game stores in Minn/StPaul?

famousmort

famousmort

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Hello everyone, I hope you can help me.

I'm new to the Minneapolis area and will be working here for ~3 months. I'm looking for a good used game store (preferably independent) but all I can find are Gamestops/Electronics Boutique. How can a major metroplitan area have so many malls and shopping centers and so few game retailers??

Can anyone point me to a good store?
I live in Shakopee but am willing to drive almost anywhere (assuming I can navigate the highways here).

Thanks
 
Well, you could try checking the Half Price Books stores around here, you can sometimes run across some great deals at them (FYI to anyone interested, I was at the St. Paul Half Price today and saw Disgaea for $20, if someone wants to grab it). As far as other game stores go, there are bunch of Game Crazys around, but not many independents. I know of two fairly good ones; one near the Maplewood mall (sorry, don't remember the name, it's been awhile since I've been there, but it's hopefully still around), which doesn't necessarily have awesome prices, but has tons of old school games and hardware. The other one is Echo used games/movies/CDs in Apple Valley (near the Half Price there), which I think is fairly good in selection and price. You could also check out CD Warehouses, some of them in the area sell used games, and their pricing is pretty good.
 
I used to live in the area. I liked a place called Hi-Score, especially to sell. They gave me really good deals. I think I actually made a bit of money buying GBA Wing commander Prophecy at EB (w/ Edge Card) and selling it there a week later (cause it was SO bad).

There's one just off the highway in Stillwater, and another somewhere else...sorry I can't be more specific.
 
This is going to be pretty weak because I can never remember this particular stores name, but probably the best one to go to is called (I'm pretty sure) Discland. This is going to be even weaker, but I can't even tell you exactly how to get there! I go a few times a month, but I don't know the names of the streets. If you up for a little adventure I can tell you it"s just off of 35W, north of 13, and south of 494 on the right hand side of 35w. It's in a strip mall with Chinese buffet (Kings Buffet?) just North East of the exit ramp. I’m pretty sure there’s a Holiday Inn on the left side of 35W if your heading North.
 
[quote name='Zman310']Well, you could try checking the Half Price Books stores around here, you can sometimes run across some great deals at them (FYI to anyone interested, I was at the St. Paul Half Price today and saw Disgaea for $20, if someone wants to grab it). As far as other game stores go, there are bunch of Game Crazys around, but not many independents. I know of two fairly good ones; one near the Maplewood mall (sorry, don't remember the name, it's been awhile since I've been there, but it's hopefully still around), which doesn't necessarily have awesome prices, but has tons of old school games and hardware. The other one is Echo used games/movies/CDs in Apple Valley (near the Half Price there), which I think is fairly good in selection and price. You could also check out CD Warehouses, some of them in the area sell used games, and their pricing is pretty good.[/QUOTE]

The one near the Maplewood Mall is called Toyriffic at:
2855 White Bear Ave
Maplewood, MN 55109 - 1303
(651) 748-9455

Haven't been there myself in quite awhile, but they used to have some really good deals especially on older stuff.
 
[quote name='bmsdaddy']The one near the Maplewood Mall is called Toyriffic at:
2855 White Bear Ave
Maplewood, MN 55109 - 1303
(651) 748-9455

Haven't been there myself in quite awhile, but they used to have some really good deals especially on older stuff.[/QUOTE]

Ah, there we go. Thanks.
 
[quote name='bmsdaddy']The one near the Maplewood Mall is called Toyriffic at:
2855 White Bear Ave
Maplewood, MN 55109 - 1303
(651) 748-9455[/QUOTE]

That's the one. Was beating my head in trying to remember it's name too. All I remember is that it is right next door to a Noodles.

Like someone else already said, their prices completely suck ass. But if there is an older game you are looking for it's probably better than eBay.
 
There's one in Roseville called Game Cauldron. I haven't been there in a while, so I can't remember the exact location, but you could find it in the phone book. Welcome to the area, by the way.
 
There a a couple of Gamecrazy's around the twin cities and I've run across pretty good deals every now and then there. There's also CD Warehouse, but they've risen how much they charge for used games recently and it isn't very much of a deal anymore. Other than that most of the best deals I've come across in the area are generally Target Clearance items.
 
Ran into another game store while I was down at the Gamecrazy on Cliff road between 35E and Cedar (77). It's called Cedar Cliff Collectables and it is absolutely full of old school games. Boxed, loose, dirty, clean, you name it. Only problem is from what I could tell (in a quick scan) the prices are high end Ebay prices :( In fact I overheard the guys working talking about a problem they were having with a customer on Ebay, so it's obvious the must do business on there.
Anyway if you want to look at games for what looks like any system ever, this place is packed up with them. The store is located across the street (east) from McDonalds in the strip mall on Cliff road.

Numsay
 
[quote name='Numsay']Ran into another game store while I was down at the Gamecrazy on Cliff road between 35E and Cedar (77). It's called Cedar Cliff Collectables and it is absolutely full of old school games. Boxed, loose, dirty, clean, you name it. Only problem is from what I could tell (in a quick scan) the prices are high end Ebay prices :( In fact I overheard the guys working talking about a problem they were having with a customer on Ebay, so it's obvious the must do business on there.
Anyway if you want to look at games for what looks like any system ever, this place is packed up with them. The store is located across the street (east) from McDonalds in the strip mall on Cliff road.

Numsay[/QUOTE]

i used to frequent cedar cliff a couple years ago, but stopped going completely because a) the owner was a COMPLETE jerk.. one of those "i own a business so i know more than you and am therefore better than you" kind of guys, and b) their prices were OUTRAGEOUS. i had a few conversations with the owner about his prices, and he always brought up what he could get on eBay. i would recommend never going there. if there is something you absolutely have to have, no matter what he price, you could more than likely get it there, but if you are just looking for good deals go elsewhere.

other options might be the half price books in apple valley (not far from cedar cliff at all). it is located at the intersection of 42 and Cedar. ECHO used games has a decent number of games, but their stock never changes and they overprice what they consider to be "rare" games. My favorite store in called Discland (at the intersection of Old Shakopee and 35W), however their stock rarely changes (have a lot of the same games that they had when i first started going about 3 years ago), but they usually have a decent console selection and their strategy guide selection can't be beat. There are a couple other places here and there, but there's really nothing spectacular around. you really just have to be lucky.
 
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