[Brick & Mortar] Gary's Games in Greenwood

Gary's Games
Address: 8539 Greenwood N, Seattle, WA 98103
Phone: (206) 789-8891

RPGs: excellent selection
Indie RPGs: excellent selection
Used RPGs: excellent selection
Miniatures: good selection
Boardgames: excellent selection
Gaming space: good, 3-4 tables
Comics: limited to none

Family Friendly: more often than not G rated
Knowledgeable Staff: hit-or-miss

Overall Rating: excellent

Gary's Games is located in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle, on the west side of Greenwood Avenue between 85th and 87th streets. It has a travel agency next door to the south and a tavern on the other side. The shop takes up two store fronts. Entering, you find yourself in a boardgame area to your right with the main counter/display case/register to your left that extends half way down the length of the store.

Straight ahead from the register are a series of shelves that house miniature paint supplies, RPGs and card supplies (bridge, poker, etc). A play table sits in the middle of the store, next to the archway into the second store front. As you enter the archway, there are a mass of models and boardgames to your right, towards the front, and the used game section to your left in two large shelves, with another 3-4 game tables beyond them.

The new RPG sections are very good, with new releases and most of the current games available. I'm not sure about their policy on special orders but you're an adult, you can ask yourself. My main reason to go to Gary's is the used games - it's my go-to place.

If you are looking for something out of print or second hand, it's got a great selection. The economy, however, has had an impact on the used game market, so it is probably the smallest I've seen it and I've been going to the store for over a decade.

The staff is usually pretty good but their knowledge can be a bit hit or miss. If you go during the week, the guy behind the counter is friendly and asks the usual questions but leaves you alone to shop. On the weekend, the staff is just as good.

On the whole, Gary's Games is in the top two (along with The Dreaming) Seattle area game shops. Next time you are in town, looking for a used game or a just-released RPG, go there.