Picante Trading Card Games — Local services in Greensboro

To me there are 4 pillars to what makes a local trading card shop great. Atmosphere, Community, Fairness, and Transparency.

Atmosphere: The team at Picante has done their work on making a space that feels safe and engaging. When you walk in the door at a lot of card shops, it's easy to get sensory overload, or for it to feel empty with how far away the people are from the entrance. At Picante, there's a balance. The entrance area lets you come in and see what they have in stock right away, while giving you time to look at the rest of the shop without feeling awkward. It helps that the team is coordinated and clearly passionate about providing good customer service.

Community: While I myself play Pokemon, I've taken some time to watch and read the room for a couple of other card games on offer at Picante. Just standing and watching a game go on never feels like I'm interfering, and asking questions about things (with the exception of an event is being played, but that's usually very evident.) is always met with an eager smile and an excellent explanation. The people who play here are passionate about what they play, and love to share in that passion even for the games they don't play. Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic, and One Piece (and likely more I haven't seen.) all co-exist here with a rare ease.

Fairness: This one is simple. The prices on their products are based on MSRP or Collector value. There is no arbitrary markup, no new player tax, nothing like that. Beyond the counter though, it never feels like the staff are biased towards a player or group of players, and while they'll often joke and poke fun with the regulars, they're just as eager to have fun with people who are unfamiliar or who don't know everyone.

Transparency: The events are run by the rules, and while most games have software to handle tournaments, you can still ask to join even without a mobile device if you don't have one. It depends on the nature of each game, but I've yet to see anyone get turned away from an event for not having the mobile app for their game. Moving on, there is never a question they'll answer dishonestly. If you're looking to sell cards, they'll tell you their prices for bulk, how they price for individual cards and their rates, and if they're looking for something in particular you might have. There is no "we aren't buying this right now" here, and if you pass them a stack of cards, they'll price it out and let you know their numbers (store credit vs. cash) before assuming what you want. A bad question doesn't exist, and honesty is the name of the game for the store staff. If the person you're speaking with doesn't know the answer to something, there is 0 hesitation in asking someone more knowledgeable, whether that's someone who is a customer, or a manager.

Overall: Picante is a great store with excellence baked in. It has something for everyone, Collectors can find rare items here, and if they need to move some bulk or sell some pieces of their horde this is the place to do it. Players will find a welcoming community, with passionate players and staff who are eager to teach, play, and relax. Families will find a kid-safe environment, with easy to find seating that never feels in the way. Extroverts have a loving community that's eager to greet them with the same energy they enter with, and Introverts are never overwhelmed. Boundaries are respected, and the people are lovely to be around.

10/10 store, even though it's a 30 minute drive for me, every visit...

I always try to support my local game stores, both to help the community and to avoid the extra shipping costs from buying online. Unfortunately, my experience with this shop has been pretty mediocre, and my most recent visit only reinforced that feeling.

Their inventory is solid, and they carry some harder-to-find cards, which is nice. Plus, being able to browse their stock online before visiting is convenient. However, their pricing strategy is frustrating. They tend to price cards at market value or sometimes even above it, which is already a bit disappointing compared to other LGSs in the area that offer occasional discounts or reward programs.

What really bothered me this time was when they flat-out told me they price a dollar or so higher than market for the “convenience” of getting all my cards in one place. But at that point, why wouldn’t I just order from a TCGPlayer seller who’s pricing below market and charging $1.50 or offering free shipping? Not only do I save money that way, but I’m still supporting small businesses and even other LGSs that sell on TCGPlayer. The whole reason I shop at an LGS is to support them while avoiding extra costs—not to pay more than I would online.

Another issue I’ve run into is card condition. A few times, I’ve bought cards listed as Near Mint (NM), only to find them with noticeable wear. One had a visible indentation from a binder along with some scratches—it wasn’t a big purchase at only $1.50, but still, NM should mean NM. I don’t like when stores list cards that are clearly Lightly Played (LP) as NM, and it makes me hesitant to buy higher-value singles from them in the future.

On top of all this, when I asked about pricing flexibility recently, they made it clear that “the price is the price,” and if I didn’t like it, I didn’t have to buy. I get that they need to make a profit, but that attitude, combined with the already higher-than-market prices, removes any incentive to shop here. A couple of bucks off market or some sort of loyalty program would go a long way in making the store more appealing.

At the end of the day, if I can get the same cards for less money shipped to my door while still supporting small businesses, then there’s really no reason to go out of my way to shop here.

Edit: I appreciate the response, but my concerns remain the same. Other stores in the area offer a more pleasant experience, whether through rewards programs, occasional flexibility on singles pricing, or just a more customer-friendly approach. If I can get the same card for the same or lower price shipped to my door while supporting another LGS on TCGPlayer, then there’s little incentive to shop here. I understand valuing labor and convenience, but as a customer, I...

I've spent a lot of money here, but unfortunately I side with a lot of their negative reviews and have decided not to shop here any more. Ordering from them online has been fine, there's definitely some price inflation in their inventory. They claimed to adjust the price according to "market" in previous review responses that are conveniently gone, and now go based off recent lowest listings. When I went up there in person and pointed out cards that I was interested in (at 2x market AND lowest listing price) they told me they couldn't guarantee a price adjustment even if it's listed lower elsewhere. They only "adjusted" 3/7 cards and then charged me for the full amount (not adjusted at all) including a card that they didn't even have in inventory. The interaction ended with a near $60 over-charge on my credit card that they didn't catch until I pointed it out. They told me they couldn't refund it to the card, which was a pain to deal with the bank over. The employees aren't very welcoming unless you know them or come regularly enough, yet despite being a regular, I've been spoken to in condescending ways multiple times. They also don't believe in itemized receipts when it comes to buying or selling so you never really know what you're paying for unless you buy online and they definitely don't want you to know exactly how much they are paying you for your cards. If you want to sell cards, you're bound to get a lot more for them if you just do the legwork yourself and sell them on a platform that cuts out these kinds of guys trying to make as much money of of you as they can. This is the kind of card shop that probably makes fun of you after you walk out their doors. I'm sure they'll reply with the obligatory customer service spiel, but it's hot air as far as I'm concerned. Good luck out there TCG collectors, it's only...