mentioning the monthly Boardgame Day.

You can't have a store full of minis and not sell the right supplies. If you're an avid minis painter, you know the Windsor & Newton Series 7 brushes are the ones to get, and they are usually only available at art stores. Well, Games Plus now carries those! They also have nearly all the painting tutorial DVDs to choose from. These are not things I would expect to find at most game stores IMO, but Games Plus knows their customers!

I think the most important thing is that the store owners are gamers too, and they like to listen to their customers. Curt, Jeff, and all their employees are very easy to talk to, and are always ready to help with anything from finding the right figure, to making sure you're taking full advantage of their customer frequent buyer program (a nice little discount). They are prompt to notify customers when special orders are received at the store, and have bulletin boards to let you know what new products are expected and when, as well as what special events are coming up. There is hardly a dull day at Games Plus!

Curt, if you're reading this, I genuinely feel lucky to be able to patronize your store. And, I'm probably addicted to buying little pewter people for the rest of my life because of you (I think that qualifies you as an enabler)!

Well, I cast my vote...

Good luck Games Plus!!!