Once perceived as hobby of individuals more on the fringes of society, trading card games (TCGs) and Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) have enjoyed something of a renaissance over the course of the past decade as both have crossed over into more modern pop culture.
Gideon Games, a specialty shop in Williamsburg focused on a wide array of tabletop games, has deftly tapped into that revival by offering a haven for the community that has been built around it. After seven years in a small retail space on S. Third St., the community Gideon Games has helped foster has outgrown the shop’s four walls.
In the coming weeks, Gideon Games will move to a much larger location just off US 25 behind Williamsburg Family Medicine. Kenny Eversole, the shop’s owner, told the News Journal that the new location will see Gideon Games jump from a 900 square foot space to a 4,300 square foot space.
“I wanted us to be able to offer a bigger location where people are more comfortable because our community is growing, and we just wanted to be able to make sure that we have a space to support them,” said Eversole.
Gideon Games currently offers a variety of trading card games, primarily Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon, trading card accessories, Warhammer 40,000 game pieces, 3D printed items and spaces for D&D groups to run campaigns. Eversole is planning to expand the shop’s inventory in many of those categories.
The shop is expected to add other trading card games, such as One Piece, Flesh and Blood and League of Legends. Eversole also said that he has been in talks with the University of the Cumberlands’ esports team to start holding local tournaments at the shop that could help support the team. For that reason, Gideon Games will slowly begin taking in inventory of second-hand video games and consoles as well once the move is complete.
Eversole’s wife, Ashley Eversole, also plans to utilize some of the shop’s extra space to open a “nerd boutique” that will offer premade and custom clothing items with designs geared toward tabletop gamer’s interests.
Gideon Games is planning to open in their new location on July 5, with a grand opening celebration to follow on July 12.
The shop’s grand opening will be highlighted by a number of events throughout the day, including Warhammer 40,000 tournaments, a Commander event, Pokémon learn to play events and D&D learn to play events. Eversole said that roughly $1,000 worth of prizes are going to be given away as well during the grand opening.
The Warhammer and Commander events will have a $25 entry fee, though everything else will be free.
Eversole said that he was excited to be able to offer an improved experience for his customers, noting that the shop was once a special place for him to be able to relax and unwind.
Though the business has been in Williamsburg for seven years, Eversole just took control over it almost exactly two years ago. Before that, Eversole was a regular patron of the shop, which he referred to as his ‘third place.’
Eversole said that he strives for Gideon Games to be a ‘third place’ for the community as well, which is an idea developed by sociologist Ray Oldenburg in the 1980s. A ‘third place’ is used to describe a public gathering space outside an individual’s home and workplace—the first place and second place, respectively—that helps foster community and social interaction.
“It was a good space for me at the time. It was my ‘third place’ when I had a pretty difficult time in my life and I didn’t want it to leave the area because there isn’t really anything like that for the people that enjoy this stuff,” said Eversole.
Gideon Games’ new address will be 475 US 25W. As part of the move, store hours will also be expanding. Traditionally, the shop has been closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but will now be open on Tuesdays. Hours on Saturdays are also going to be extended, with the shop opening at 10 a.m. and closing at 10 p.m.
For more information about the shop, you can find them on Facebook by searching Gideon Games. You can also visit their new website, which is currently under construction, at gideongamesshop.square.site.
