I've been a gamer my whole life and drove out here specifically looking for a good beginner…read moreDungeons & Dragons gift for my 10 year old nephew so we could start playing together. I found this store through online recommendations and expected a welcoming tabletop gaming environment.
The cashier was polite and greeted me when I walked in, so credit where it's due. But after that, the experience was honestly disappointing. There were three employees in the store, I was literally the only customer there, and not one of the three employees ever asked what I was looking for or if I needed help with anything.
One older gentleman, who seemed like he may have been the owner or manager, came across as grumpy and completely uninterested. The cashier, who was female, was the only person who acknowledged me at all. The two men working there barely made eye contact, acted completely uninterested, and honestly gave off the vibe that they did not want to help me or even acknowledge my existence. It felt awkward and unwelcoming the entire time I was there.
I walked the entire store from front to back trying to find something beginner friendly for a child getting into Dungeons & Dragons. From what I could tell, the store seemed overwhelmingly focused on Warhammer and miniatures. Maybe they had what I needed, but I honestly could not tell because nobody bothered to engage with the only customer in the store.
The frustrating part is that I made a pretty long drive specifically to come here because it was recommended online. It would have taken almost no effort for one of the three employees to simply ask, "Can we help you find something?" Instead, I just got grumpy expressions, zero interaction, and an uncomfortable atmosphere.
What's really a shame is that my friends actually play Warhammer, and when I first walked in and saw all the tables, setups, and gaming space, I honestly thought this might be a cool place to bring friends and hang out in the future. But after the attitude I experienced, forget it.
Gaming is supposed to be fun. It's supposed to be social. People should be smiling, talking, welcoming others into the hobby, especially when someone is trying to support a local business and introduce a kid to gaming. Instead, this place felt cold and unfriendly.
Honestly, when you go into a locally owned business and the staff acts uninterested or unfriendly, it makes you lose interest in buying anything from them. I was specifically trying to support a local gaming store instead of just going to a big franchise like Target or Barnes & Noble, but at least in those places someone usually asks if you need help finding something.
If business is struggling there, I honestly would not be surprised if attitude has something to do with it. I left empty handed and disappointed. I'll probably just end up going to Barnes & Noble like I should have in the first place instead of trying to give a local business a chance.