Retailers We Love

[zippercomics]

Gemini Jetpack in Waterloo, Ontario, has braved their distributor to get me more Hero stuff, are quite happy to carry Hero product on their shelves (where it's largely gathering dust, I'm sorry to say) and push it to anyone who asks about good RPGs.

Plus, the staff are exceedingly friendly, funny, and disturbingly knowledgable about anime.

--->M@ss

Gemini's good for their Anime stuff, probably the best I've seen in my limited travels of Ontario. I feel it necessary to give credit to Nexus Games and Hobbies in downtown Waterloo as well; their supply of Hero is almost always up to date, and while they're more miniatures oriented, they're all good dudes. It's so much easier to buy stuff off a retailer that doesn't tick you off.

[Harry Canyon]

My first mention goes to Game Kastle / FRP Games, located at 19 Washington St. in Santa Clara, CA. Yes, it's the same guys who also maintain an online store that many of you patronize, at www.frpgames.com.

Uhh... Not trying to be a butthead... Perhaps we should pass this on to those folks: when I entered "hero system" into the search field and clicked Find. I didn't actually find any HERO system stuff until the second half of the second page. (Granted this could be a coding problem, but I certainly didn't expect any of the hits which appeared at the top of the list...)

Derek

[CSgeekHero]

Phantom of the Attic
http://users.telerama.com/~phantom/gaming.html

Wow. I remember that place. Lots of stuff.

I have to add: The Jester's Playhouse in Northfield NJ. They've got a lot of good stuff. They're staff knowledgable and they have some excellent promotions. Plus, they cary plenty for almost every system including HERO and GURPS.
(My two favorite systems)

[CSgeekHero]

Uhh... Not trying to be a butthead... Perhaps we should pass this on to those folks: when I entered "hero system" into the search field and clicked Find. I didn't actually find any HERO system stuff until the second half of the second page. (Granted this could be a coding problem, but I certainly didn't expect any of the hits which appeared at the top of the list...)

Derek

Don't use the search, use the dropdown boxes on the lefthand-side instead.

HERO is listed under both the manufacturers and Roleplaying game listings. You get only HERO stuff and a righthand listing of what's selling the best too.

[Nightshade]

For those of us in Central Iowa

The Ninth Zone
114 Washington Ave
Ames, IA

They have lots of HERO stuff and Magic: the Gathering.

They have more HERO stuff than pretty much anything else.

And they give discounts on pre-paid special orders.

Nightshade

[Bluefire]

Genesis Games & Gizmos (or 3G to those that go there)
8912 161st Ave Ne, Redmond, WA
3G

Great bunch of guys that run/operate the place.

[Flames]

In the Buffalo, NY area:

The Jester's Cap in nearby Lancaster, NY

I stopped by there looking for Terran Empire & Spacer's Toolkit. They didn't have either of them, but they had quite a bit of other Hero stuff. Actually, if you're looking for any CoC materials, this place is worth a look for sure... they've got wicked loads of it.

The owner of the store responds to email pretty promptly, too.

[PhantomNarrator]

South Florida used to have an impressive selection of gaming stores - "The Comic & Gaming Exchange" in Sunrise, "Charlie's Comics" in Hialeah, "Outland Station" in Coral Gables, "Brother's Grimm" in Miami, "Alternate Dimensions" in Miami, "Giant Gila Monster" - also in Miami - and of course, the venerable "Complete Strategist" in Davie (not as excellent as their warehouse location by the UN in Manhattan, but nevertheless...).

Alas, all of them are gone now, even the WOTC store at the local mall is history. Only "Sunshine Games" (formerly Comics) in Miami still hangs on - how, I have no idea. There are, however, some worthy successors:

"Dragon's Lair Games" is heir to the Complete Strategist's legacy, having inherited much of their stock from back in the day - 5118 S. State Rd. 7 (US 441), Ft. Lauderdale, FL. 33314. They have an extremely courteous and knowledgable staff, stock everything that HERO GAMES puts out, and host games at their store (www.adventuregamestore.com). I give them most of my business.

The other stores of note would be - "Tate's Gaming Annex," 4566 North University Dr. Lauderhill, FL. 33351 (www.tatescomics.com), which hosts regular card game events. Their emphasis seems geared to a younger Wizkids type crowd, but they do stock some HERO, last I saw...

...And "Lost Realms" - 23066 Sandalfoot Plaza Dr. Boca Raton, FL. 33428 (www.comicsandgames.com) - somewhat out of the way for me, but a good gaming store nonetheless.

There was also a great store in Laurel, MD called the Wargamers Depot. It's not there anymore, but you used to be able to sell games to them and buy used ones for 5-20% of the original cover price - before eBay pretty much eliminated the market for discounted used games.

[RavensPath]

Hobby Corner in Iowa City, Iowa is a must for this list. They usually have a copy of all the HERO books. I went there today to use a GC I got for my birthday and they had exactly the book I was looking for. And to make it even better it was the mall's sidewalk sale weekend so they had Ninja Hero and Terran Empires on sale because they were damaged!

Very solid HERO selection as well as other game books and other hobbies.

If you are in the area and haven't found a game store, I suggest there.

[Guzalot]

Tabletop Games in Overland Park, KS.

Based on this recommendation I made the 30 min journey across town and through the dreaded Grandview Triangle (you have to be a local to get the reference but rest assured it's a traffic nightmare). I wasn't disappointed. While the overall Hero selection wasn't as large as I'd hoped for, it was better than than anything I've found on the Missouri side of town. The owner was friendly and helpful as well. All in all a good experience, I'll be back.

[fredrik_nilsson]

I have very experiences from using Leisure Games in London. I've never been there in person, but when I've ordered from them they've been both fast and friendly.

[Shadow Warrior]

I can highly recommend Wayland's Forge in Birmingham (UK version). They are very friendly, always have a good stock (or if not can get what you need in a couple of days) and their mail order service is excellent. Plus they are always willing to "do a deal" if you are buying in bulk.

[Olliande]

Starplayer
16 rue Lagrange
Paris 75004
www.starplayer.fr

They have nearly all the hero book and are always willing to help.
Francois from the staff is a Hero GM ( he work rue dante in the other store).

[TheTemplar]

Based on this recommendation I made the 30 min journey across town and through the dreaded Grandview Triangle (you have to be a local to get the reference but rest assured it's a traffic nightmare). I wasn't disappointed. While the overall Hero selection wasn't as large as I'd hoped for, it was better than than anything I've found on the Missouri side of town. The owner was friendly and helpful as well. All in all a good experience, I'll be back.

Braving the Triangle is never to be done lightly... especially during road construction season. Which.. in KC is pretty much Late February through November.

Not sure it'd be any closer for you, but I'd also recommend 31st Century Games and Hobbies at Mur-Len and 151st St. in Olathe, KS. They have a pretty good selection of HERO products and have an impressive assortment of minis on display for sale (including individuals of DND minis if you like those for FH or HeroClix which, of course, make great Champions minis) if that's something you're looking for.

Tabletop is a great place, too. They used to bag up their DnD minis in logical groups and resale them. I picked up a bag of approx 2 dozen Orcs there about 2 years ago for something around $20 bucks, which is a pretty good deal.

Can't say I know of any gaming stores over on the MO side.

[Wolf]

I thought I’d add my 2cp in. Lived in many places over the past few years (ok, 3 not many for like the past 10 years of my life but enough.)
1) Oxford, OH- Gaming stores of note, none, they were all too far away, or games people play, but I don’t know if they are even there anymore… but we would trek all the way over Hell’s half acre to find a store ever couple of months and when we found one, stalk up, then venture back to the ol’ home front.

2) Fayetteville, NC- I was here in the Army, Loved the game store, heck I still call them from time to time just to see how their doing… Love them… great gaming stock, pretty stocked on Models, not too much of a mini’s store, but hey you can’t win them all… lol.
Hobbit Hobby
6111 Yadkin Rd # A
Fayetteville, NC 28303
(910) 864-3155
3) Vilseck, Byern, Germany- Mail order, internet, call a bud to send you stuff… ain’t gonna happen…. Might I add that the AAFES (the PX) really does a bad time of ordering Hero stuff… they still owe me a book that they had me pay for, and supposedly is in the warehouse…
4) Phoenix, AZ- been to a lot of the stores around here, and lemme tell you, for my buck it’s got to be the Game Depot, I live here now, and I’ll make the drive to Tempe… it’s not really that far. It’s a great store, and full of great people… seriously, the only warm and fuzzy I’ve gotten like this is the Hobbit back in Fayetteville. Though there are a Ton of Mini’s gamers, in fact though I still am buying and reading my Hero books (other than a game I going to run for my girlfriend) I have gone without a rpg game in almost a year, I’m so low I’ve started playing with the store group… good people, but gaming in daylight, in front of all, in a store… not where I thought I’d be, but that’s a personal comment not one on the store, my working life has led that to be the only free time I really have… however here is the goods.
The Game Depot
3136 S. McClintock Dr. #11
Tempe, AZ 85282
480-966-4727
-woof