Fantasy Shop St. Charles — Attraction in Saint Charles

Verdict: Go to Manticore Game Shop, Collector Store, or Newcastle Games instead. Far less drama and far healthier relationships with proper boundaries between staff and customers.

Pros: Diverse selection of product. Spacious, well-maintained, and clean play area. Well-organized displays. Prices are competitive with rival shops. Clean and well-stocked restrooms. Knowledgeable staff.

Cons: Unprofessional treatment of longtime customers. Staff talk behind each other's back, in front of customers. Management is in denial about this. Inconsistent rules enforcement.

As of 4/28/2019, I am reducing my review from 4 stars to 2 stars due to the unprofessional way I have been treated within the past month. Years of good will and a diverse selection of product keep me from giving them a 1 star rating.

Regardless, I do not foresee ever coming back here. This is me burning my bridges with my former friends.

You can get good deals on collectible card games, comic books, gaming books, board games, and the like here. Just don't make friends with the staff. It's a trap.

The staff, save for a couple of recent hires and one other (see below), has unhealthy relationships with each other with numerous conflicts of interest. They are family, friends, housemates, and coworkers with blurred lines galore. They talk behind each other's back to me and other customers in a manner that I am uncomfortable with.

I sometimes have to walk to the other side of the store to avoid hearing uncomfortable details about their coworkers' lives. "Should I be hearing this?" "I'm going to walk to the other side of the store, this sounds private." starts singing to drown out the gossip

I really don't need to know how badly someone despises their child and wishes their coworkers were their children instead. I don't need to know about the store's dire financial troubles, and how a mass withdrawal of banked store credit or mass cancelled orders would sink the shop. I don't need to know about the financial irresponsibility of your priest and the immaturity of your judge. I don't need to know how little confidence you all have in your "eye candy" figurehead boss. I don't need to know how "out of touch" the "dinosaur" owners are.

Mr. DM, Mr. HC, and Ms. KF, you're better people than everyone else here. Hopefully your influence will set your coworkers on a healthier and less self-destructive path. Regardless of what happened, and although I will probably never see the three of you again, I am happy to have met you, and I will continue to believe in all of you and I will still consider you my friends.

If any of you are ever in dire straits, you know how to contact me. You know where to find me. My help is available with no strings attached.

Mr. CH and Mr. JK, I don't interact with you enough to have an opinion about either of you. I do know that you've never gossiped about your coworkers and customers in front of me. Keep up the good work.

The general manager is in denial about this. They deflected by telling me that they had received numerous complaints about me over the three years that I've been going there, but they didn't call me out for it directly.

They projected by telling me that the staff isn't there to serve as my therapists. I didn't know therapists vented about their coworkers' faults to their clients while the latter listen quietly.

I'm a magnet for people with a lot of drama. People at work, people in the community, people at the Fantasy Shop just randomly approach me to vent about their problems. It's not a role I sought for myself, but it's the role I have embraced.

But I listen, because that is what I do, and that is what you needed. A sympathetic ear.

Original review follows:

A large shop with a friendly atmosphere. Has a nice variety of gamers of all shapes and sizes and preferences. The staff are friendly and helpful. Despite the trendy nerd atmosphere, the shop leans heavily to the right (although the staff are slightly more open minded and progressive than the regulars). Avoid discussing...

A Haven for Comics and Gaming Enthusiasts

Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

If you're a comic aficionado or a devoted tabletop gamer, then the comic and gaming shop in St. Charles, Missouri, is a place you absolutely must visit. This store is a true haven for those who have an insatiable love for comics, dice, board games, and role-playing games.

Walking into this shop is like entering a realm of endless possibilities. The sheer magnitude of their comic collection is awe-inspiring. Whether you're a fan of classic superhero tales, indie graphic novels, or manga, you'll find an extensive selection here that caters to all tastes. The comics are neatly organized and easily accessible, making it a breeze to find what you're looking for or discover something new.

But the true magic of this shop extends beyond comics. Their array of dice, board games, and role-playing games is nothing short of phenomenal. Gamers will feel like they've stumbled upon paradise. They offer everything from the latest and most popular board games to rare and out-of-print titles. The dice section is a dice enthusiast's dream, with a kaleidoscope of colors and styles to choose from, perfect for enhancing your tabletop adventures.

The staff is not just knowledgeable but genuinely passionate about comics and gaming. They are more than happy to assist you in finding the perfect comic or game for your interests, and they're quick to recommend hidden gems that you might have otherwise overlooked. Their enthusiasm is contagious, and you'll leave the shop with a smile on your face and a few extra recommendations in mind.

The store's layout is intuitive and conducive to exploration. You can easily spend hours browsing through their vast selection without feeling overwhelmed. The welcoming atmosphere encourages customers to take their time, ask questions, and engage in discussions with both staff and fellow patrons.

Pricing is fair, and there's a wide range of options for every budget. Whether you're a collector on the hunt for rare comics or a casual gamer looking for a fun board game for the family, this shop has something for everyone.

In conclusion, the comic and gaming shop in St. Charles, Missouri, is an incredible establishment that deserves the highest praise. It's a delightful, welcoming space for comic lovers and gaming enthusiasts alike. The diverse selection of comics, along with an impressive array of games and dice, makes it a one-stop destination for all your comic and gaming needs. Don't miss the opportunity to explore this awesome store; it's an absolute must-visit for anyone passionate about comics and gaming in the St....

This is one of my favorite places to go. It's got a great selection of comics, and they will list out new comics or ones they just got in, and what they don't have they will try to find or order for you. They have a small collection of manga, as well as a few bookshelves of hardcover editions or omnibus collections. On the walls the have all sorts of different collectibles, from Caps shield to a batman figurine, not to mention a decorative tardis in the corner. They have a wide selection of board games, from superfight to settlers of catan, there's a lot of party games, cooperative games, and strategic games. If you need Pathfinder or Dungeons and Dragons manuals or pawns or dice they've got those too, and warhammer manuels, figures and paints. If you're into card games they've got those too, their magic selection is vast where they have packs and singles, and mats and deck boxes, their pokemon and yugioh selection is significantly less, they also carry force of will and a few more less popular card series. Towards the back of the store they have rows of tables where you can try out a boardgame or come to one of their many events where you can play dnd, magic, force of will and other things, they have a printed list in store and information online. Judging by the length of this review it's safe to assume that if you like comics and games this...