Your Best Local Game Store - What's It Like?

[devo]

Some of us are lucky enough to have an independent game store to rely on, a hole-in-the-wall that offers fair prices, rare games, and an owner that actually gives a damn. What's yours like?

One of the positives of living in a college town (Columbus, Ohio - and believe me, there are more than enough negatives that go along with the designation) is that there's a significant gaming population along with a thriving video game market to cater to it. It mostly consists of glorified video game pawn shops (not just Gamestops and EBs though there are a ton of those) but there are a couple gems that are always worth visiting.

My favorite is a place called Play It Trade It, a little store hidden in a strip mall on the far north side of town. Great variety of games and systems across all generations, including some rarities. Prices are always fair and since the owner recognizes the good stuff he's willing to give them proper value when buying. It's the only place I consider bringing stuff to 'cause I know I'm not going to get a better deal anywhere in town.

[Mozgus]

All I have is two gamestops, and odd little places like Vintage Stock, but their prices are actually WORSE than gamestop. They seem to have a bare minimum price on old games. Whereas viewtiful joe is $3 at gamestop, but it was $13 here.

[girlracer]

we only have a gamestop. but we have a goodwill, 2 thrift stores, and a pawn shop. i find my best stuff at the pawn usally go once a week. most nes, snes, sega, n64 can be had for like $2 each then some have different prices, but i did get mario 64 and super smash bros for n64 for $6 and $8, so prices aren't horrible.

[Xonticus]

Over here in western CT, we used to have like 6 gamestops withing 20 miles and one good pawn shop... but I helped a guy open a Play N trade Franchise, and so far everyone who comes in wants to live there. We even have 2 ex-gamestop employees working here. We have some rare games, a buncha retro, and you can try any game in the store before you buy it. How sweet is that? I only with someone would trade in a Turbografx Duo, or a Neo Geo. Then itll be perfect.

I've heard our prices are mostly a lot cheaper than GS, and trade in's are better valued, but of course we have the few people who come in and are like, "What?? you want how much for that xbox 360?? That pawn shop had it for 30 bucks"...........

[SpaceBooger]

We have a local place that I kinda like... at least I did like until Friday when I stopped in the owner was restocking the PS3, XBOX360, and WiiPlay on his shelf with items he just purchased at Target. He even used the Target receipt to price the items... Good thing I only trade stuff in and buy used stuff there.
Oh, and he was scalping $190 Cavs tickets for the game that night (vs Boston - which was an awesome game by the way) for $400 each right in the store... heh.

[Niode]

I have a small independent called Game Force. They suck. They have imports but charge at least £50 for them (regardless of system, so £50 for a DS game. umkthnxby). All the rest of the games are shitty on price. Apparently (according to a friend of mine) they give better trade in than Gamestation/Game/Playtime because they actually give a crap about the condition of the game. Since they charge more for their games anyway I don't see how you are gaining anything. Besides I don't trade games in ever.

Playtime is getting quite a big chain now and it used to do a lot of retro stuff but now more and more stores are just refusing to stock anything pre PS2 (besides PC games).

Retro gaming is dying a hard death in this country.

At least there are a few stalls in the local market that has retro games (that are mostly sports titles) and systems (sometimes you can drop on a decent system) but it's still pretty much a shot in the dark.

Carboot sales are generally pirates or families flogging useless/broken shit.

[latenitevacancy]

i've got 2 local places that are pretty rad. cool stuff & replays. both of them sell anything from atari 2600- current gen. they always have a ton of games for nes, snes, and genesis. but stuff for systems like sega saturn and dreamcast are always few and far between. however, both offer good prices on everything and are run by cool dudes. great places to go to.

[Nanten]

Well, there aren't many options in the area of Springfield, MO; the main stores are Game Exchange, Game Stop, and Vintage Stock. Of those, I generally prefer Vintage Stock because it seems to have more selection than the other places, primarily when it comes to older RPGs. Still, the prices could be a bit lower.

[zarathstra]

There's a cool place called WABA Games near my house. They have a sales floor, and in the back they have a big play area/arcade with all the consoles from the NES on up. I think they even have a couple Atari consoles. The prices on used games aren't all that great, but they have a permenant buy 2 get 1 sales going on, so that hrlps bring th prices down a lot.

There's also a Play n Trade even closer, which has some great employees and a good selection of newer games (newer as in Gamecube on up) and NES, but not much else.

I got my NeoGeo Pocket at WABA, and most of my Gamecube games at PlaynTrade, just to be fair

[Snickerd00dle]

We have a local place that I kinda like... at least I did like until Friday when I stopped in the owner was restocking the PS3, XBOX360, and WiiPlay on his shelf with items he just purchased at Target. He even used the Target receipt to price the items... Good thing I only trade stuff in and buy used stuff there.
Oh, and he was scalping $190 Cavs tickets for the game that night (vs Boston - which was an awesome game by the way) for $400 each right in the store... heh.

what is the name of that store?
do you shop at the exchange, they are good for north eastern ohio too