The Game Chamber Goes Digital 

Due to COVID-19, mandatory shutdowns and lost revenue has devastated a large percentage of mom-and-pop businesses that are often dependent upon in-store sales and services. Many small businesses have had to become inventive to continue to operate, despite COVID-19. The Game Chamber’s response to COVID-19 is a perfect example of this.  

Card Games at The Game Chamber

This store, nestled in the heart of the Argyle Community, has provided hours of entertainment for East London.

Since 2012, The Game Chamber has provided access to a range of gaming supplies and games, including tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons or WarHammer, card games like Magic the Gathering, and board games ranging from the popular Settlers of Catan to more obscure ones such as Hive.  

The Game Chamber’s owners, Tim and Trina Brown are both avid gamers. They envisioned and built a business that perfectly fit Southwest Ontario’s need to fill hours with fun and excitement, which has helped many people make it through these past few months of isolation. When they designed their store, they divided the property into two distinct parts.  

RPG Miniature at The Game Chamber

The front of the store, which reopened during Ontario’s Phase 2 of Ontario’s plan, sells supplies and parts for role playing games, all kinds of card games and two entire walls and a couple of aisles of board games. Hours of fun and laughter with your closest friends and family can be found in this room.

Down a hall and through a metal gate is where you’ll find the second part of The Game Chamber, their game room. This room acts as a clubroom where gamers can come to meet and play games together. Tables fill a large open room, waiting for London’s gamer community to return. Some of these tables are covered in intricately created fantasy or post-apocalyptic scenes for role-playing games. A brightly lit wall is lined with board games, ready for use, and art supplies sit on tables. For now, the Game Room remains closed due to COVID-19, but will open as soon as it is safe to do so.

For several months, the entire store was closed to customers, the Browns, and their six employees because of COVID-19. The company took a hit due to lost sales and their employees were essentially unemployed for the duration of the closure. So, what are the Browns doing to reinvent their store and rebuild their clientele?  

They called on their creativity used to envision this community-based gaming store and applied it to expand their store’s reach. The Browns planned on creating an online store before the pandemic but had not taken the steps to fully evolve the store into an online format until everything moved to digital earlier this year.   

Moving their inventory online required the Browns to purchase, set-up and catalogue their entire inventory – which is no small feat. It’s a massive project they decided to take on to support their business and serve the gaming community. They anticipate their online store will be up and running by the end of August.

Gamers are a tight-knit group. Many of the people who came to the gaming room prior to the pandemic are members of The Game Chamber and use the game room regularly. These gamers find acceptance and calm in the community created by the Browns.

By going online, the Browns are giving their patrons access to the games and supplies they need to continue to build their stories and play their games. The Browns hope to provide more to their loyal customers and expand their services. They are installing a kitchen in the game room, with plans to open by the fall. This creates a one-stop gaming haven for those who thrive in the creativity of RPGs, miniature, card and board games.  

Until the Game Room reopens, though, The Game Chamber provides access to countless games and supplies for the gaming community online at www.thegamechamber.com
.   

Kids Games on the shelves

As we all continue to protect the most vulnerable in our community by staying away from each other, we can also entertain ourselves with new and fun games thanks to The Game Chamber’s effort to bring our gaming needs directly to us.

For more information about The Game Chamber, visit www.thegamechamber.com. And if you want to check out the store, go to Unit 7 at 1700 Dundas St., London, Ontario, or you can call Tim and Trina at 519-601-4263. Happy Gaming! 

Game Recommendations

The Game Chamber’s owner, Tim Brown recommended a few board games for you to try. These games and many others are available on their website.  

For families with children, Tim recommends:  

  • Gold Am Onko 
  • Rhino Hero, and  
  • Boom Bang Gold 

And for the adult gamers looking for something new to break the monotony, Tim recommends:  

  • Small World 
  • HIVE, and  
  • Carcasonne.
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