The Offical "Mom and Pop" Video Game Stores Thread

S

Squall280

CAGiversary!
Seeing as from time to time people ask where they could go to find vintage games, vintage movies, and ect.. locally without going to the big name stores, I decided that an official topic should be started as some sort of a database to help those who are interested in finding these stores.

Now these stores could sell many things but I would only like to list those that sells movies, games, and even music.

I hope this helps people discover local businesses.
Please only list stores you have personally visited.
Try and go along with my format so I could update the list easier.


---------------------------California----------------------------------

Games For Less (Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, Fullerton)
vintage gaming/current gaming

Luna Video Games (San Diego)
???

Gamedude.com(North Hollywood)
vintage gaming

---------------------------Indiana-------------------------------------

McVans Video Games (Fort Wayne, Fishers, Evansville)
vintage gaming

Game Exchange (Lafayette, Kokomo)
vintage gaming/current gaming

Video Palace (Hobart)
????????

Media Madhouse (Elkhart)
vintage gaming

---------------------------Michigan------------------------------------

Tops Trade Center (St Joseph)
vintage gaming/current gaming

Treasure Quest (Kalamazoo)
vintage gaming

----------------------------Missouri-----------------------------------

Game Trader (Saint Charles)
vintage gaming/imoprts

Slackers CD and Games (St. Louis)
vintage gaming

--------------------------New York-------------------------------------

Phoenix Game Trade (Hamburg)
vintage Gaming

--------------------------New Jersey------------------------------------

Digital Press Video Games (Clifton)
????????????

----------------------------Oregon------------------------------------

Big CitY Gamin(Eugene)
vinatge gaming

--------------------------Pennsylvania--------------------------------

Wayne's World (Pittston)
music cds/vintage gaming/current gaming/movies

The Video Game Store (Wilkes-Barre)
vintage gaming/current gaming/movies


--------------------------South Carolina------------------------------

Software Seconds (Columbia)
vintage gaming

----------------------------Tennessee------------------------------------

Checkouts (Columbia)
vintage gaming/current gaming/music cds/movies/cards/

--------------------------Washington-------------------------------------

Trade A Game Incorporated (Spokane)
???????????

Game Exchange (Spokane)
????????????
 
Good idea bro,as I'm currently one of those ppl looking for a place to buy vintage games....sadly this is not in my area anymore (NYC) but may help some other CAGers
 
The OC / Anahiem Area:

Games for Less (3 locations last time I checked)

3814 S. Bristol St.
Santa Ana, CA 92704
(714) 545-GAME

7192 Edinger Ave
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
(714) 841-GAME

1125 S. Harbor Blvd.
Fullerton, CA 92832
(714) 526-2600

Note: I've only been to the Fullerton store. They have all the old school games (NES, GEN, DC, and etc) all through the current system. I would consider this if I'm going rare game hunting. The Fullerton store is about 2 miles down from Disneyland if anyone is in the area. There's a GameStop around there as well. Might as well check those.

San Diego:

Luna Video Game
http://www.lunavideogames.com/

4837 Voltaire Street
San Diego, CA 92107

Note: A really crappy website (IMO), but they have an actual physical store. I never had a chance to check it out, really. I only heard about this place through friends AND ads around school. Will check out one of these days.
 
I visit this store once in a while, cannot go too often as I tend to drop $300+ each trip... they have LOTS of old games... not the cheapest place, but if you can get to it, it's definietly worth the trip, their used games are almost always of the highest mint condition.

GameDude.com
[SIZE=+2]12104 Sherman Way, North Hollywood, CA 91605
[/SIZE]
 
[quote name='Squall280']The Video Game Store (Wilkes-Barre, PA)
vintage gaming/current gaming/movies[/QUOTE]

How is the selection and prices on the vintage games at this store? I live about an hour and a half from Wikes-Barre. I couldn't see a trip just to go to this store but if I happened to be in the area I wouldn't mind checking out this place. How much would they sell say a common Nintendo game that is a hard sell for $5 shipped on eBay for example.
 
I personally went to The Video Game Store and another one in the wiles barre area and the prices are very good. current systems games are rediculously cheap.
 
Dayton, Ohio

Second Time Around

Movies/games/cds they take trade-ins on everything. They're right near UD so they get a lot of good stuff in.

http://www.secondtimearound.com/

Be careful if you go in, the floor is uneven. I don't get to go there alot as I am on the west end of Dayton, and they're on the East end.

oh btw don't trade anything in they have the worst trade in prices of any stores I've ever seen, or heard of. A brand new cd that just came out today will get you $.95-$1.95. Really bad customer service as well. If it wasn't for the college campus this place would have been closed years ago.
 
[quote name='Asgardian']I visit this store once in a while, cannot go too often as I tend to drop $300+ each trip... they have LOTS of old games... not the cheapest place, but if you can get to it, it's definietly worth the trip, their used games are almost always of the highest mint condition.

GameDude.com
[SIZE=+2]12104 Sherman Way, North Hollywood, CA 91605
[/SIZE][/QUOTE]

I agree the games there are almost always in great condition...they are very strict on what they take in...I don't go there very often tho....they have a bunch of stuff I just want so many things when I go there hehe
 
This is my favorite M&P store in the St. Louis area. The guy the runs it reaaalllly knows his stuff. He deals with old school & import games. He does not have any employess...it's all him. It's an itty-bitty hole in the wall & has been ther for about 10 yrs. Not to mention: it's about 30 miles from my house & don't mind the drive, because I know I'll find something!

Game Trader
2 Hawks Nest Plz
Saint Charles, MO 63303-3617
Phone: (636)723-0072

The other M&P games stores in the St. Louis area are Slackers CD & Games (http://slackers.com/). They are the biggest name in M&P stores in the area. The prices of the old school stuff is a little high, but they are pretty good on finding an old game that you might be looking for. Most newly released games are about $35, when EB & GC charge you $40. They give decent $$ for trades, but they are uber picky about the condition of the games (which I like). Another downfall, is most employees don't have a clue about video games. I guess most of the employees know music, since they sell that also.
 
Washington State
Spokane Area game stores:
-Trade A Game Incorporated
5428 E Sprague Ave
Spokane, WA 99212

- Game Exchange
9325 N Division St
Spokane, WA 99218
(509) 467-6048
 
[quote name='Panda']The OC / Anahiem Area:

Games for Less (3 locations last time I checked)


1125 S. Harbor Blvd.
Fullerton, CA 92832
(714) 526-2600

Note: I've only been to the Fullerton store. They have all the old school games (NES, GEN, DC, and etc) all through the current system. I would consider this if I'm going rare game hunting. The Fullerton store is about 2 miles down from Disneyland if anyone is in the area. There's a GameStop around there as well. Might as well check those.[/quote]

Panda,

Do they give more for trade ins than the big chains ? Thanks
 
How funny...I was just telling my friend the other day that we should start looking for hidden mom and pops game shops in the area, but had no clue on how to go about doing that. This will help!

Gamedude's prices are definitely not the best, but I've always loved them for (usually) having older stuff I wouldn't be able to find anywhere else.
 
There is a store in the McKinley Mall here located in Hamburg, NY called Phoenix Game Trade however i cannot recommend them. They sell games on ebay so don't plan on getting anything good from their store and their stuff is usually very overpriced. The selection is poor overall because all their good stuff goes to ebay, if your idea of a good selection of games is tons of old sports games then you may enjoy this place!

They have a very nice video arcade though, yes an actual arcade in a mall with classic games for 25 cents.
 
Oh yeah mods please make this a sticky so hopefully we can compile almost all indie video game stores in the country. After going to digitpress in nj i never want to stop in another gamestop again.
 
I used to go to U of O in Eugene, OR and they had the best independent game store I had ever been in. The whole outside of the store was glass and there was like a hundred tv's just showing white fuzz over and over. They have a great competition set up with multiple consoles and TV's as well. The people who work there will bargain with you on trade ins and purchases, and they generally give you a better price on trade ins than EB\GS. Also, best rental policy ever: 1 dollar a day, for as long as you like!
They are located near the campus, On 1288 willamette Street.
http://www.bigcitygamin.com/
God I wish they would branch out to a location near me in Washington.

Check out their "about us" section on the web site for a great description of the store and their success story.

FYI: This store is not just vintage games (though they do have a great selection), they also stock all the new releases from the latest consoles, and seem to stock a whole lot more of the killer apps, and almost none of the crap.
 
[quote name='ctice44']Game X Change is a chain store that has a Mom & Pop feel. They are a really good store, but I rarely find something I'm looking for.
Here is a list of some of the Game X Changes nationwide:

http://cannonspike.com/gamexchange/gxc-stores.htm[/quote] I went to the one in Champaign, IL to look for some used PS2 games for my brother's birthday and some DC games for me and I find out it's closed! I was so sad, now the only place to buy older used games is Gamecrazy(that I know of).
 
----------------------------------------------------------------

Indiana

McVans Video Games
(3 Fort Wayne Locations, Fishers, Evansville)

Actually, I prefer to call them "McVans Museum of Video Game History" These guys have everything but their prices are kinda high. They're still the only place I've found in Indiana that sells factory sealed classic games.

Game Exchange
(Lafayette, Kokomo)

Good selection of classics and current games with reasonable prices.

Video Palace
(Hobart)

Hole in the wall 2nd generation family run place with good prices. They sell comics and figures as well.

Media Madhouse
(Elkhart)

Good selection of games but prices are a little bit on the high end. They also sell comics, figures, and sports memorabilia.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Michigan

Tops Trade Center
(St Joseph)

They carry a small selection of vintage and current games as well as sports card and card game cards.

Treasure Quest
(Kalamazoo)

Basically an antique store that morphed into a 1/2 game 1/2 antique store. They have a good selection of vintage stuff but prices are high. The last time I was there they had a few arcade games for sale as well.

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