One of the local game stores I like to wander around in, Gritty Goblin has an excellent selection of games, minis, and random accessories. The staff is always pleasant and helpful, despite seeming to consist solely of twenty year old young men, a demographic that has earned somewhat of a reputation for misogyny. Even at my age I still feel a little nervous in that context; so the friendliness is really reassuring.
Shopping local: the Novel Refuge
The Novel Refuge is a local used bookstore that sells books to benefit local refugees. You can donate your books (gently used) there, and you can shop the books they’ve already got (digital money only: credit card or tap-to-pay, no cash transactions). They also have a decent selection of donated board games.
Shopping local: Three Gear Games
I’ve been shopping and gaming at Three Gear Games and their predecessor store (The Family Game Store) since I moved to Maryland. The owners are friendly, and I love being able to host board game days in the store when I don’t have the spoons to do it in my house. Plus their stock is awesome; not just games, but stuffies and various accessories too.
Shopping local: the store formerly known as Mother Nature’s
There’s a chain store near me, Wild Birds Unlimited, that used to be a local mom-and-pop shop and still employs many of the same employees even after the original owners retired/sold the store. I like them a lot.
Shopping local: Queen Takes Book
I’ve been trying to buy my physical (paper) books from Queen Takes Book, even if they have to order them, rather than ordering them from Amazon. I’m not doing any kind of complete boycott (I lack both the executive function and the certainty that it would accomplish anything useful); but actively purchasing from a local store is something I love doing.
Emilybook 