May 2013 - GAME ON!
From the storefront, Fair Game appears as any other retail environment for the average shopper to purchase a new board game, but once inside you quickly get engulfed in the interactive gaming world of sitting around a table with a group of friends to play a competitive game of Word on the Street, Wits & Wagers, or Zombie Dice. Since my girls are all about the latest craze of just about anything as scene on T.V., this is the perfect place to test out new games before you buy them. The store is filled with hundreds and hundreds of games for all ages, from as young as 18 months to adults. Yes – I did say 18 months!
Shelves of open boxes of cards, dice, and table top games plus extremely knowledgeable staff members make playing a new game fun and easy. I just loved not having to read line by line instructions and taking the lazy route of having someone else setup the board and just tell us how to play. With this simple luxury and walls lined with a wide variety of games - I wanted to play them all! The store was filled with people of all ages from a father and his 5 year old son who sat engrossed for hours on end, to groups of teenagers playing cards, to my girls and grandma enjoying a day off of school. My mom is typically great about going to the usual bounce towns and other over stimulating kid zones but this quiet environment of playing board games was a really nice change for us all. You can pretty much stop in any time the store is open to play a game, but Saturday evenings from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. are dedicated to Open Gaming and ensure plenty of tables and chairs for all your friends and family members.
Other days are filled with tournaments, leagues, and meet-up groups, so the store is always active. Their goal is to help everyone re-discover the joy and wonder one experiences when interacting with other people over a simple game. In our world of iPhones, X-Boxes and Wii Systems, it’s the perfect time to refocus and engage with one another. And when you find that new favorite game – you can buy it right then and there! Located in downtown Downers Grove, there are plenty of restaurants and ice cream shops nearby to make a day or night of it. Food, friends, family, and fun come together fairly easily on this adventure!
OVERVIEW
A retail store offering the latest and greatest board and dice games while also offering ongoing tournaments, open gaming, leagues, and meet-up gaming groups.
Location: Fair Game, 5147 Main Street, Downers Grove, IL 60515
Phone: 630-963-0640
Website: www.fairgamestore.com
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday; Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
Prices: Open Gaming is free.
