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Why not rent a room at the YMCA? YMCAs are kind of like community centers, and they're really common. It could be worth looking into.

You could also look into storage space places. Some of them rent out space for music band practice studios. If they are okay with the level of noise from a rock band, I am sure they will be okay with the level of noise from gamers. The big issue is it might not be enough space for more than two tables.

My local stores before i moved where in decent sized college towns 3 to be exact all within 50 miles of my home. After a few bad events the store owners got with their respective players of all type ( they did this with each other knowing about it) and set days for certain games. Magic got friday night of course rpgs got monday board games got wednesday and warhammer got thursday. The weekends rotated unless there was an mtg release etc and saturdays were first come first served. After that never had an issue with the card chuckers and the dice throwers again.

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Why not rent a room at the YMCA? YMCAs are kind of like community centers, and they're really common. It could be worth looking into.

All that stuff I said about community centers? Take them and coat them in urine. The YMCA, ladies and gentlemen.

That first store sounds awful, really...blaming "autism" for garbage /lazy parenting. Hopefully when she spawns that next crotch dropping they don't have time to pollute your store anymore.

That 2nd store, I just would never shop at. I hate kleptomaniacs, and hobby stores seem to attract them.

3rd store, how effective is just ignoring the dude? Be assertive and say "look, if I want to buy something, I will buy it. Stop trying to upsell me, it's making this a very uncomfortable environment". Edit: I'm not necessarily condoning being rude to a LGS employee....but sometimes you have to be firm to stop them.

 Adeptus Doritos wrote:

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Why not rent a room at the YMCA? YMCAs are kind of like community centers, and they're really common. It could be worth looking into.

All that stuff I said about community centers? Take them and coat them in urine. The YMCA, ladies and gentlemen.

not many places have an open YMCA or even one nearby or if they do, have one that has space that can be rented.

Eh, my old YMCA was always clean and great. Zero complaints. I'm sorry yours is gangland headquarters, Dorito.

 Manchu wrote:
@Marmatag

But why are we talking about finding a sitter? The kids (autistic or otherwise) have two parents who can be at different places at the same time. Daddy McFamily could go to the game store without bringing McMamma and the McNuggets - they choose to move as a McHerd. McMamma has laid down the law about this (cannot bear to be pit alone against the McNuggets?) and/or Daddy McFamily brings them along to help mark LGS #1 as his territory.

Look they're fair points. I can't speak to how that family operates. Leaving a mess behind is total BS, bringing screaming autistic kids to a gaming shop is not wise. No dispute here.

You should honestly stop helping them clean up, This may sound bad, but if the stor has to clean up all their mess, they will realize how bad this is.
go upto the store owner, with a group and tell him that aslong as this carried on, they will lose you patronage. big group too, like 5-6. Sure, you may not spend as much, but your more people then the one guy, and gaming stores care about more people then ust one.

Well Adeptus Doritos path is clear: inform the these terrible LGS that the internet strongly disapproves of them!

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
You should honestly stop helping them clean up, This may sound bad, but if the stor has to clean up all their mess, they will realize how bad this is.
go upto the store owner, with a group and tell him that aslong as this carried on, they will lose you patronage. big group too, like 5-6. Sure, you may not spend as much, but your more people then the one guy, and gaming stores care about more people then ust one.

I have trouble fathoming why store 1 can't easily solve the issue - "Look dude, your wife and kids aren't welcome here. They're not allowed back in." Have a group have a talk with the owner, if that doesn't fix things, well, feth that guy.

Store 3 sounds like an easy solution too. "Look, you know I like gaming here, I buy stuff here. Ask me once as I come in to satisfy the corporate requirement, and then stop pushing, safe in the knowledge that I will buy what I need. Cool?"

 Manchu wrote:
Well Adeptus Doritos path is clear: inform the these terrible LGS that the internet strongly disapproves of them!

Best post ever! Have an exalt!

"Foul were-hippo woman! I am the INTERNET! And I do not approve of you!"

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Foul were-hippo woman!

Adeptus Doritos please use this exact phrase when the Final Confrontation draws near.

 Manchu wrote:

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Foul were-hippo woman!

Adeptus Doritos please use this exact phrase when the Final Confrontation draws near.

Gotta be careful, she might cry "MUH SOGGY KNEE!!!" if anyone confronts her on her and her spawnlings' disgusting behaviors. Then you'll have legions of peacock-colored hair people chasing you down.

+PURGE THE UNCLEAN+

 Shadow Captain Edithae wrote:
+PURGE THE UNCLEAN+

Would make a good sign for the shop window.

 HunterEste wrote:
Contact with alien races always renews one's faith in humanity. It is my belief that foreign travel narrows the mind wonderfully.Gotta be careful, she might cry "MUH SOGGY KNEE!!!" if anyone confronts her on her and her spawnlings' disgusting behaviors. Then you'll have legions of peacock-colored hair people chasing you down.

We purged those people from the community long ago. Damned near most of the local community said that the gaming shops are not the place to cause drama and push ideologies onto people, and if you aren't there to play the game and have fun you need to move out of the way and let someone else play. Every now and then someone pops in with [insert manufactured moral outrage about gaming] and we tend to stare at them.

And the peacock-haired ladies with an axe to grind will have to contend with our ladies. Ours are meaner.

For the shop 1 situation: Have you considered gathering all the players and just boycotting Daddy McFamily until he brings his kids to heel? I mean, if he's there to play but no one plays him because of his brats, he suddenly has a BIG incentive to reign them in... or leave them at home.

 Vulcan wrote:
For the shop 1 situation: Have you considered gathering all the players and just boycotting Daddy McFamily until he brings his kids to heel? I mean, if he's there to play but no one plays him because of his brats, he suddenly has a BIG incentive to reign them in... or leave them at home.

This is an option as well. There was a group of three players who used to frequent my FLGS several years ago, that were just outright hostile. They'd play anyone, but they adamantly argued rules, what models were/weren't under the templates, wouldn't bring their codexes with them and would 'conveniently forget' rules (or outright lie about them if there wasn't a player around who knew that particular armies rules), and were just all around disruptive to the health of the store. The owner/manager called them on it a few times, and each time it would get better for a few weeks, but invariably the behavior would resurface.

So, several of us talked one day, after discussing it with the owner/manager and telling him what we were doing (he's a great guy and has the longest running store in the Phoenix metro area, and we didn't want to rob him of business; he does have a living to make, after all), and after he 'signed off' on it, we put those guys on the 'ignore list'. No one would agree to play them, and eventually, they stopped showing up. Last I heard of them, they tried starting up a club at another store that opened up a few years ago, but the store folded up w/ in a year.

The other two stores, eh.. I just wouldn't give my patronage to. As others have said, GW stores aren't set up to be a 'playing' store, they're there to move product and demo games. And the one w/ the teenagers I would avoid all together. Both for fear of having my army stolen, and, for the simple fact that most teenagers are annoying, selfish individuals.

Here in LA we used to have the battle bunker, it had a pretty good sense of community. It was large, ran by multiple staff and always seemed busy. Sadly I think they turned it into a one man store, and most likely it has that one dude who leers over you trying to sell you stuff. Like others said its for selling product and demoing games...no longer is it what it once was.

The other local shop in torrance and yet another in san pedro closed down. So literally here in south bay LA there is no where to game except at home. The thing is that isn't a viable way of meeting people to game with. As a result I game with people who are not even into the hobby. But luckily I have enough models to demo games at home with rl friends. Not too keen on meeting people off the internet either, reminds me too much of some awkward times I had using tinder.

I wanted to say be grateful you have three options...

But you really have none as far as Im concerned. Sucks, but I feel your pain.

Seriously, talk to the manager at store #1. Lay out your issues in a polite manner - not "This disgusting lady and her filthy obnoxious brats", but more "I know that we as gamers can be loud, but I've noticed that these kids are constantly running around, touching everything, and yelling uncontrollably, and that we always end up needing to clean up after their messes when they leave". Make note that you'd really prefer to play/spend money at that store, but are willing to go elsewhere if the problem continues.

Alternate solution: do you have any college campuses nearby that might be able/willing to rent out/let you use a conference room? It sounds like your local community centers aren't an option, but maybe this might be?

 Manchu wrote:
Well Adeptus Doritos path is clear: inform the these terrible LGS that the internet strongly disapproves of them!

Tell them some Australians said they sound inhospitable as well.

I never realized how much fun Wargaming at home could be until I built my own table, terrain and started teaching people to play out of my home.

My store experiences, both GW and FLGS, have been almost entirely positive outside of a few interactions with mouth breathers. That's a 50/50 chance every time you walk out the door though. I decided to start playing at home because I have some mobility issues and it's just much more easy. The positive effect is I've been able to get more people to come over and play in my game room then I was ever able to talk into a demo game at a store. Now my wife plays, her brother and his wife are starting armies, and several other buddies.

My 2 cents is that if you're having problems at the places where you game, start your own. Get a 6x4 piece of foam insulation board, put it on a dining room table and lay the various Game Mats you can get around the internet on it and your board is already finished. Schedule a hobby day where you and your group all grab some terrain and hang out just putting it together and painting it instead of playing to save time and get some hype for your new found freedom. It'll make your experience better, I would bet on it.

 n0t_u wrote:

 Manchu wrote:
Well Adeptus Doritos path is clear: inform the these terrible LGS that the internet strongly disapproves of them!

Tell them some Australians said they sound inhospitable as well.

Yup - and while we put up with our hazardous wildlife as a matter of course, some things are just ... don't go there.

 Mr. Grey wrote:
Seriously, talk to the manager at store #1. Lay out your issues in a polite manner - not "This disgusting lady and her filthy obnoxious brats", but more "I know that we as gamers can be loud, but I've noticed that these kids are constantly running around, touching everything, and yelling uncontrollably, and that we always end up needing to clean up after their messes when they leave". Make note that you'd really prefer to play/spend money at that store, but are willing to go elsewhere if the problem continues.

This is probably the best solution. Be mature about it. You're not employees, so cleaning up after someone elses children isn't your job. I'm assuming you support the store with with purchases. Letting him know you're instead looking at alternative facilities to play, which will also remove the incentive for the people that go with you to pay where they play, will make him take notice. Any store needs people to buy their stuff to stay open.

Garage Hammer for sure. Get a group together, it can be difficult, but worth it.

We have the same problems in our area.

OP,
Have you spoken to management about the situations at store 1 or 2. There's really nothing YOU can do about these problems as it's the business of the business owners/managers.

However, speaking to them and possibly even laying it out for these folks that you won't be coming to play or spend your money there until things are better would proably be the most effective course of action.

Wow. This is not a good set of options and from what I can tell my friends and I are blessed. Our local WH store is the best, he doesn't force sales down our throats and is really helpful with rule disputes, has strict rules for acceptable behaviour and is awesome with newbies.
Blessed

 Adeptus Doritos wrote:
So, in my town we have 3 gaming stores. And there's a problem with each of them.

Games Workshop store: It's simply not possible to play a game in this store. The place has a couple of tables, but you can't walk through the door without him trying to stuff product down your trousers and tell you what you 'need' to optimize your army. The guy simply cannot understand- most of us will buy a pot of paint or a White Dwarf to shut him up, but you cannot play a game without this guy hovering over you and trying to make sales. I get it, it's part of the business, I got it- but his sales method doesn't help- he'll show you something, if you express that you think it's pretty cool or something, he's asking if he can ring it up for you.

I have tried, no joke- seven times to play at this store, and every time me and my gaming partner have both just called it and went somewhere else. Is there something that can be said or done to fix this- is it the norm everywhere?

Given these three locations- what would YOU do to fix all, or at least one of them to have a place to game? Because it's gotten to a point where the gamers here are starting to opt for 'road trips' an hour and a half away to game somewhere else over the weekend.

It really depends, in my GW 's store (paris 12) i don't got this problem at all, they are pretty cool and will not bother you and trying to make sell every minutes.

You should try to look for association, or local gaming club, or founding yours.