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Made in us
Hellacious Havoc




Kansas, USA

I posted this is in the "weirdest person met in FLGS" thread but it didn't fit the theme of being weird and more of a horror story.
Spoiler:
I don't know if I would call it weird, but definitely the most irresponsible person I ever met was actually one of the local FLGS owners. My buddy and I came in one Friday to throw some dice around and generally just hang out. The owner was kind of an donkey-cave, but a likable donkey-cave, so we still came to the shop even though most of his player base was moving elsewhere because of him. Anyway, we're playing a game, not another soul in the store when the store owner told us he had to step out for like 15 minutes and asked us to cover the store for him. We had never worked there, but I know how to run a cash register and answer a phone, so it was no big deal to me since it was only 15 minutes.

15 minutes come and pass. We don't think much of it, just assuming he's running late.... a total of 45 minutes pass and now we are getting worried. FNM was due to start in about an hour and people were starting to show up for it. Me and my bud decided if we didn't hear anything from him in 15 minutes, we were gonna kick everyone out, lock the front door, and slip out the back. Thankfully, one of the store co-owners called up looking for the owner and after a very confusing phone call, he came in (quite pissed about it I may add), to cover FNM and relieve us.

By the time the co-owner came in, we had been left there about an hour and 15 minutes unattended, had finished our game 30 minutes ago, and we're trying to awkwardly ensure the Magic players that FNM would be starting tonight on time without informing them that there was no actual employees there. While I have no desire to rob the store blind, it doesn't mean one of them may not jump at the chance. Needless to say, we were pretty much out the door immediately the second someone that actually works there had arrived. He thanked us, we left and I think I've only been back like one time since. But never to play, just to shop. That FLGS finally found the way to encourage even me to not come back.
Which got me thinking, what kinda horror stories have you guys came across in your travels? What made you guys finally stop going to a particular FLGS?

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2016/03/21 18:51:10


"Because we couldn't be trusted. The Emperor needed a weapon that would never obey its own desires before those of the Imperium. He needed a weapon that would never bite the hand that feeds. The World Eaters were not that weapon. We've all drawn blades purely for the sake of shedding blood, and we've all felt the exultation of winning a war that never even needed to happen. We are not the tame, reliable pets that the Emperor wanted. The Wolves obey, when we would not. The Wolves can be trusted, when we never could. They have discipline we lack, because their passions are not aflame with the Butcher's Nails buzzing in the back of their skulls.

The Wolves will always come to the heel when called. In that regard, it is a mystery why they name themselves wolves. They are tame, collared by the Emperor, obeying his every whim. But a wolf doesn't behave that way. Only a dog does.

That is why we are the Eaters of Worlds, and the War Hounds no longer."
- Eighth Captain Khârn  
   
Made in us
Willing Inquisitorial Excruciator





Pittsburgh, PA, USA

There was a really short-lived game shop about 20 minutes from me. It was an ancient storefront on a decrepit main street of an old steel town. The first time I walked in, there were a bunch of teenagers milling about outside. It was early evening, and there were no lights on in the store, and even though it was chilly outside, the doors were wide open. There was obviously no heat. The only product in the "store" was a small shelf of GW models and another small shelf of used games. The linoleum tiles were crumbling, and there was dirt everywhere.

It was literally like someone woke up one morning and said, "I'm going to open a game store today!"

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2015/12/15 23:15:08


   
Made in us
Hellacious Havoc




Kansas, USA

 the_Armyman wrote:
There was a really short-lived game shop about 20 minutes from me. It was an ancient storefront on a decrepit main street of an old steel town. The first time I walked in, there were a bunch of teenagers milling about outside. It was early evening, and there were no lights on in the store, and even though it was chilly outside, the doors were wide open. There was obviously no heat. The only product in the "store" was a small shelf of GW models and another small shelf of used games. The linoleum tiles were crumbling, and there was dirt everywhere.

It was literally like someone woke up one morning and said, "I'm going to open a game store today!"
That sounds like a literal "horror story". I was starting to get curious if Scooby Doo was going to show up.

"Because we couldn't be trusted. The Emperor needed a weapon that would never obey its own desires before those of the Imperium. He needed a weapon that would never bite the hand that feeds. The World Eaters were not that weapon. We've all drawn blades purely for the sake of shedding blood, and we've all felt the exultation of winning a war that never even needed to happen. We are not the tame, reliable pets that the Emperor wanted. The Wolves obey, when we would not. The Wolves can be trusted, when we never could. They have discipline we lack, because their passions are not aflame with the Butcher's Nails buzzing in the back of their skulls.

The Wolves will always come to the heel when called. In that regard, it is a mystery why they name themselves wolves. They are tame, collared by the Emperor, obeying his every whim. But a wolf doesn't behave that way. Only a dog does.

That is why we are the Eaters of Worlds, and the War Hounds no longer."
- Eighth Captain Khârn  
   
Made in us
Fixture of Dakka





Local FLGS had the sales area on the ground floor, and a play area in the basement. Not a terribly unusual configuration in our area, basements are common and land expensive.

We were playing a game in the basement one evening, went upstairs.... and the store had closed sometime during the our game. The clerk had never bothered to come downstairs and see if anyone was there, much less warn us the store was closing.

Fortunately the owner's phone number was on the list next to the phone (under 'owner', thankfully), and we were able to call them to come let us out so we didn't have to BREAK out.

Strange does not begin to describe it.

CHAOS! PANIC! DISORDER!
My job here is done. 
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut






Los Angeles

 Vulcan wrote:
Local FLGS had the sales area on the ground floor, and a play area in the basement. Not a terribly unusual configuration in our area, basements are common and land expensive.

We were playing a game in the basement one evening, went upstairs.... and the store had closed sometime during the our game. The clerk had never bothered to come downstairs and see if anyone was there, much less warn us the store was closing.

Fortunately the owner's phone number was on the list next to the phone (under 'owner', thankfully), and we were able to call them to come let us out so we didn't have to BREAK out.

Strange does not begin to describe it.


Did the clerk still work there afterward?

If I were the owner I'd be livid if one of my employees locked customers in my store unattended.
   
Made in us
Fixture of Dakka





No idea. It wasn't my usual game shop, it was one more convenient for my opponent. And the selection of stuff there was pretty dismal so I never went back.

But yes, the owner was pretty mad. She was hosting a party at her house (which was over an hour away to boot...) that night, and she had to leave her husband there with the guests so she could let us out.

So on a guess, I'd say no, the clerk wasn't working there anymore. But it's just a guess.

CHAOS! PANIC! DISORDER!
My job here is done. 
   
Made in us
Hellacious Havoc




Kansas, USA

I think it is pretty certain that he didn't work there anymore. At least around my area, people are always trying to get hired to the local hobby shops. (Who wouldn't want to work where half the job is doing what you love?) It's not like there isn't another 20 people just salivating to take his place.

"Because we couldn't be trusted. The Emperor needed a weapon that would never obey its own desires before those of the Imperium. He needed a weapon that would never bite the hand that feeds. The World Eaters were not that weapon. We've all drawn blades purely for the sake of shedding blood, and we've all felt the exultation of winning a war that never even needed to happen. We are not the tame, reliable pets that the Emperor wanted. The Wolves obey, when we would not. The Wolves can be trusted, when we never could. They have discipline we lack, because their passions are not aflame with the Butcher's Nails buzzing in the back of their skulls.

The Wolves will always come to the heel when called. In that regard, it is a mystery why they name themselves wolves. They are tame, collared by the Emperor, obeying his every whim. But a wolf doesn't behave that way. Only a dog does.

That is why we are the Eaters of Worlds, and the War Hounds no longer."
- Eighth Captain Khârn  
   
Made in ca
Lieutenant Colonel






Was playing a 40k game once when one of the workers there walked by the table and knocked off a bunch of my models with his protruding belly.

As I was working through the shock of seeing my forgeworld models in pieces he told me "You really shouldn't have models that close to the board edge."

I just stood there stupefied that he would consider models that are in *my deployment zone* to be at fault as opposed to hi own carelessness in where he swung his gut.

Its a good thing I didn't have my metal dread in a sock handy or I might be typing this from prison to this day!

Although if I got a few players on the jury I am sure they wouldn't convict


 
   
Made in gb
Sneaky Lictor





You North Americans never cease to amaze

No stories from me. I heard a previous FLGS owner was a drunk head and it all went wrong, and another blatently cheated rules when playing. The newest one has it's issues, but the one owner is sound so makes up for the lazy one.

Maybe i should hide my location *rolls eyes*
   
Made in us
Monstrous Master Moulder




Rust belt

There is a game store in Cleveland, Ohio that looks like a tornado went through the shop. My older brother lives in the Cleveland area at took me to this game shop when I was in town. As you walk in the front door the first room you enter is just filled with junk and there is a path through the junk that leads you into the back part of the store. Boxes on top of boxes of stuff all the way to the ceiling. It is just a mess, display cases just filled to the top with used models. Nothing has a price on it you just grab it and find the store owner for the price. Then he qoutes you the price which is more then the retail value. I have never seen anything like this store just crap everywhere and tons of it.
   
Made in us
Androgynous Daemon Prince of Slaanesh





Norwalk, Connecticut

 Chute82 wrote:
There is a game store in Cleveland, Ohio that looks like a tornado went through the shop. My older brother lives in the Cleveland area at took me to this game shop when I was in town. As you walk in the front door the first room you enter is just filled with junk and there is a path through the junk that leads you into the back part of the store. Boxes on top of boxes of stuff all the way to the ceiling. It is just a mess, display cases just filled to the top with used models. Nothing has a price on it you just grab it and find the store owner for the price. Then he qoutes you the price which is more then the retail value. I have never seen anything like this store just crap everywhere and tons of it.


You should go to Gamer's Haven then. That place has tons of OOP models that the owner is just willing to drop prices on (and they're already discounted) if you make a reasonable offer. Store has a ton of stuff, and the owner is pretty cool. Also in Cleveland.

Reality is a nice place to visit, but I'd hate to live there.

Manchu wrote:I'm a Catholic. We eat our God.


Due to work, I can usually only ship any sales or trades out on Saturday morning. Please trade/purchase with this in mind.  
   
Made in us
Monstrous Master Moulder




Rust belt

 timetowaste85 wrote:
 Chute82 wrote:
There is a game store in Cleveland, Ohio that looks like a tornado went through the shop. My older brother lives in the Cleveland area at took me to this game shop when I was in town. As you walk in the front door the first room you enter is just filled with junk and there is a path through the junk that leads you into the back part of the store. Boxes on top of boxes of stuff all the way to the ceiling. It is just a mess, display cases just filled to the top with used models. Nothing has a price on it you just grab it and find the store owner for the price. Then he qoutes you the price which is more then the retail value. I have never seen anything like this store just crap everywhere and tons of it.


You should go to Gamer's Haven then. That place has tons of OOP models that the owner is just willing to drop prices on (and they're already discounted) if you make a reasonable offer. Store has a ton of stuff, and the owner is pretty cool. Also in Cleveland.


I will check it out next time I'm in town
   
Made in us
Boosting Black Templar Biker



Cincinnati

 Chute82 wrote:
There is a game store in Cleveland, Ohio that looks like a tornado went through the shop. My older brother lives in the Cleveland area at took me to this game shop when I was in town. As you walk in the front door the first room you enter is just filled with junk and there is a path through the junk that leads you into the back part of the store. Boxes on top of boxes of stuff all the way to the ceiling. It is just a mess, display cases just filled to the top with used models. Nothing has a price on it you just grab it and find the store owner for the price. Then he qoutes you the price which is more then the retail value. I have never seen anything like this store just crap everywhere and tons of it.


Would you be willing to PM me the name of said store? I'm going to be in Cleveland in a few months and I'm curious lol.

As for my own experience, the first store I ever played at was the Hobbytown USA in Mason, OH. We had some real winners playing there, mainly three guys in their mid-30's who you could tell were just real winners. Here's what made them "winners":

- One believed he was a cowboy vampire, and he wore leather bracers, a duster, and a cowboy hat. Dude was like 5'4" and maybe 100 pounds soaking wet. Creepy because he would hiss at people, and showed an odd interest in the high-school aged boys in the store. He was an donkey-cave because he would throw a fit because if his gakky spruecron/Gundam army started to lose, he would throw a tantrum. He (and one of said highschoolers) would write really bad fanfiction set in the 40k universe.
- The next was a nasty guy, he reeked of cat urine and had the social skills of a rock. On more than one occasion, when a friend and I went to go get lunch, this guy would follow us out and try to get in the back seat of my car to go eat lunch with us, all without asking me. He also never even played, he was more or less a very nosy rules lawyer who butted into others' games.
- The last one wasn't ever really there much, but he was the worst habitual liar I had ever met. Dude claimed to have been in the Marines, that he owned a 50k point Tyranid army that his mom "threw away" when he joined the Corps, and finally that his family was some odd religion (that I had never heard of), and that he was worshiped as their deity. Right before he left town for a while, he actually got an assault charge against him for smacking the crap out of one of the younger kids that was playing at the time. Not sure if that's why he left.

Thank god I found a real store to play at though, I'm not sure how much more of that place I could have taken. I can't tell you how many times a kid would walk by, grab one of my figures that I was modeling/painting, and they'd drop it on the floor and then bolt to their parents.
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut





IL

There used to be a game store in Naperville called Game Warden which was located about two blocks away from the college and downtown area. They ran a huge vampire game that was pretty much out of control and had hundreds of players that spread all over the downtown and riverwalk area. The town was pretty much looking for any means they could to shut down the store and the game as it was contributing to all sorts of vandalism and townspeople being harassed etc. They didn't have to work too hard as the store owner was incapable of keeping things above board, despite making money hand over fist from the game he hadn't paid his back taxes owed his employees for about 3 months worth of pay, and apparently had been using the game as his private meat market for underage girls. (he was in his late 30s) He also had a hidden bedroom tucked away in the rear of the building where he'd take his underage friends. (serious creeper style)

I was at the store card gaming with one of my friends who worked there when he got a call from the owner saying he was leaving town, he'd knocked up one of the girls, there were multiple warrants out for him and that the store was being seized in the morning. Nobody would be getting paid the wages they were owed so whatever is still there in the morning the cops are going to take, which was his indirect way of saying if you want for your overdue wages you better loot the place.

The whole experience left such a stain with the town that they haven't allowed any gaming stores in the downtown area since (and it's been close to 17-18 years at this point) A bunch of people who were entirely unconnected with Game Warden have tried to open stores but the town keeps denying them business permits. Some stores have opened since but they are all out towards the mall or in other areas well away from the downtown & college.

The more traditional gaming like ccgs and minis that were confined to the store itself were fine and didn't cause any of the disruption. The vampire game that basically devolved into mobs of unruly underage drinking and petty criminals are what doomed that place and the city rightfully looked at the store owner as the ring leader and all around total scum bag.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2015/12/18 12:50:54


Paulson Games parts are now at:
www.RedDogMinis.com 
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut






New Orleans, LA

Well then...

That's...something.

DA:70S+G+M+B++I++Pw40k08+D++A++/fWD-R+T(M)DM+
 
   
Made in gb
Regular Dakkanaut





 paulson games wrote:
There used to be a game store in Naperville called Game Warden which was located about two blocks away from the college and downtown area. They ran a huge vampire game that was pretty much out of control and had hundreds of players that spread all over the downtown and riverwalk area. The town was pretty much looking for any means they could to shut down the store and the game as it was contributing to all sorts of vandalism and townspeople being harassed etc. They didn't have to work too hard as the store owner was incapable of keeping things above board, despite making money hand over fist from the game he hadn't paid his back taxes owed his employees for about 3 months worth of pay, and apparently had been using the game as his private meat market for underage girls. (he was in his late 30s) He also had a hidden bedroom tucked away in the rear of the building where he'd take his underage friends. (serious creeper style)

I was at the store card gaming with one of my friends who worked there when he got a call from the owner saying he was leaving town, he'd knocked up one of the girls, there were multiple warrants out for him and that the store was being seized in the morning. Nobody would be getting paid the wages they were owed so whatever is still there in the morning the cops are going to take, which was his indirect way of saying if you want for your overdue wages you better loot the place.

The whole experience left such a stain with the town that they haven't allowed any gaming stores in the downtown area since (and it's been close to 17-18 years at this point) A bunch of people who were entirely unconnected with Game Warden have tried to open stores but the town keeps denying them business permits. Some stores have opened since but they are all out towards the mall or in other areas well away from the downtown & college.

The more traditional gaming like ccgs and minis that were confined to the store itself were fine and didn't cause any of the disruption. The vampire game that basically devolved into mobs of unruly underage drinking and petty criminals are what doomed that place and the city rightfully looked at the store owner as the ring leader and all around total scum bag.




This is what I'm coming here for.

 
   
Made in us
Sslimey Sslyth




Well, after Paulsen's this is kind of anti-climactic.

Years ago, GW used to send promo copies of rules and such before the actual release date. Presumably, the idea was to drum up interest by having a copy available for people to read before the product was available for purchase.

On two separate occasions (one for the Blood Angel's codex and the other for WHFB 8th edition rulebook), I traveled from Decatur (near downtown Atlanta) to Kennesaw (deep northern suburbs) in Friday evening rush hour traffic to take a look at these promo copies. With traffic, the trips took about two hours to get there. On both occasions, the owner's son had taken the promos home to read, and didn't bring them back for over a week.

After the second time, I just stopped going there. Luckily, another store had opened a bit closer, and has since totally eclipsed the first store. Way better customer service.
   
Made in us
Willing Inquisitorial Excruciator





Pittsburgh, PA, USA

 paulson games wrote:
There used to be a game store in Naperville called Game Warden which was located about two blocks away from the college and downtown area. They ran a huge vampire game that was pretty much out of control and had hundreds of players that spread all over the downtown and riverwalk area. The town was pretty much looking for any means they could to shut down the store and the game as it was contributing to all sorts of vandalism and townspeople being harassed etc. They didn't have to work too hard as the store owner was incapable of keeping things above board, despite making money hand over fist from the game he hadn't paid his back taxes owed his employees for about 3 months worth of pay, and apparently had been using the game as his private meat market for underage girls. (he was in his late 30s) He also had a hidden bedroom tucked away in the rear of the building where he'd take his underage friends. (serious creeper style)

I was at the store card gaming with one of my friends who worked there when he got a call from the owner saying he was leaving town, he'd knocked up one of the girls, there were multiple warrants out for him and that the store was being seized in the morning. Nobody would be getting paid the wages they were owed so whatever is still there in the morning the cops are going to take, which was his indirect way of saying if you want for your overdue wages you better loot the place.

The whole experience left such a stain with the town that they haven't allowed any gaming stores in the downtown area since (and it's been close to 17-18 years at this point) A bunch of people who were entirely unconnected with Game Warden have tried to open stores but the town keeps denying them business permits. Some stores have opened since but they are all out towards the mall or in other areas well away from the downtown & college.

The more traditional gaming like ccgs and minis that were confined to the store itself were fine and didn't cause any of the disruption. The vampire game that basically devolved into mobs of unruly underage drinking and petty criminals are what doomed that place and the city rightfully looked at the store owner as the ring leader and all around total scum bag.


Epic post is epic.

   
Made in us
Androgynous Daemon Prince of Slaanesh





Norwalk, Connecticut

I seriously doubt anyone is going to beat Paulsen's post (or is it Paulson? Didn't see how you spelled it). Anyway...wow. Words fail.

Reality is a nice place to visit, but I'd hate to live there.

Manchu wrote:I'm a Catholic. We eat our God.


Due to work, I can usually only ship any sales or trades out on Saturday morning. Please trade/purchase with this in mind.  
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut






New Orleans, LA

While he's a pompous ass and the store is long closed, the Book of Gord has some gems in it.

http://www.actsofgord.com/


So there it was, a Friday night at around 9:30 pm. It was a LAN night when people were bringing their computers down for some serious StarCraft action. Well, StarCraft action is always serious, so it's not out of the ordinary.

Anyway, the music was loud, the lights were half off, and it was generally all good. Then these two guys come to the door.

"Ya, we want to come in and play some free games."

"I'm sorry" spoke the Gord. "The Gamer's Edge closed at 9pm. After 9, it becomes 'The Player's Edge!' Since you're not cute and female, you can't come in. The hottest night club in town is invite only."

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2015/12/18 16:07:22


DA:70S+G+M+B++I++Pw40k08+D++A++/fWD-R+T(M)DM+
 
   
Made in us
Stubborn Dark Angels Veteran Sergeant





Illinois

 paulson games wrote:
There used to be a game store in Naperville called Game Warden which was located about two blocks away from the college and downtown area. They ran a huge vampire game that was pretty much out of control and had hundreds of players that spread all over the downtown and riverwalk area. The town was pretty much looking for any means they could to shut down the store and the game as it was contributing to all sorts of vandalism and townspeople being harassed etc. They didn't have to work too hard as the store owner was incapable of keeping things above board, despite making money hand over fist from the game he hadn't paid his back taxes owed his employees for about 3 months worth of pay, and apparently had been using the game as his private meat market for underage girls. (he was in his late 30s) He also had a hidden bedroom tucked away in the rear of the building where he'd take his underage friends. (serious creeper style)

I was at the store card gaming with one of my friends who worked there when he got a call from the owner saying he was leaving town, he'd knocked up one of the girls, there were multiple warrants out for him and that the store was being seized in the morning. Nobody would be getting paid the wages they were owed so whatever is still there in the morning the cops are going to take, which was his indirect way of saying if you want for your overdue wages you better loot the place.

The whole experience left such a stain with the town that they haven't allowed any gaming stores in the downtown area since (and it's been close to 17-18 years at this point) A bunch of people who were entirely unconnected with Game Warden have tried to open stores but the town keeps denying them business permits. Some stores have opened since but they are all out towards the mall or in other areas well away from the downtown & college.

The more traditional gaming like ccgs and minis that were confined to the store itself were fine and didn't cause any of the disruption. The vampire game that basically devolved into mobs of unruly underage drinking and petty criminals are what doomed that place and the city rightfully looked at the store owner as the ring leader and all around total scum bag.


there must be more to this and I must find out. ill have to ask around

RoperPG wrote:
Blimey, it's very salty in here...
Any more vegans want to put forth their opinions on bacon?
 
   
Made in gb
Posts with Authority






Norn Iron

The book of Gord! Been ages since I read it. A real epic for all time.

timetowaste85 wrote:I seriously doubt anyone is going to beat Paulsen's post (or is it Paulson? Didn't see how you spelled it).


Yarp.

A couple of ill-fated gaming stores round here. One was based in a broom cupboard in a slightly dingy 'market', a couple of hundred yards from the local GW. I guess the owner was typical in that he made his real profit from MtG and Yu-Gi-Oh, because his tiny, tiny store was always packed out with some kind of tourney of those two, going on. (I don't just mean 'all tables were occupied', I mean 'packed out'.) One day the shop was just shut. I'd heard it was because the owner had agreed to buy or sell the black templars army of some big biker guy. The latter found out that he'd been diddled in some way, beat the owner black and blue, and threatened him never to show his face in the area again. He never did, AFAIK. I heard it second or third hand, so it could all be bullgak (and hence lack of some details) but it sounds dramatic.

The second story is a bit more concrete, though. Arkham Gaming near Larne collapsed after some staff, club members, and 'webmaster' tried to perform some kind of bizarre coup from the owner, locking him out of his own website and shop orders, and even threatening his b&m shop, which he was forced to lock up and eventually close down. He had a write-up about it online, which would've given some detail, but it seems to be gone now. Fair enough, it was a few years ago. There are still opposing views about, though.

I'm sooo, sooo sorry.

Plog - Random sculpts and OW Helves 9/3/23 
   
Made in us
Discriminating Deathmark Assassin




Roswell, GA

Can't really say I have had a bad store experience, jut with some of the patrons who attend.

First time I brought my then Fiance to a store I used to frequently visit. She is a nerd just like me and enjoys P&P RPG's and some card games, occasionally I can talk her into Wargaming.

She usually avoids game stores due to run ins with creepers in the past. I tried to tell her this place was pretty different and never had much problems and there is usually a fare bit of females who come to play.

So we walk in and start looking around and I usually star try search in the 40k section when we started to over hear a group of guys debating how useless women are unless they show their boobs in TV or movies.

My Fiance just looks at me and I just kind of half smile and sigh in defeat as she goes outside to sit in the car. Never wants to go back into game stores for a while.


Second was a smelly over zealous furry. Who made sure to let everyone know he was a furry and to call him by his true name, every chance he got. No one really cared he was a furry but he made sure to shove that fact down peoples throats and thats when people get annoyed. He was loud and always tried to tell people how to make their characters and what to do on their turns in D&D.

He would always wear these button up shirts with flames on them with a matching tank top underneath. The first layer would be removed at some point in the evening and you could smell him from about 10 feet away.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2015/12/18 17:36:07


 
   
Made in se
Guarding Guardian




Northern Sweden

Can I order a used Gord, does he come with a controller?

By the Emperor's Knee socks, Paulson. I'm at loss for words.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2015/12/18 17:56:33


''There’s only one true path in life – the path that leads to war''
-Mauryon of Biel-tan 
   
Made in us
Brigadier General






Chicago

paulson games wrote:There used to be a game store in Naperville called Game Warden which was located about two blocks away from the college and downtown area. They ran a huge vampire game that was pretty much out of control and had hundreds of players that spread all over the downtown and riverwalk area. The town was pretty much looking for any means they could to shut down the store and the game as it was contributing to all sorts of vandalism and townspeople being harassed etc. They didn't have to work too hard as the store owner was incapable of keeping things above board, despite making money hand over fist from the game he hadn't paid his back taxes owed his employees for about 3 months worth of pay, and apparently had been using the game as his private meat market for underage girls. (he was in his late 30s) He also had a hidden bedroom tucked away in the rear of the building where he'd take his underage friends. (serious creeper style)

I was at the store card gaming with one of my friends who worked there when he got a call from the owner saying he was leaving town, he'd knocked up one of the girls, there were multiple warrants out for him and that the store was being seized in the morning. Nobody would be getting paid the wages they were owed so whatever is still there in the morning the cops are going to take, which was his indirect way of saying if you want for your overdue wages you better loot the place.

The whole experience left such a stain with the town that they haven't allowed any gaming stores in the downtown area since (and it's been close to 17-18 years at this point) A bunch of people who were entirely unconnected with Game Warden have tried to open stores but the town keeps denying them business permits. Some stores have opened since but they are all out towards the mall or in other areas well away from the downtown & college.

The more traditional gaming like ccgs and minis that were confined to the store itself were fine and didn't cause any of the disruption. The vampire game that basically devolved into mobs of unruly underage drinking and petty criminals are what doomed that place and the city rightfully looked at the store owner as the ring leader and all around total scum bag.


Oh, man, I used to shop there as a kid! One possible minor correction, I think there was a store called Cypher games in that location for a couple years after the Game Warden closed. IIRC after a couple of years it moved to near the mall and then closed.

I wasn't doing as much gaming at the time but I remember being on the riverwalk as a high schooler ('97 or so maybe?) and wondering where all the vampires were coming from (IIRC, it they had gotten pretty far from the shop). It's definitely makes it difficult to have a romantic walk when there's dozens of "interesting" folks in vampire gear milling about.

I never did hear why it closed. Thanks for making it all clear.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2015/12/18 18:53:59


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IL

I was hoping that I could find some stuff from the local paper, but it was back in 95-98 so it was in the hazy pre-internet days. The only article I could find was this and I'm not sure if it pertains to the employee looting or if it were a separate incident.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1995-06-22/news/9506220188_1_cards-game-warden-police

All I know is that a few months after the last day looting my buddy who'd worked there was in a bind and needed cash so he sold me a massive collection of l5r cards, most of which had been store inventory. Which started me off on my path to running my own mobile card store and I bought and sold l5r stuff while making rounds at regional tournaments, which is how I made my living for about 7-8 years before I shifted over to doing miniatures related stuff. I wish I'd gotten involved with Magic at the time, as I would have made a lot more money.

The store ending was pretty epic, rumor was that he'd split for New Orleans and eventually got picked up down there for messing around with another 14-15 year old, got time both there and more back in IL afterwards. It was probably a pretty light amount of time (1-2 years) as I'd heard about it not that long afterwards.

Somebody (Jim or Tim?) attempted to re-use the location for Cipher Games on the condition that the vampire game wouldn't be allowed but that only lasted for about year or so and they were forced to relocate by the city and re-opened a couple miles away out by the mall. In addition to the social craziness the location was a run down pit and they started getting a major leakage of river water in their basement as they were directly next to it, the village used that to condemn the property and completely shut it down.

The ccg crowd Game Warden and Cipher both drew was awesome as they could have 60 person weekly events, but that also got a lot of ire from the town as it was well past capacity for the store, let alone all the chaos that was going on with their late night Vampire game. It was also the mid-late 90's so Vampire was the scapegoat for all things wrong and evil with the gaming culture, sort of like the anti D&D charge in the 80's. Hard to explain unless you were around at the time, but a bunch of teenage and college vampire goth types running around a very upscale and uptight white suburb was ruffling a lot of feathers. Once Cipher moved it was into a tiny shoe box of a store that was attached to some sort of laser tag place and they only had a single table so it pretty much ended all gaming there, they pretty much switched to just selling comics and special order stuff.

I only went there for the card gaming and mordheim (which had just launched) so I always looked at all the other stuff feeling there like I'd entered some sort of bizarro world.

This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 2015/12/18 19:21:04


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Chicago

Thanks for the additional information.

Sounds like they doomed themselves. Still, it was something of a loss as I don't recall any other local shops (I'm from Warrenville) in the area that had the same selection and play space.

As for LARPers, at the time I had only the vaguest idea of what they were doing and I was annoyed. So, for the rest of the non-gamer folks enjoying the riverwalk it must have been quite the invasion.

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IL

Oh, man, I used to shop there as a kid! One possible minor correction, I think there was a store called Cypher games in that location for a couple years after the Game Warden closed. IIRC after a couple of years it moved to near the mall and then closed.

I wasn't doing as much gaming at the time but I remember being on the riverwalk as a high schooler ('97 or so maybe?) and wondering where all the vampires were coming from (IIRC, it they had gotten pretty far from the shop). It's definitely makes it difficult to have a romantic walk when there's dozens of "interesting" folks in vampire gear milling about.

I never did hear why it closed. Thanks for making it all clear.


Warden would have closed no later than fall of 96 as I had my l5r store up and running by gencon summer of 97. I'm not sure what point Cipher had came online but I remember the location was vacant for a while before Cipher moved in and I remember that they had been on some sort of temporary lease, I think Mordheim was released in 98-99? I'd played with a group there but not all of the gangs were released yet so it was pretty early on.

We were playing there one night and it smelled really, really bad and the owner was like yeah that's the river leaking in, and when we looked down the stairwell there was about two and a half feet of brown nasty water in the place. We helped him move some of the remaining stock up to ground floor and about a week or so later the place was finally shut down by the health department due to the water and sewage back up.

I don't remember if Cipher had access to the rear half the building like Game Warden had, the only time I can recall it being used for any events was with the original owner. Had some very interesting and odd memories of that place. I only saw the new place by the mall once or twice and it wasn't worth making the drive just to buy stuff there as Games Plus had way more stuff, a gaming area and more importantly no Pedo staff members.


The owner of Game Warden wasn't the only pedo, there was another 30+ year old working there who was into boy toys. The owner was messing around with 13-15 year olds so they were really young, the employee was fooling around with some 16-17 year olds that were just a hair under legal age or just slightly past. To the best of my knowledge the employee never got busted for it though. It was all pretty gross IMO and the staff change with Cipher was most welcome.

This message was edited 7 times. Last update was at 2015/12/18 19:36:20


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 Vermis wrote:


The second story is a bit more concrete, though. Arkham Gaming near Larne collapsed after some staff, club members, and 'webmaster' tried to perform some kind of bizarre coup from the owner, locking him out of his own website and shop orders, and even threatening his b&m shop, which he was forced to lock up and eventually close down. He had a write-up about it online, which would've given some detail, but it seems to be gone now. Fair enough, it was a few years ago. There are still opposing views about, though.

I remember this story, read it either on here or /tg/. If I remember the details right, an employee was trying to turn it into his own private club of sorts, and started enlisting other employees and customers to help him. Made for a very unfriendly environment for newcomers and eventually the guy held the store hostage with the website thing.

Didn't the owner post up the story here once? I distinctly remember hearing his point of view and the stuff the guy did to his website was awful.

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 easysauce wrote:
Was playing a 40k game once when one of the workers there walked by the table and knocked off a bunch of my models with his protruding belly.

As I was working through the shock of seeing my forgeworld models in pieces he told me "You really shouldn't have models that close to the board edge."

I just stood there stupefied that he would consider models that are in *my deployment zone* to be at fault as opposed to hi own carelessness in where he swung his gut.

Its a good thing I didn't have my metal dread in a sock handy or I might be typing this from prison to this day!

Although if I got a few players on the jury I am sure they wouldn't convict


I hope you got some compensation.

...You did get compensation, right?

 
   
 
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