Still affectionately referred to as the “Bad Batch” from an earlier SW:TRPG(WEG) campaign, our group once spent every Thursday night hustling a table in the corner of our local game shop. Sure, we could have played at someone’s house, but as 40-something adults with careers and kids, we found the local shop perfectly captured that “mom’s basement” vibe we all cherished from middle school.

Alas, those days are gone for us. Our favorite shop closed, and our only local shop now closes at 6:00 PM—right when we’re all clocking out and starting the “supper and homework” gauntlet.

However, if you have a shop near you and the schedule allows, we would always recommend supporting your local brick-and-mortar. From a mechanics standpoint, a game shop gives players a destination. It breaks the “sitting on the couch” rut; showing up in person feels “official” in a way that phoning it in from your living room never quite matches. It’s a ritualistic exit from work and family life into a purpose-built space, free from the siren calls of the TV, the pets, or the laundry. Despite the occasional curious local stopping by to watch the dice fly, the atmosphere keeps GMs and players on topic. We always found that we spent significantly less time watching reruns or scrolling through cat pictures when we were “on the clock” at the shop.

From a Game Master’s perspective, the local shop is a total “get out of jail free” card for hosting. We never had to worry to worry about cleaning the house, providing snacks, or entertaining the players who wander off during a 1-on-1 scene. The shop handles the cleanup—and honestly, players tend to be better houseguests when they’re in public. Plus, while the game master is deep in a rules lawyer debate with the Fighter, the others can browse miniatures or buy another sourcebook.

Lord knows we’ve bought enough dice while waiting for the GM to set up. Seriously. We have a problem. Please help. We can’t quit the math rocks.

Ultimately, a busy shop means a healthy shop. Your foot traffic helps keep the lights on and the community growing. Good game stores are a rare commodity, and we should cling to them like the precious loot they are.

That said, if you’re one of those heroes who built a legendary gaming table or a dedicated basement dungeon, please share your pictures! I’d love to see where the magic happens.