I am sure there has been threads about this in the past but I have been stewing on a recent experience for a while now. A new gaming store has opened up in my area and while my first visits were fine several times (3) I have been very off put things that have gone on there. Twice I have walked in on employees loudly cursing and discussing crimes they had committed (though somehow I think they were blowing smoke), and on my last visit I was treated to a customer discussing the size of his penis with an employee.

The last issue was the final straw, I had my wife with me and somehow when I shot him a dirty look he took this as an invitation to move closer and speak louder. Now my wife will game at home with people she knows but on the whole she hates games stores and dislikes most gamers, so shit like this just makes things harder for me. Honestly it never fails every time I go to an FLGS I am treated to, poor hygiene, social ineptitude, poor employees, or gawking stares at my wife.

Is it just me? Is there something in the water here? Or is this a common thing? Honestly I drive almost an hour now to go to the only FLGS that I like, simply because the owner is a cool guy but even then I still see a lot of smelly, greasy, weird fuckers.

Any horror stories, thoughts?

Eh you sure you didn't walk into the local skinflicks emporium by accident?

I can honestly say in all my years of gaming I've only ever run across one catpiss man, and he was shown the door post haste. 99% of gamers in these parts are slightly weird but mostly perfectly normal people.

So maybe it's a local thing.

I've been to one good gamestore (in King of Prussia). Every other game store has had at least a few bad apples (or just general cluelessness, like the store playing hardcore punk with swearing every other word).

Well it gives me hope that it may just be a local thing, hell maybe I am just there at the wrong time. You know thinking about it could also be that many of the gamers in my area are teens, brains not fully developed and what not.

Strange how we run into catpissmen in real life, but no forum regulars ever fit into that category.

My best friend runs a game store, with his wife and two teenage kids helping him. Needless to say, maintaining a family-friendly environment is one of his highest priorities. This makes for good business, since there are a helluvalot of gamers with families of their own these days.

"Catpiss man" and other lowlifes are not welcome there. So yeah, not all game stores are like that.

I have heard a lot of stories like that.

However, most of the game stores I've been to generally are far far more reasonable than this--sure a few strange gamers about, but mostly family friendly enough (not perfect, but still about like most mom-and-pop shops.).

Quote from: Killfuck Soulshitter;661867Strange how we run into catpissmen in real life, but no forum regulars ever fit into that category.

If you are a gamer and have not met any catpissmen, there's a high probability it's you.  

Quote from: danbuter;661857the store playing hardcore punk with swearing every other word).

Tell me the name of this store, this is where me and the girls wanna shop from now on.

Yeah I mean I don't mind the occasional incident, but it was non stop at that place. Even at the store I like there seems to be an abnormal amount of odd smelling weirdos. I wouldn't mind shopping at a game store that put its self out there as being a grown ups only kinda spot, or punk or metal themed as long a they were up front about what they were and not putting themselves out there as a family friendly place.

My other favorite was a place that shut down a year or two ago where the owner said anyone who played 2nd edition was a queer and somehow the conversation ended in him challenging me to a wrestling match, no joke.

Quote from: Arkansan;661894Yeah I mean I don't mind the occasional incident, but it was non stop at that place. Even at the store I like there seems to be an abnormal amount of odd smelling weirdos. I wouldn't mind shopping at a game store that put its self out there as being a grown ups only kinda spot, or punk or metal themed as long a they were up front about what they were and not putting themselves out there as a family friendly place.

My other favorite was a place that shut down a year or two ago where the owner said anyone who played 2nd edition was a queer and somehow the conversation ended in him challenging me to a wrestling match, no joke.

He was challenging you to a very heterosexual wrestling match.

Quote from: Bill;661964He was challenging you to a very heterosexual wrestling match.

Indeed! :eek:

Ya know that was the vibe I got too, I can say it was one of the oddest experiences I believe I will ever have at a gaming store.

Well, the man who runs a gaming shop and who I'm pals with keeps a tight ship, so no catpiss/customer - hurting things there.

And when his store has to close down, he'll wonder why.

I guess I'm lucky.  My local store, Rainy Day Games, is very well run.  Very professional.