"Any good games shops in Vancouver?" Topic

Hi all

I'm over in Canada for family hols in a few weeks and, as always, wouldn't mind rooting round the odd games shop whilst over. I chanced on a store in Ottawa just round the corner from the Lord Elgin hotel a couple of years ago where I discovered Reaper paints (which we just don't get in the UK) – this time we're starting off in Vancouver for 4-5 days staying downtown/coal harbour area; any stores near there (not driving at all) that I might look up?

Phil

link – located in Vancouver, haven't dealt with them myself.

imperialhobbies.ca – in Richmond (part of the larger Vancouver area). I've ordered from them a few years ago, but not visited. Transit would probaly get you there, or taxi, but likely it's out of your intended area.

thecomicshop.ca – a comic store, but the best one out there. I had a standing mailorder from there for over 4 years while I was in Germany. There was a great pizza place across and down the street, but it's a long time ago since I was in the area.

Hope that's of some help.

imperial hobbies is out by the airport but should be on the sky train line to Richmond. Well worth a visit.

Too bad your not staying longer. Imperial Hobbies is having their August customer appreciation sale soon. 25% to 90% off. Bob

Definitely check out Imperial Hobbies. With the Skytrain it's very easy to get too. It stops across the street from the store.

Strategies Games and Hobbies is another good Vancouver game store.

link

Thanks all – will see if I can persuade the rest of the family to take a trip down to Richmond then!

Phil

Imperial Hobbies is awesome. I convinced my family to go twice the last time I was Vancouver (of course, I had a car). Plus, it's in the middle of the nice "Chinatown" (avoid the ghetto downtown one) where the food is very good.

Phong

Imperial Hobbies would probably appeal most to people who frequent this forum as it has historicals and scale models in large number. Strategies which is close to where I live and my local is very GW, Privateer Press, Boardgame, FoW, they also carry Reaper, Black Scorpion, Warlord, and Wargames Factory off the top of my head. Darren the owner can get in a lot of stuff so it is good for locals.

Imperial Hobbies is bigger and older you don't want to take Skytrain to Richmond, you want the new line, which is called the Canada line you can catch it easily at Waterfront station or Broadway. Both those places are easy to get to by bus.

Imperial Hobbies carries most of the stuff Darren does, but perhaps has less GW, FoW, and Privateer Press stuff. You re-order what sells, both have more than enough minis from those companies. Imperial Hobbies carries a lot of lead historical figures Artizen, Old Glory, Cobblestone, Blue Moon, and more… They also carry comics, scale models, and a lot of Woodland Scenics stuff. Darren carries a lot of Gale Force Nine scenery but not as much resin, Imperial Hobbies usually has some JR, Pegasus, and Armorcast stuff in stock, whereas Darren mainly specially orders that stuff in as special orders.

Both have friendly staff and you can browse for a long time. Imperial Hobbies probably has more rule systems both carry RPGs but Darren usually has Warhammer Historical and probably some Field of Glory books but Imperial Hobbies will have have more of that stuff. Darren has way more board games, they take up about half his store, he also has more gaming room, terrain and what have you. They regularly demo stuff too.

Imperial Hobbies also carries more paints such as Reaper Master Series and Vallejo plus Testors and Tamiya possibly.

There are lots of GW stores in Vancouver, Metrotown and Surrey if you're insane are the biggest. Lastly there is another group of game stores in Vancouver, one isn't far from a skytrain station in East Van. I've only been there once, they have comics, but they had some stuff you don't see much of in Van like Infinity figs…

Check out Vancouvergamers.com it lists all the stores and major clubs.

A while back the Comic Shop got out of gaming stuff focusing again on comics, they may have got back into games, but if you're a comic guy they are the oldest one in Vancouver.

I don't think the Comic Shop does miniature gaming anymore. Was just at Strategies (Darren's) today they are gearing up for new WFB and new Warmachine. He had some Avatars of War minis in with his WFB stuff and a lot of Starship Armada, that game caught on briefly in Vancouver, but I've never seen it being played in the shop.

He has a lot of metal and resin ships along with rules and tokens made by Litko. I got Darren to get in some Micro Art scenic bases and I've ordered Litko stuff from him in the past… He is carrying more and more stock and does do special orders like I said before.

He has a lot of stuff, but not as much miniature stuff as Imperial Hobbies out in Richmond which is owned/run by Francois I believe…

Good luck and have a good time in Van, the weather is great right now, almost too good. It is hot in the evening making painting challenging.

Oh Strategies is way closer to Coal Harbour and Downtown and probably is the closest gaming store to Downtown though Chinatown (the real one which is quite nice by the way) had two, one in the big mall just outside of Chinatown (One Stop Cards and Games) and the other one which specialized in board games moved further East to the Strathcona Neighbourhood.

To get to Strategies on Main Street, just get on the #3 (Main Street) bus, you can catch it a variety of places, ride it South down Main Street away from the mountains until about 22nd if you hit King Edward you went a bit too far so get off at King Edward and walk back, it is under a very famous Chinese food restaurant. There is underground parking but you said no car, so that secret won't help. I usually just walk or bike to strategies. Biking is very doable in Vancouver and is popular for tourists around Stanley Park.

Imperial Hobbies has some Reaper paints but more Vallejo and Testors. Both have all the GW paints and most every GW kit or blister, so in short if you are a historical guy go to Richmond, Imperial Hobbies is the second biggest game store I know of in Canada behind the Sentry Box in Calgary. If you just like games and aren't allergic to GW, Privateer Press, Flames of War, and Starship Armada, go to Strategies. Strategies also carries a lot of board games for couples and younger kids.

Cheers,

Highly recommend Imperial Hobbies.