The LGS as a third place

These days, my primary "third place" is my local game store (LGS). For those unfamiliar, an LGS is a small independent retailer of physical gaming merchandise that can include board games, card games, tabletop games, and role-playing games. Not every LGS serves all of these categories of gaming in great depth, but most will carry at least a few product lines of all of the major brands in each space. If you're new, you'll probably be able to get what you need to get started in whatever floats your boat. It is quite common for an LGS to specialize in one or more of these categories. For example, one LGS near me mostly focuses on carrying all of the latest indie board games. Another specializes in trading card games (TCGs). An important aspect to a successful LGS is the play space. It's a reserved area of the store that serves as a dedicated place for gamers to get together, face to face, and engage with each other in their chosen game. A good LGS will maintain a published calendar of…