There wasn’t much fanfare to it, so you might’ve missed the news that Gamma Ray Games opened last week on Pine. Like most hobby shops around town, Gamma caters to tabletop purists without going too hardcore; you won’t find copies of Risk, but you also won’t see a table filling the center of the store with a 50-man World War II simulation. Think Catan and its modern-nerd board-gaming brethren.
So far, the limited selection and barebones interior scream soft open, but the balcony space with tables and open windows is already the store’s greatest asset—it’s not a cramped locker in there. Store founder Eric Logan is already talking up the store’s future, but thankfully, his doesn’t come off like a bullshit sell.
As of today, its upstairs lounge has 12 open boxes of more famous nerd games to try out for free. “We also welcome people bringing in their own to play,” Logan says, and adds that people can request to check out the space for game sessions if they want to take their regular games out of their basements, and public events should follow shortly.
Logan says he has already partnered with Capitol Club across the street to host a gay game night there in the near future, and he’s working up a map for his own store that details every unofficial/de facto gaming event you might find at bars and spots in Cap Hill, downtown, the U District, and more.
“Nobody’s tried a spacious games store before in Seattle,” Logan says before breaking into laughter, and points out that his is the only games store he can think of with a girlfriend / significant other lounge, complete with table, chairs, and “decidedly non-gamer magazines.” (He had no response to a vending machine stocked with replacement boyfriends.) When asked about plans to monetize, Logan says his store will compete with a buy/sell/trade system (“so people can find secret rarities on a weekly basis,” referring to out-of-print games), along with shelf space for indie/homemade role-playing games (the zines of nerds). He’s most confident, though, in the sheer location: “We’re the only games store that anyone on the Hill can get to without taking two buses.”
If they can keep the stink and the troglodytes out, then this could be cool
If they did that they’d sell fewer games…
I saw them setting up over the weekend.
I’ll stop by and see just what they’ve got to offer.
“If they can keep the stink and the troglodytes out, then this could be cool “
Can’t speak for gamers at large, but I took a look around while they were in the process of setting up, the owners seem to be pretty nice and social dudes.
I can’t wait to go in. If I didn’t have a warcraft raid tonight I would so be there!
Good news. Hopefully they’ll take my old GURPS books.
Hey, some girlfriends are just as excited about this as their boyfriends. Just saying.
Sounds awesome. I just hope my fucking ex doesn’t frequent there. UGH.
Yay, something closer than Greenwood.
Umm… Blue Highway Games?
I’m excited about Gamma Ray Games, but Logan shouldn’t claim that ‘nobody’s tried a spacious games store before in Seattle.’ Blue Highway Games is on the top of Queen Anne, it’s huge, they have a ton of public events, tournaments, and well-established game nights and the most extensive free game library I’ve ever seen. You can pretty much go in and play any game they sell, anytime, for free.
I really hope there’s enough support for both places (and others). The more gamers in Seattle, the better!
I wouldn’t call it “spacious” – pretty much every just-games store I’ve ever been in has been bigger and had more seating and tables – but it’s pretty big for where it is. And that tiny spiral staircase will probably keep the hugest of the basement cases out of the playing area.
Speaking as a girlfriend, I’d rather the girlfriend lounge had MORE FUCKING GAMES, their stock is small enough as is.
Anyway, I’m still stoked about having a game store so close and would probably still hang out there if it had nothing but a card table and one copy of Settlers.
For that matter, Eagle Games on Lake City Way (used to be in Ballard) has always had a pretty huge store, although a fair bit of it has been modeling stuff. Wonderworld out in Burien wasn’t exactly small, although given how over-stuffed it was, it was pretty claustrophobic in there.
@12: Did they used to be American Eagle up on Greenwood? I used to hang out there after school and drool over the machine gun replica kits…. Always out of the reach of my allowance. Ah, youth… (I also tried my one “public” game of D&D there and was summarily executed by the DM.)
“Nobody’s tried a spacious games store before in Seattle,”
Wait, weren’t the Wizards of the Coast stores just like that?
and points out that his is the only games store he can think of with a girlfriend / significant other lounge, complete with table, chairs, and “decidedly non-gamer magazines.”
Gamer grrlz everywhere grind their dice in anger.
@14 Well, at least he didn’t just leave it at girlfriend – if the “non-gamer magazines” include a copy or two of some boring financial whatnot my boyfriend will probably be just fine there…
Re: two buses to a game store, Teeechnically the 48 route serves both Cap Hill and Greenwood (where Gary’s Games is), but I understand that most people don’t think of the 48 as a reasonable walking connection from Broadway. I’m just weird.
I saw this last night as I was going to pick up my wife from her MBA class at Seattle U. If they can get me a copy of Hex Hex, they’ll get my business.
Oh yeah, Blue Highway Games in Queen Anne is a great board game shop.
i think the idea of the ‘girlfriend lounge’ is for anyone that gets dragged to the nerd store to hang out and wait while the rest of us play with our dice.
Hi All,
Just to clarify, the S.O. Lounge is a gender neutral seating space added to the store at the request of gamers who wanted a place for non-gamer friends and relatives to be able to sit comfortably while they browsed. It was never intended as “the ladies area” and I apologize if that is how it has been construed.
Since opening a week ago, 1 in 5 of the gamers who have come in to the store have been women. Everyone involved with the store recognizes, supports and encourages this trend. In particular, we’re all very enthused by how many women RPGers there are.
As far as “spaciousness” is concerned, I love Blue Highway and American Eagles both and wouldn’t have been able to open our store if it weren’t for the generosity and support of both of those store’s owners. Both stores are much larger than mine in terms of both square footage and vastness of inventory and have my respect for it. What I meant to say, rather jokingly, was that no one had ever attempted to design a “minimalist” game store before. And, at the moment, we are definitely that.
I hope that before you grind your dice at me too hard or think that I don’t know my local game store history, that you’ll stop by, take a look around and let me know how I can make sure that the game store adequately reflects you and your interests.
Hope to see you soon,
Eric Logan
Owner, Gamma Ray Games
Eric, do you have Hex Hex? I will seriously come by tomorrow and buy a copy if you do.
Hey Nic, I’m afraid that Hex Hex is currently out of print. I’d be happy to email you as soon as I found a copy but you might want to try Gary’s first, just in case.
@Eric: Can you ban my ex from your store? Just sayin. I am a chick, he is a dude. Let’s get priorities straight…and keep the chick numbers in your favor. ;p
Place sounds pretty cool. I should check it out next time I’m on the hill.
However, no Risk? C’mon now, I know this place is supposed to be ‘minimalist’ and all, but a games store without some Parker Brothers classics is like a coffee shop without drip.
@ O. M.: Done.
@ Greg: We actually do have Risk. And Diplomacy. And Acquire. Classic respect is in full effect.
Mind you, I also have a new Italian game sitting right next to the Risk called ‘Dust’ that I might recommend over Risk, but we can discuss that when you get here.
If I can get my hands on Illuminati I’ll be one happy girl.
@24: Duly noted; I should’ve said Cranium instead of Risk in the OP to drive my point home.
@ 25: I know of two original Illuminati enthusiasts and will be getting them together soon. Stop by and let me know if you want to get in on it.
@ 26: A little controversy is good. I’m just glad we had the chance to talk.
Wow, what an awesome store owner. I’m used to game store owners that just creepily stare you down and tell you not to touch the expensive stuff. Eric you sound like a great owner, I’m definitely stopping by the next time I’m on the hill!