By Chris Frost
EAGLE TIMES NEWS EDITOR
CLAREMONT — Board game enthusiasts from across Claremont and Sullivan County have a home to share interests while having fun at Triple Play Games, 42 Opera House Square. Regulars refer to it as “Nerdvana.”
Regulars and newcomers, called “Gamers,” come to share interests, make purchases, play a large group of board games, and enjoy a sense of community. The store holds an open gaming event each Saturday starting at Noon.
Owner Michael Butkus has owned the store for about 18 months. He said he tracks sales trends, and researchs board games to decide what people would like before stocking his shelves.
“There is a web page called “Board Game Geek” that rates games by the people who play them and has customer input,” Butkus said. “Users rate games and share how much fun they are.”
The store has Board Game Nights each Thursday where new enthusiasts can learn and get involved.
“Splendor and Ticket to Ride are easy-to-understand games that can be scaled up as you get better and understand the game,” Butkus said.
The store is a community of Gamers, and he noted that about a half-dozen guys gather and play games regularly.
“They’re my friends, and we enjoy playing together,” he said. “I look forward to seeing them, meeting new people, and teaching them to play with us. Board games are my favorite things since I bought the shop. I didn’t realize how many games there are that are amazingly different and challenging.”
His future goals are to make Triple Play a true board game venue and hold events that promote the location as a place where Upper Valley Gamers can come and feel at home.
“I’m not making a lot of money, but I’m working on it,” he said. “I’m more interested in getting the community than I am in getting the money. I run my events to get people here, play together and enjoy my shop.”
Employee Ian Littlefield has been playing games at Triple Play since college, and he jumped at the chance to work there.
“My area of expertise is the game “‘Magic: The Gathering’ and board games,” he said. “I am also the person to talk to about an upcoming Disney board game called “Lorcana.”
Littlefield is a general contractor by trade and said his interest in board games started at Triple Play.
“My interest exploded when I had easy access to a ton of board games working at a game store,” he said. “One of the first ones that caught my eye was a game called “Dice Forge,” thematically based on Greek mythology.”
Littlefield loves building his Magic: The Gathering deck and noted all the options to create his collection.
Shawn Sapiel came to play the game “Flesh and Blood” and loves how he starts strong, intending to outwit his opponent before reaching his lowest point.
“I like anything strategy based, so out strategizing my opponent is something I enjoy,” he said. “I started playing Magic: The Gathering 10 years ago, but I switched when Flesh and Blood was released.”
Ethan Beattie plays Magic: The Gathering because he can hang out with friends.
“There’s a lot of expression to yourself, depending on what kind of game you want to play,” he said about Magic. “It can reflect your personality, which is a fun way to approach a board game.”
For more information, visit the store’s Facebook page.
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