Games of Berkeley — Attraction in Berkeley

When I set foot in the store, my first experience was the clerk asking me to please put my ice cream treat that I'd brought in behind the front counter. No food in the merchandise space. Of course, they didn't want people getting their filthy fingers over things, I can understand. I was even willing to shrug it off as a weird store policy and a bad first impression, but it turned out to be part of a larger problem.

The front of the store is laid out relatively open (for a game store), with the "safe" items like puzzles and conventional board games up front. Even as it moves through the gradient of spiel des jahres games to MTG to 40k to historical mini wargames, things are kept to look very clean and mainstream. Meanwhile, the playing space has been completely shoved into the basement. There, the regulars can be kept out of sight/sound/smell entirely, lest their presence disturb the mom casually walking in through the door looking for a puzzle. As if all those sweaty neckbeards were just as bad for the sale as ice cream dripped on everything.

It even permeated into the conversations I heard. More that people were allowed to show up for the scheduled warmahordes tournament than a place where people came to throw some dice in a pickup game. Nowhere were there people just hanging out (there wasn't any space on the main floor allotted for it), or just playing games, or having fun. There didn't seem to be a sense of community, and if there was, they seemed all but careful to hide it.

Instead, the whole thing was devoted to being exactly one thing - a soulless retail space. An IKEA except for European game designers instead of European furniture makers. Walk through the path, buy your stuff, don't touch anything, don't be weird. You almost expected there to be a cafe awkwardly wedged into the corner to offer sanitized chic like at a Barnes and Noble.

In the end I stayed long enough to rifle through some confrontation minis and 40k books, but I didn't buy anything. I'm all for supporting one's local game store (and I do), but this place doesn't seem to be one - it's more that games are what happens to be on sale at a generic Berkeley boutique. If there's nothing more on tap than what the store manager decides he wants to let you get your grubbiness on while you're buying something it would be one thing, but if you're nothing but a display case for the newest expansion to Carcassone, then I'm sorry, but you're competing with Amazon. Who offer that same expansion at...

UNSAFE. AVOID. Abusive and scarring content inside. This store had a book about bestiality openly displayed in a section full of disturbing content...why. After stumbling across it, I felt physically sick and unsettled the rest of the day. I can’t imagine how a more vulnerable person would feel walking in.

I brought it up to someone on staff, and to their credit, they immediately looked at the book and looked genuinely disturbed. I gently warned them it’s a triggering content.

Still, it’s hard for people to support local businesses if they aren’t safe spaces for community. I truly hope this was an oversight and that they re-evaluate what they’re putting on shelves.

I’d gladly update or remove this review if I hear positive news about this topic. I don't mind elaborating either. I want people of all backgrounds, and experiences in our community to be able to go visit this local spot!

—- Edit: Thank you for responding respectfully. I chose public post as a community member so that others can be in the know.

I stated specifically it was a book not a game, and you conveniently skipped over completely the human and animal abuse subjects of the bestiality and other stomach churning / abusive content.

I am anti-censorship, actually, and as a private (?) business it's actually your entirely choice to post up abusive content, and support gross animal abuse like bestiality by hosting this content. The books called "horse girl". Hope it's worth it to you. 🙄

Again, I appreciate you responding in a respectful manner, I just wish you'd responded to the...

This store is really big and special because it has LOTS of cool stuff, all in one place. Role playing games & accessories, party games, board games, table puzzles, puzzle toys, stuffed animals, kite accessories, throwing disks, etc, etc. There are tables and rooms in the back for gaming. There is a lot of light and overall, the store is very attractive and well organized.

Why three stars? Well, the staff is usually pretty upright about rules, and although I go in happy, I always leave deflated. And this is coming from a person who is happy to acquiesce when someone tells me I'm breaking a rule. The tone in the store is definitely "library": don't throw (just to the person right next to me), don't use (who doesn't want to try out a stage knife with a disappearing blade?), don't touch. At times, wear a mask. The vibe is weird when someone tells you you're out of line. I immediately change my behavior and smile to show no hard feelings, but the worker doesn't smile back. You're watched until you leave. I feel nervous and uncomfortable. But why? Obviously, if I break it, I'll buy it... But I've never broken anything.

It's a bummer because this place seems so fun, and I really want to support stores like this. I could compare it to Mr. Mopps toy store: special products, great variety, small business, local. But they are super welcoming there, in comparison to Games of Berkeley, and my experience is overall...