Brass City Games — Local services in Lake Villa

I never knew this place existed until very recently, and it being so close, it definitely prompted me to visit. The store has a very "close" feel to it. What I mean by that is that it doesn't portray itself as a orthodox traditional game store; but instead, definitely gives off a sense of community. A store where most customers are regulars and everyone is a familiar face. A tight knit gathering. Store is a little small for my liking, but there are definitely lots of table space for the average goer compared to some other stores I've been to. My first time there several days ago was very normal. Nothing out of the ordinary. Gentleman at the counter was helpful and had patience with me when I asked to see multiple binders of mtg singles. As I've recently gotten back into mtg, it was a pleasant experience knowing that I was still welcome into the community. Prices are fair and consistent. Single pricing is a little bit more expensive compared to online pricing, but that's to be expected considering all of the recent events going on in our lives and the world. From covid to inflation, I can't complain too much. Stores like these need to stay afloat somehow. Parking could be better, not a lot of space, but again, not the biggest deal. Overall, a 4/5 experience for me, will definitely revisit in the...

Went for a OTJ prerelease tournament (Sat 4:30 for a 5pm start) and stopped by another time or two. The prerelease only had 6 people and it started 30 minutes after advertised, I think there were 7, but one guy just scooped his product and left. The clerk just milled about and didn’t seem interested in starting on time, even when customers gently mentioned the time or wanting to start. When trying to find some high end singles and attempting to trade for store credit, employee referred me to Nerd Rage Gaming stating “we don’t usually carry high priced cards and usually only deal in $1-$5 cards” which seemed weird, because they had lots of stuff priced more than that? The referral to Nerd Rage paid off through, did a few hundred dollars in card swaps and credit there. People I played with seemed nice, most employees I’ve met seemed knowledgeable and...

I'll start by saying that this LGS has a strong community of players and friendly staff that are passionate about gaming. However, the store itself is terribly run down and has been for some time. The exterior of the shop shows the remnants of signage for a laundromat amidst its chipped paint. With only a store poster in the window, this store is completely unrecognizable as a game shop from the street.

Inside, the ceiling is covered in water stains and the decor gives a general aura of things falling apart. Notably, the bathroom in the store has been out of order for months. They have attempted to remedy this by telling customers to use the restrooms of nearby businesses, much to the chagrin of employees at those locations.

While I understand the plight of small businesses, the fact that this store has been in such a state for such a long time is...