What comes after “Goodbye”?

The store was a hub for many of us in the local gaming community – it was the only game store some of us frequented. The store’s open tables, free tournaments, and late closing hours fostered a tight knit community of friends, not just a group of random players.

It’s sad to watch an institution shutter its doors, especially after working alongside the great folks who put their hearts into running it. I spent two years behind the counter there. I learned to play Warhammer during my tenure – I’d never heard of the game before working there – and got to know some really great people I wouldn’t have met any other way.

Now the question is: where do we go from here? This is a question some of you may have already faced – be it from the closing of a store or the host of a gaming night moving to a new city/state.

During the goodbye party for the store there were many discussions about hosting game nights at people’s homes, renting a space to host a club, and/or approaching the other stores in town to see if they are able to make some space for us. Concerns were aired about all of the possible issues with each option – gaming environment, drive time, space, storage, overall cost. There were a number of disagreements. We all decided on one thing, though: we can’t let our great, large, and close-knit community go to the wayside because of any single store’s closure – it’s too important, too big a part of the fabric of our lives.

For those that have dealt with this: what was your solution? Tell us about the groups/places you miss playing at/with and you and your friends found a new home.