Gamers Getaway KC — Local services in Independence

After finishing college and moving away from the St.Louis I went from being in game stores multiple times weekly, to not being in them at all for almost a decade. I found GGKC by complete chance after visiting a few other stores in the area looking to sell some old cards I still had lying around. I was pretty unimpressed with the lack of enthusiasm and engagement at the other shops, but GGKC was completely different.

Todd and the shop were in the process of moving to their new space, which meant he wasn't even in the market of trading/buying at the time and easily could have been dismissive towards me and move along with his day. Instead he cracked jokes, helped me ballpark a value on my cards, and educated me on grading and how much it had affected the market in the 9 or so years. There was no money to make, no barters to be made, and the man talked to me for over an hour. He made a future customer out of me then, and now you can find me at new location 3 nights a week at the minimum.

I cannot understate how seriously Todd, Jesse, and the rest of the staff at GGKC take the motto "For the community, by the community." The lengths these folks will go to attain, ration, and keep product as close to MSRP as possible so that community members and regulars get to experience new releases is simply unheard of. In a world where sealed product of popular games continues to move like up down like the stock market, GGKC values its customers and community members over EASY profits consistently.

There are things going on every night of the week, with the team being open to ideas for events that range from store championships to "Movies, Models, and Minis" Mondays. I emplore everyone to check them out, there is really something special about the community, the team, and everything they have...

Gamers Getaway KC, where should I even start. Found this store when they were at their smaller location for a Disney Lorcana Set Championship. When I first arrived I was greeted very warmly as a newcomer to their already established community which was a surprise instead of being just another person to walk into the shop. They gave out additional prizing for the set championship as well which most other locations I played at didn’t which was amazing. After that one visit I knew I was coming back. It was a bit of a drive for me but I liked what they stood for and how they treated their clientele. They also had an amazing loyalty program for consistently buying with the store and they always tried to help out the community by selling at as close to if not at msrp as they could and not marking it up like a lot of the other shops I’ve been to. After my second visit I was already known by name by the owner Todd who seemed to genuinely care when I walked into the shop and didn’t just ask what I wanted but made sure to ask how I had been and what’s been up which you just don’t seem to get nowadays. Fast forward a bit and now they have this new location which offers an amazing variety of products as well as snacks and drinks while you are there. Their new space is very large, they don’t ask people to leave if you aren’t buying anything and you could just hang out there all day (definitely stay more than I plan on it every time I go). I mainly play one piece now and they are one of my favorite locals to go to when I have the time from cost of entry to the prizing they give. Their staff is also very friendly and knowledgeable. If you were to give your money/support any shop in the local area I would highly recommend to check with them first before going...

This isn’t your average card shop, and I mean that in the best possible way. Todd and the crew have built a place that feels more like a second home for card players than a storefront. They actually put players first, which is wild these days. Regulars get rewarded with discounts (loyalty actually means something here!), and unlike some online shops, they don’t play games with prices — no preorder cancellations, no sudden markups when a card spikes. Basically just honest pricing, I know Todd will charge MSR where and when he can. Otherwise you know you are getting at, or just below fair market pricing!

There’s always something going on — tournaments, casual nights, learn-to-play events for every game under the sun. And even if you walk in not knowing a single soul, someone will happily teach you or invite you to join a table. The vibe is laid-back, welcoming, and full of people who genuinely love the hobby.

Basically, if you’re into trading card games and want a place that is community focused, driven, and rewarded, then this is the shop you’ve been...