Waterloo Games — Local services in Mechanicsville

Waterloo Games is hands down my favorite gaming/hobby shop I've ever been to. I've been gaming most of my life and nowhere have I felt more a sense of community.

The owners and staff are incredibly welcoming, friendly, and attentive, and it's apparent the effort they put into making Waterloo Games the best it can be. The welcoming environment of Waterloo is a breath of fresh air in comparison to some other shops I've visited in the past. The community at Waterloo ranges from children gaming with their parents, to retirees meeting up to play a game with their buddies. I believe the diversity of the crowd at Waterloo is a testament to the safe and friendly environment the owners have worked to foster. It was immediately apparent to me that everyone is welcome at Waterloo, and that understanding has only solidified the more I've hung out there.

I am personally more into the historical/military stuff, and Waterloo is the perfect place for that. They carry all the historical/military hits -- including Flames of War, Team Yankee, Clash of Steel, Bolt Action, and Achtung Panzer, as well as plenty of other offerings such as SAGA, Cruel Seas, Pike & Shotte, Blood and Valor, Blood Red Skies, etc. If they don't have an item in stock, they are happy to special order it for you. True to their name, Waterloo Games truly loves history and I appreciate that historicals don't take a back-seat to the sci-fi and fantasy stuff.

Mind you, they have a fantastic selection of Games Workshop offering, including Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar, Warhammer Old World, and Bloodbowl. The Games Workshop community here is awesome and always incredibly friendly. They also carry Kings of War, Moonstone, Malifaux, Marvel: Crisis Protocol, and plenty of other good stuff. They also have a nice selection of board games, including the more niche games.

If you are into trading card games, they have a great community of folks playing frequently at the shop. Magic the Gathering, Disney Lorcana, and Pokémon are popular and they often hold events or gaming nights. Plenty of tables and space, and there always seems to be someone to play with.

Overall, Waterloo Games is what a gaming store should be. They don't play favorites when it comes to games, and they really work to accommodate and foster community for all of their different offerings. You and your friends, you and your children, you and your significant other, or just you by yourself --- you are all welcome to come and play the games you love!

tldr; cool place. great...

Please don’t support this misogynistic establishment!

After I introduced my boyfriend to Waterloo Games back at the original location, I had gone a few times and it was fine. I was just there checking out the new store and looking around, since my boyfriend goes there all the time nowadays.

Then one of the guys behind the register, named Talon, who is also right next to the owner, named Kevin, (they were standing together) asked me what I was even doing there because “You don’t like these kinds of things!” I responded, “I do, I like tabletop RPGs and other card games.” At this point, I was slightly uncomfortable, because even though I’ve talked to him before, we didn’t know each other like that.

I go up to the register to stand between my boyfriend and my friend, and the guy continues talking to me, changing the subject to a video game I was VERY well-versed in. He mentioned a character from aforementioned video game, which I knew of, and I mention that I’m actually a bigger fan of the previous installment of the series. He immediately starts being rude to me again and says that the one I like sucks/is bad.

So, I try to jokingly respond “Well, you play (Second Installment) of the game, but not a lot of people are fans of it.”

Talon then immediately targets me again and says “I’m sure you have no idea who I’m talking about in that game right?” practically sneering this at me, not giving me a moment to formulate a response to what he had said about aforementioned character. I don’t respond because I’m shocked over what was just said to me.

And, because I don’t respond, he says, practically gloating, “See? You do know nothing about it!” and Talon laughs at me then continues to be rude to me in front of not just my friends, but the owner, Kevin.

It wasn’t until I said, “It’s because I’m a woman, isn't it?” that Talon stopped attacking me, and then I walked out.

So, if I were you, I would not support a business that hires misogynistic workers, and has an owner that does nothing about it, seeing that he was standing right there and not saying a word. They’ve mentioned wanting to bring more people in, but if you’re going to treat prospective players and nerds— that just so happen to be female —like this, that is certainly not the...

This is a great place to go for wargaming, whether it is historical, fantasy, or sci-fi. They have minis, paint, terrain, dice, and books for sale. They can order anything for you that is not in the shop, and I know most if not all items come with a discount. The staff are very friendly and helpful, and the shop has a good community of players for all types of games. I would recommend Waterloo to anyone, whether they are a seasoned veteran of the hobby or a complete beginner. Waterloo also has a selection of board games and tabletop RPG minis if those are more...