Jumping Frog Games — Local services in Sutter Creek

I would like to state my grievances are not unwarranted nor are they only felt by myself. I have long looked for a local store to play Magic: The Gathering at. Only to find the owner is rude, the employee is an absolute buffoon and not very smart, not to mention… chronically online. It’s truly fun when you find a pod of 4 and don’t have to interact with the employee or owner. At that point it’s just fun to play with your friends. Events are run somewhat okay but definitely not to WPN standard. The owner knows very little about magic. The employee has “won” promo packs at the store on commander nights. Now these seem like nitpicky things, but I’ve been to multiple stores, large, huge, medium, small, and even minuscule like this one. But a lot of these things are what magic players look out for. If you’re looking to play magic in a fun environment, just host a video discord call for commander or start your own store for that matter. For WPN events in a small town though this is the best it’ll get for Amador county. I hope these criticisms aren’t taken lightly and are taken with the spirit of wanting to improve for the magic community at large. If you want to get sealed product just go to an online retailer, 9 times out of 10 you’ll get it cheaper than here. I won’t be spending money except for events which are the only reasonably priced thing there. Part of a growing community and for a store is to make it a fun environment and a fun and fair place. This store is far behind with the times in those regards.

Now on to other aspects, the employee Riley is extremely unprofessional and is standoffish. At times he has yelled in the store while playing magic instead of manning the counter. This is behavior which should not be at a workplace even if it is a game store. The owner Matt, is also just plain rude and unpleasant. He complains about his distributor constantly and is just genuinely unprofessional. He says he will hold product for some people and then simply doesn’t hold the product. He never has definitive numbers and marks up and marks down the prices based on what other vendors are pricing and then it’s not even competitive pricing.

From a business standpoint (as someone who has run a business before), it’s just sad to see the conduct of the owner and employee in a hobby shop selling what is part of one of my favorite hobbies. The floors and shelves could use cleaning, more variety would be appreciated, more professionalism would go a long way, and just doing better based on reviews and people’s reactions with things would go a very long way.

Thanks...

If you’re looking for a welcoming place to enjoy Magic: The Gathering, this is not the store for you. My experience here has been nothing short of appalling, and it culminated in being banned simply for practicing free speech and expressing valid grievances. Yes, you read that correctly—I was banned for daring to voice concerns about the blatant mismanagement, unprofessionalism, and unethical practices happening in this store.

The owner, Matt, clearly cannot handle any form of criticism, no matter how justified. Instead of addressing issues like poor event management, unclean facilities, inconsistent pricing, and a complete lack of professionalism, he chose to silence a paying customer. The fact that grievances—shared by others, mind you—were met with a ban rather than any effort to improve speaks volumes about how this place is run.

The store itself is barely functional. Events fall short of WPN standards, the environment is far from welcoming, and the store practices are, frankly, shady. Promo packs being “won” by store employees? Dirty floors and poorly stocked shelves? Inconsistent pricing based on whatever mood the owner is in? None of this inspires confidence or respect from the community.

What’s worse is the owner’s attitude. Complaints about distributors, broken promises about holding products, and a general unprofessional demeanor make it clear that the store is run more as a personal hobby than as a professional business. If you bring up any of this, be prepared to be ostracized.

This store is the epitome of what happens when leadership refuses to listen to its community. Instead of growing and adapting, it chooses to stifle feedback and alienate players. If this is what the local Magic scene has to offer, it’s no wonder people are moving to online platforms or supporting stores outside the area.

Save yourself the frustration—go anywhere else for your Magic needs. There are plenty of stores and online retailers that will offer better prices, cleaner environments, and actual...

I’ve been in this store multiple times.

The last time I went in I bought some Pokemon Cards for the Journey Together release. I collect other items and felt judged by the person who helped me- I started collecting coins and I purchased 10 coins for $1 each- the person behind the counter said “you’re getting all of those?” In the most judgmental tone.

My fiancé bought four booster packs. I was shopping in another store, and he came and found me and told me he found some. I walked in and asked what their limit was for the booster packs, and they said six per person. Are asked for six, and my fiancé Asked since he bought for earlier, can he purchase to additional booster packs? The person side, and switched up their tune when they were talking to their boss, as if we were an inconvenience. We figured it would be two different transactions. Because we collect- We asked my mother-in-law to purchase six packs, We asked HER how her experience was, And she said “ The person behind the counter seemed very irritable”.

Every time we’ve come in this same person has appeared to be in an “unhelpful” mood, they’ve sighed when I’ve asked questions, or asked for a particular product in stock. Originally I thought this was a one time incident but the last 4 times we’ve shopped here they appear to not have a desire to sell.

I don’t understand the unprofessionalism, or the lack of enthusiasm of working at...