This store I have to say is my home away from home. After walking in 6 years ago just to look…read morearound I've made friends and have been able to play a lot of really cool games. I stop in every week to pick up my comic books and I'm always greeted with a smile and a hello from the owners. Together they have both created an atmosphere of awesome for anyone who wants to learn a new game, join and ongoing game league or just to buy a few comics. I've never found a better store to get my geek on.

I'm new and an outsider to the world of comics and gaming, but I'd never know it from the way Carla…read moreand Don treated me. My boyfriend has been a regular at the store for years, and I went with him to pick up his pull list this past weekend. There were people chatting at the counter when we came in, so Carla didn't see that I was with anyone when I entered the store. She was sure to ask me if I needed help with anything, which is a first in the slew of comic and game shops I've been to recently. The shop is set up with different rooms devoted to your interest, with comics in one wing and games in another, and more general books and collectibles merchandise in the main room where you enter. If you head to the back, you'll find space for game playing and where Don is organizing his back stock of comics. The shop on the whole is bright and colorful, and I felt totally welcome to browse. Don and Carla had a nice word for everyone who came in the store, and it was pretty clear that they have a small army of loyal customers. The outside of the store isn't much to look at - it's situated in an industrial-looking strip mall - but don't let that deter you from the checking out their cozy shop. Even if you're not a full-on geek, there are still things for you here - several of their games are great for a game night with friends.

Asked several times about One Piece Box Prices. 500 years in the future @ Game Universe: $175,…read moreonline: $115-125. Same thing with OP-06, Wings of the Captain. Purchased a box on TikTok for $130. TCGPlayer had it for $145-160. Asked front desk... $264. Looking for one piece cards, avoid this shop

Cool little game shop, great rpg and board game selection. Friendly staff and clean space.read more

Great store with a dedicated owner and open space for gaming. They are very responsive with…read morerequests and have events going on all the time. Highly recommended!

This is our most fav game store in Grayslake Really it is! We love going there a few times a month…read moreto check out the new games & play. The store is very clean and the game playing tables are the best. This is the only game store we've been in with top notch table & chairs. The store has a huge game selection, paints, minis, family games, puzzles & more. They have an Adventure Club which is worth investing in. I love that he works with other local businesses which gives a discount to club members. The staff are always friendly & helpful. The owner, Tim, is super friendly. We are very thankful he has this store. It is one of our top fav stores ever and we've been to a lot of them. More photos later! Go to this store if you are anywhere near it!

Update. Back to 5! I don't know what that one employee's…read morename is and if I did, I of course wouldn't post it. But thank god he wasn't there. That attitude. Anyway, MUCH better today. Some new guy was working there that I didn't recognize. I like him a lot better. We talked about a lot of game related things that I don't want to bore you with here and go super-nerd on you. Just wanted to post an update, because that one guy's attitude shouldn't reflect on the store, but it kinda does. When you work there, you represent it. If that one guy still works there, I hope he has a better day and better interactions with customers. Especially someone like me who doesn't take up a lot of their time or space, just comes in spends a lot and leaves. Probably the best kind of customer you'd want.

Went today for the first time to meet up with friends. We were warmly greeted when we entered and…read morewere given an introduction and explanation of the business. There is a small retail section in front for those who wish to purchase games, but there is a massive selection of games to use while you're there, we were told over 950 games! There is an adequately sized menu to cover standard gaming fare, as well as beverage options to cover most tastes and ingredient intolerances Our group ordered a sugar free vanilla latte, unsweetened ice tea, bottled water, and a pizza. The pizza is made in-house and is pretty good. A soft hand-tossed crust topped with a tasty sauce, and we added slightly spicy sausage and pepperoni. I would definitely order it again! The service was excellent despite being a busy with one person handling the guest check-ins, order taking, order delivery, and checking guests out. There is currently a $7 cover charge, which I will assume covers the use of the 950+ games, and is a bargain. You are allowed to bring in your own games, but I assume you can't bring in your own food or drink, but I didn't ask because why would I? We want to support a small business, so buying drinks and food is the least I can do, since they let us have access to all of their games. Overall, we had a great experience, and we will be back! Highly recommend!

it was great to find a board game café right here in the neighborhood. Made for a great nightcap…read moreafter an evening downtown. Light menu of the essential game night foods, except popcorn. That would be a nice addition. There was a beer and wine.. and of course Mountain Dew. Overall quite enjoyable on a cold Friday night.

Legitimately my favorite spot to find dice, minis, maps, paint, board games, and tons more! I…read morestopped in twice last week and happily purchased SO MUCH. I would have spent more, but the last time I was in, there was an unpleasant young lady behind the counter who I apparently inconvenienced by grabbing more items when I didn't get what I was hoping for from the Ravenloft blind box. She wasn't afraid to tell me so. Outside of that individual, The Sanctum is like Shangri-La for TTRPG fans.

(Originally posted mid2022) We stopped by The Sanctum last…read moreweek--three times! We first went to get a copy of the Star Wars Outer Rim expansion. We weren't certain if they'd have it since the game was only released that day. They did! We were so impressed, we stopped by later with our son and checked the store out. Their inventory was quite impressive. They had games of all types as well as other items like dice, card protectors, and puzzles. They also had an impressive selection of games to rent--we're not sure what game to rent first! Also, their collection of used games is diverse and well-priced. Finally, their gaming area is attractive. It's well-lit with comfortable seating. Each time we came in, we were greeted by a friendly staff. In fact, when I was pondering a game they had open and on display, an employee came over to explain the game to me. Very helpful. We'll definitely be spending more time (and money) at the Sanctum. What a great place!! (Update, Six months later: As we expected, six Sanctum has successfully prompted us to spend more money on games and game-adjacent items. The owners are wonderful--we've taken several of their recommendations and no regrets. The space has matured and morphed, and we love the changes. We've rented games, tried a game night, joined their frequent buyers program, bought and sold used games, and purchased numerous gifts for gamers and non-gamers. Sometimes we stop in just because we love the vibe of the place. We did that last night and bought the early release of the Wingspan expansion. Couldn't be happier to have them in the neighborhood!)

I brought my friend to the gaming goat since I had a good experience the 1st time I went. Today I…read morewas just plain confused. The man that worked there was condescending in his tone of voice and was not helping us at all. He almost seemed like he wanted us to exit his shop. Overall, I do not recommend this location to anyone that does not personally know the owner, it is not welcoming and just has horrible customer experience. Wasn't the cleanliest of places either. DO NOT GO TO THE GURNEE LOCATION!!

I stopped in the Gurnee Gaming Goat today to kill some time while my kids were shopping at…read moreHawthorne, and I was glad I did. They have an EXCELLENT board game selection, a well lit and open store, and the owner was both knowledgeable and friendly. He let me know that they have open boardgaming every Wednesday night and I hope to get up there to check it out. If you are a seasoned tabletop gamer or are looking to find a place that can give you tips, a chance to possibly see some games in demo and knowledgeable assistance, I would definitely check out the Gaming Goat. BONUS POINTS: When they rang me up, I thought they made a mistake, but they let me know that they discount substantially off list price to try to compete with the online game stores. I was pleasantly surprised because I don't expect that level of discounts at my friendly local game store (FLGS).

This store has an excellent community and friendly, welcoming, and knowledgeable staff…read more Everytime I've walked into this store I've come out happier then when I went in. I got my younger brothers into magic after I returned from a deployment one of them started playing games here regularly. This was his first time venturing out into an unknown environment of people and almost instantly he felt welcomed and at home. If your nervous about starting to get into games or don't have a community or a place to play I highly recommend this store.

Lake Geneva Games is an Awesome game store with an excellent selection of Magic the Gathering…read morecards!!

What a fantastic small business!! Allison was able to help me select wonderful learning and…read moreinteractive toys for my nephew and nieces. She asked me what their interests were and their ages. She showed me a great variety to choose from and I almost wanted to buy them all. Additionally she offered to order some STEM toys for a future gift. Highly recommend going here for the great customer service and wonderful selection.

I needed a gift for a kids birthday party and stopped in to Sage Explorers yesterday. Allison was…read moreso helpful. She pointed out several great options for a girl turning 8. She even demonstrated some games for me. They have a unique assortment of educational toys and brands that I had not seen anywhere else, including Seedling crafts and MudPuppy puzzles. They have a great selection for babies too. I picked up two items for the gift and she wrapped them beautifully. They just started doing kids birthday parties, too. I am so glad to have a toy store in town again, as I am usually grabbing a gift on the way to the party!