Overpriced not tailored to nostalgic memories of childhood. Profit driven and forgotten all that is…read morethe excitement of sports

This is the definition of a great "LCS". Amazing inventory, reasonable prices, and friendly staff…read more Will definitely swing by here again next time I'm in the neighborhood.

The Fortress of Gaming is a new all things gaming event center referred to as, "A Country Club For…read moreGamers". It is located in the warehouse district of Railroad Avenue and a bit tricky to find until the signage is updated but it is more than worth the time you spend searching for it. The Fortress of Gaming is owned by the same person that runs Zombie Planet. The ambition of this place is as grand as the size the venue offers with a small storefront for things like paints, play mats, and dice, the majority of the other two large sections of the location are dedicated to running events and offering space to play games. A flat $5 entry fee gets you access to the facility, their large gaming library, on site concessions, and many tables. Currently, they have spaced out tables, a new HIPPA rated HVACC system with plenty of ventilation, and a requirement to prove you are vaccinated to enter. Masks are optional once inside as a result which is a nice upside to the requirement to prove you are vaccinated. I went for my first visit to try out a event called, "Paint and Take" which is where you buy a $25 kit that includes a pre primed miniature, the paints and brushes you need, and a cup for water so that you can essentially sit and paint with others and have a good time. Eventually, there are plans to get a liquor license and to possibly host "paint and sip" instructional events as well. The venue currently runs magic the gathering, digimon, Warhammer 40K events and really, the potential is vast right now for future events from regular board gaming nights to conventions. This is the gamer equivalent of a field of dreams. He built it, the only question now is, will they come? I hope so. This is a great space and I plan to visit often and see everything they have to offer. This is a local small business that is very niche and it is my hope that it is one of the examples of how we have built back better since the pandemic threw a wrench in all our lives. For those who know about Zombie Planet, note that the store is still there and not closing. It is going to be a full retail location now with more product to offer. It is shifting all it's event business to The Fortress of Gaming. This is an exciting new place to visit and I recommend doing so. It is not crowded, it is not noisy, it is clean and they follow current covid best practices. The owner is open to new ideas too. If you happen to have some nifty and feasible ideas for events you'd like to host at the Fortress, try talking to George about it. You may just find yourself with a venue that meets your gaming event needs :)

I am a pretty active boardgamer. My BGG account goes back to 2009, and I have been gaming since I…read morewas a child. I usually game a couple of times a month, as well as attend various board game conventions. However, I don't like to go to game cafes in general... I just don't see the need. That being said, this place was new so my wife and I checked it out on a Saturday. They are located in practically the middle of nowhere in an old industrial section of Albany. They don't have a sign yet (bureaucratic red tape is slowing it down) and GPS will get you to the right area but not exactly there. Just keep driving around and behind the buildings until you find it. Inside, there are several rooms: one is for general gaming, the other appears to be set up for tournaments (or space rentals). We paid the $5 each for attendance (all-you-can-game) and checked out titles on the shelves. The owner said they had 300, but it looked like much less. They do own a gaming store (Zombie Planet) and he said they were hoping to get up to 500 titles. I recognized about 50% of the games they had, and probably had played 20% already. It is a nice collection, but if you want something in particular you might not find it. You could always bring your own, but I would rather stay at home and play. If you don't have a local gaming group, this is a good alternative. A miniatures tournament was going on in the back room and they were clearly having a good time. A couple of my friend's were getting killed (some things never change!) and it is a good venue for a tournament. Everyone is packed together and it is loud... but that is how things go. Speaking of which, you need to be vaccinated to get in so bring proof. I supposed post-covid that note won't be necessary anymore. They offer some hot food (chicken fingers, fries, pizza rolls, etc.) and cold food (pretzels, chips, candy) and various drinks. Prices are reasonable and any profits go to help support the operation, so I didn't mind paying a bit more than the local grocery store. I don't think you can bring food in, so keep that in mind. We stayed for a couple of hours and played 3-4 games. It was fun. If you are looking to connect with other local gamers this would be a great place to start. They clearly have a nice space for gaming.

This is a cool spot for car lovers, truck and train lovers or collectors. Very interesting, take a…read morelook if you're in the area

I received a rustic flag as a gift from a great friend, the quality is beyond belief! I will…read moretreasure this forever, Anthony Guadagnino and his crew are absolute craftsmen. Thank you for the flag and for your service. Highly recommend Veteran Made NY to you, please support this veteran owned company. Robert Hammond Albany, NY

From the owner: Here at Veteran Made Woodworks we personally design each flag, crafting her in many custom versions…read morewith all individually cut wood pieces. They are finished with either stain or paint to highlight any room in your home, camp, even your front porch. Each flag is handcrafted and assembled together on a solid wood frame and then protected with three finishing coats to give her a glimmering shine. Working together on each others' projects and always lending a hand are the bonds that Service Members will forever share. All of us at Veteran Made continue to serve as soldiers and police officers. Our spirit as loyal public servants spills over into our woodwork. Our goal is to provide our customers with long lasting Patriotic Pride through the wood crafts we create. Visit our website or call today!

Nice little store with a good selection of HO and N trains and models. Staff was polite, friendly…read moreand knowledgeable. Easy parking in a small strip mall. Worth the stop, will visit again.

This is the reincarnation of JP Trains and Hobbies formerly located in Latham, NY. I came here on…read morevacation and was pleasantly surprised with the shop. The good: compared to the old store, it is well lit, the aisles are wider, and it is easier to find things. The hours are probably more regular as well. The bad: the inventory is the same as the previous store, but with even less O, S, and G scales. So, if you are an N or HO modeler you will find this store is nearly the same as the previous one. However, if you model in some of the less-popular scales you won't find much here aside from some scratchbuilding supplies. The prices seemed reasonable. Still... the area neads hobby shops, and I will do what I can to support this one. Check it out!

I just bought 4 candles from this store and they smell AMAZING! We bought the strawberry and the…read morelinen! Both smell up our whole house!!!!!! Thank you!!! We will be buying from you again!!!!

From the owner: We specialize in Collectibles and Vintage items and of course some Antiques.read more

Owner retired and permanently closed. He still sells coins over his eBay site. Seemed to be very…read morefriendly and fair

Friendly owner. Good selection of constitutional silver, foreign coins and numismatics to browse…read more Prices are reasonable. Becoming a regular stop for my collecting / stacking habit.

This is a great place to satisfy your hobby needs. A touch of old school and the guys are…read moreenthusiasts. Prices were reasonable and I am making a list of accessories that are "needed".

Bought a switch lite for 160$ decided i wanted actually switch called day after purchase to ask if…read morecould return for 160$ but they said id had to wait for store owner to come in and hed be in soon called back again was told store owner would be in at 3 or 330 when i called at 3 no answer called at 345 still wasnt there left my name and number no call back. 7 days later just took 80$ in store credit bc thats all i could get and bought switch out right all screens look bad and smudged one i got is decent but controller doesnt hold charge and the controller locks on side dont lock and sometimes doesnt detect controller 260$ for switch this is an outrage and i will never be purchasing anything there again

I love independent gaming stores like the Gamers Grotto! I wish there were more of them so whenever…read morewe spot one we always have to stop in and see what they have. This is a huge store. It's dedicated to all things gaming and doesn't have graphic novels (which is actually kind of rare for stores like this one but I thought it was great - more room for the hobby and video games). They had tons of older video games at great prices. There was some sort of gaming going on in the backroom that looked like a fun time. My partner ended up buying a Fire Emblem game that he'd been looking for and just waiting for a good opportunity to support a local business and buy. At the register, I spotted a very cool display of leather earrings and ended up buying a cute pair. I'm told they'll have Halloween inspired ones in very soon so you know we'll be back. Definitely worth stopping in and supporting a local game store!

Great toy store. Like Toy Joy or Terra Toys in Austin, TX…read more Fun and brainy games for adults and kids, snow globes, cards, puzzles, puppets, and studies. Free gift wrapping upon request. Knowledgeable and friendly staff.

This is one of those places that remind me of days when I was not introduced to shopping malls or…read morechains but a nice friendly neighborhood stores. If you think about it, the person who is in charge of purchasing in this store can control how many options you will have for that birthday card or a gift for your nephew. I think this place has a good choices in almost all departments. They are a little overpriced but that comes with being and independent store in the neighborhood. I did not buy anything here but enjoying looking around.