Gaming Mecca in Pasadena
Some friends pointed me in the direction of a new game store in Pasadena called Game Empire. It has the tagline, "Land of a Thousand Games", and it is no exaggeration.
The building is built like a two-story but only utilizes this extra overhead space at the very front of the store, where a small office is set up. As a result, the entire space is extremely open and inviting. The vending area at the front is quite substantial, a little smaller than a standard McDonald's dining area sans furnishings and is filled with every kind of game imaginable: board games, card games, roleplaying books and supplies, wargaming miniatures of all kinds... you name it, they have it. In addition, they also have a used books/games section where you can get back issues of discontinued publications as well as bits for miniatures.
Set upstairs about 3-4 feet is the gaming area, covering nearly twice as much space as the vending area. Here they have about 12 3x6 folding tables set up to host gaming on a first-come, first-serve basis. Miniature wargaming tables can be procured by request to expand the surface area to 4x6. They have large Rubbermaid tubs filled with assorted terrain features and shelves of buildings available for use to mix things up. In the very back of the room there is a check-out desk to use one of the store's board game copies and try it out before deciding to purchase it. I didn't see what variety they had there, but the fact they're doing it is a plus.
The best part of the store is the owner's visible dedication to being a long-term option for gamers. They spent significant money painting the entire interior to look like a castle. There are two sets of bathrooms in the gaming area, a ramp for handicapped access between both zones (vending and gaming), and lots of storefront windows for natural lighting.
When I met my friends there we were able to secure two tables with little difficulty for some Warmachine miniature gaming. That was at 4pm. By the time our games ended around 7pm the store literally had 100+ people, with every table taken. Six tables hosted miniature wargaming (mostly Warmachine/Hordes, with one Malifaux and one Warhammer 40K), three hosted CCG card gaming, two had board games going and the last hosted a home-brewed roleplaying game. Honestly, it felt like I was at a formal gaming convention... without the hotel or nasty gamer funk.
Getting there is easy. Take the 134 to the 210E, exit Hill (second exit after the transition) and drive straight through the light several blocks to Allen. Turn right, then turn right again on Colorado Blvd. Game Empire is right there on the corner of Allen and Colorado (you wind up driving by it on the right before you make the turn on Colorado). Parking is in the rear, as is access to the store. It's only been open for a month, so signage outside isn't the best. If you're into games, definitely worth a visit!
The building is built like a two-story but only utilizes this extra overhead space at the very front of the store, where a small office is set up. As a result, the entire space is extremely open and inviting. The vending area at the front is quite substantial, a little smaller than a standard McDonald's dining area sans furnishings and is filled with every kind of game imaginable: board games, card games, roleplaying books and supplies, wargaming miniatures of all kinds... you name it, they have it. In addition, they also have a used books/games section where you can get back issues of discontinued publications as well as bits for miniatures.
Set upstairs about 3-4 feet is the gaming area, covering nearly twice as much space as the vending area. Here they have about 12 3x6 folding tables set up to host gaming on a first-come, first-serve basis. Miniature wargaming tables can be procured by request to expand the surface area to 4x6. They have large Rubbermaid tubs filled with assorted terrain features and shelves of buildings available for use to mix things up. In the very back of the room there is a check-out desk to use one of the store's board game copies and try it out before deciding to purchase it. I didn't see what variety they had there, but the fact they're doing it is a plus.
The best part of the store is the owner's visible dedication to being a long-term option for gamers. They spent significant money painting the entire interior to look like a castle. There are two sets of bathrooms in the gaming area, a ramp for handicapped access between both zones (vending and gaming), and lots of storefront windows for natural lighting.
When I met my friends there we were able to secure two tables with little difficulty for some Warmachine miniature gaming. That was at 4pm. By the time our games ended around 7pm the store literally had 100+ people, with every table taken. Six tables hosted miniature wargaming (mostly Warmachine/Hordes, with one Malifaux and one Warhammer 40K), three hosted CCG card gaming, two had board games going and the last hosted a home-brewed roleplaying game. Honestly, it felt like I was at a formal gaming convention... without the hotel or nasty gamer funk.
Getting there is easy. Take the 134 to the 210E, exit Hill (second exit after the transition) and drive straight through the light several blocks to Allen. Turn right, then turn right again on Colorado Blvd. Game Empire is right there on the corner of Allen and Colorado (you wind up driving by it on the right before you make the turn on Colorado). Parking is in the rear, as is access to the store. It's only been open for a month, so signage outside isn't the best. If you're into games, definitely worth a visit!