Retro Game Store Directory & Nominate Your Favorite Stores
Even though retro-styled games are making a comeback of sorts, important establishments that are part of retro gaming culture such as arcades and stores that stock retro games and gear are still on the decline. Since these establishments are becoming such a rarity, we need to keep retro gamers educated where existing places are located and make sure they are supported sufficiently.
We just started taking nominations for the best remaining arcades in the world, but for this post, I wanted to highlight our community’s effort to document all the game stores that sell retro games. RB Forum member, lisalover1 started our Retro Game Store Directory over a year ago and other forum members have shared the names and locations of their local shops to be added to the directory. We now have hundreds of stores from around the world listed. (If your local shop is missing, please post in the forum thread)
In addition to rounding out the Retro Game Store Directory, I wanted to take nominations for the very best of these Retro Stores so we can build a Best-Of list and I can try to set up tours and/or interviews with the top selections.
So, if you have a retro game store that you think is especially impressive, please post your recommendations in the comments below. Please include some reasoning for your selection (what makes the store so special). If you have links to photos and/or video of the store, please share those as well.
If you’d like to see some examples of what I think is important in a good retro game store (and my two personal nominations), check out these two reviews.
I look forward to seeing your nominations – thanks for your help!
Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network or Amazon Associates.
I’d like to nominate SageMantis GAME-HAVEN in fredericksburg, va.
Its a retail store for retro and new…..they also have 27 stations for anyone that wants 2 LAN or play online….and they have a TechMantis that repairs all gaming systems. $50.00 fixes 360, ps3, and wii. The handhelds are 40 for the repair.
The Estarland warehouse in Fairfax, Virginia is pretty good. You can find just about anything there. Although the prices are a little iffy at times.
Player’s Choice Video Games in Winston Salem, NC is the bomb. I can get everything from av cords for my model 2 Sega Genesis to Atari cartridges. I’ve been shopping there for a few years now, and every time I go in, I’m stunned by something they have. Last time I was there, I saw a full shelf of Dreamcast, 32x, and Master System games across the room from a glass case full of over 300 NES cartridges. It’s as close to retro heaven as you get around here.
Game Trader in Beaverton Oregon is the best place in town for retro games.
Game Trader in Beaverton Oregon’s Cedar Hill Mall has become my go-to place for retro games, repair on consoles (new and old) or just a friendly chat about games. Tucked away inside the bowels of the mall, it’s well worth a visit.
What the store lacks in fancy signage (not to mention the polo-wearing, pre-order-selling, current-generation-only-selling style of Game Stop), it more than makes up for in its’ huge stock of retro-games. In addition, the owners have clearly made a point of hiring a knowledgeable, energetic staff. Even when I’m not looking for a game I often stop in to browse and have a nice, causal, chat with one or two of the employees.
I especially like that they keep a little bit of everything on hand. Their new releases are in ample supply, of course they have LOADS of retro titles, and I can usually even find some pretty interesting import titles.
Game Trader
http://www.gametrader-online.com/
3205 Southwest Cedar Hills Boulevard
Cedar Hills Crossing, Beaverton, OR 97005
(503) 641-5511
These guys are amazing at getting rare games and specialty items that you can’t find just anywhere. Their prices have always been reasonable and make sense to the item’s rarity and worth. They can do repairs and know what they are talking about. They aren’t out to gank your money for stupid memberships. They’ll remember your name and will more than likely have awesome arcade set up and a few retro games on display to play. They work with local businesses and set up booths at local expos. I love these guys!
AVOID Game FACTOR Greeley, The owner is a jerk, he constantly will low ball inoccent people that do no know what they have. He will give you four dollars for something that he sells fro twenty, I know that he has to make a living, but at least offer a little under of half of what they list. The guy will talk crap about other gamestores and states he knows what is rare, which he does, but then does not offer what a rare thing should go for. BOB is the owner and he is an ass, on the other hand there is a GAME FORCE in Longmont Colorado, and the owner MIKE is awesome, he will chat about games with you, he will find the right game for you and his prices are better than anywhere else I ahve ever visited, simply the best store in Colorado
Toyratt in Ontario. He just moved locations and is currently setting up a bigger and better store. Check out all the updates for yourselves on YouTube – toyrattsvirtualtour. He gets hundreds of games traded in every week so there’s always something new. He also has the best prices in town. There is no other store quite like it!
Game Trader in Beaverton, OR. They have tons of stuff for just about every system one can think of. I’ve seen the weirdest things in that store, development consoles, uncommon imports etc. They also will repair just about anything, new stuff as well as odd things like the lynx. The employees are gamers through and through and are very cordial.
I’ve been going there regularly for over 10 years now and haven’t had a single bad experience. I can’t recommend them enough.
In Chicago, I’ll say for sure Video Games Then and Now at 4351 N. Harlem Ave. Great store, very reasonable prices, they even have a gaming area in the back part of the store. I’ll also mention the Exchange on Milwaukee Ave and Belmont, also reasonable prices. As for People Play Games the Customer Service there sucks, they are the Gamestop of retro games as they will lowball you on your games and resell for 3x as much. The prices there are also ridiculous.
Vintage Stock – Several stores around Missouri. All kinds of classic gaming goodies at REALLY good prices! When I’m back home in KC I usually stop in every different store I can and stock up!
I really like the playntrade in Woodstock. Decent prices and friendly, knowledgeable staff.
2990 Eagle Dr # 110
Woodstock, GA 30189
Game Exchange on Talbot street, (Ireland)
A great selection of classic games, as well as books and music CD’s
I have to agree with Jim at the top. Destiny Games in Canton, Michigan is quite good. Actually there are a small number of independent vendors in SE Michigan, but they remain veeery small due to the massive amount of Gamestops out here (there are four in one suburban city).
LUNA GAMES
http://www.lunavideogames.com/
Two locations in San Diego, CA
I was looking for a NES Gyromyte game with an import adaptor, trying to figure out which cart might have one inside. The employee helped me sort the fifteen carts out, yes they have that many! After finding one, the employee still only charged me the regular price of five bucks!
Good two stores, almost every disc based game is CIB including manuals and original cases.
I would like to nominate Sage Mantis Game Haven in Fredericksburg, VA.
Why? The guy who owns the Store has good prices, is friendly towards his customers, and has a great selection of stuff.
Both GameSwap and Games Galore in Cincinnati Ohio. Both have lots of retro games avaliable, with decent prices and have most systems in stock too.
I second Pastime Legends. The Scotia, Albany and soon Troy, NY locations!
http://www.pastimelegendsvideogames.com/
Button Mashers Video Games is one of the only good retro game stores in RI. I’ve actually donated my whole collection to them to help them get started.
The R.A.G.E (Record Art Gaming Emporium)
16B Fade St
Dublin 2
Ireland
http://theragedublin.tumblr.com/
Currently, it’s pretty much the only reliable/reasonable source of older gaming in the city. The likes
of GamesExchange (transgender gaming, apparently) and 3D Games stock a lot of older stuff, but
are crash courses in daylight robbery with the prices they’re quoting on retro stock. The RAGE tends
to house a good few gems too, sometimes at a bargain.
I go to Game Dude in North Hollywood, California.
Digital Press
Clifton, NJ
One often overlooked one is retrovideogames.store — I got two really awesome reboots of NES games for my PC there, and they basically take the awesome games and get rid of the stuff that sucks and add more cool stuff. One of my favorites.