The Griffin’s Rest is a new gaming store opening in downtown Muskegon in Spring of 2017. That’s great but honestly…Why should you care?

That question became pivotal in how we decided to go about this endeavor. In order to really bring something awesome to the table, we asked ourselves this question every time we made a decision on how this store would operate.

For us, a key aspect of what we do revolves around this concept. Being a place where you can buy AND play games is what really separates us from our online and big box competitors. Honestly…Why shop with us if you can get it a few bucks cheaper online, avoid a trip and save money on gas? Being “local” isn’t enough. Our geographic proximity to you does not entitle us to your business.

With that in mind here are the key things that we feel will make it worth the trip and a couple extra dollars.

A Great Place to Play

When you enter The Griffin’s Rest, one of the first things you will notice is our play areas. Clean tables and comfortable padded chairs can be found in our retail area and our dedicated play area upstairs. Our free wi-fi will ensure you are able to connect any of your mobile devices such as a phone or laptop. We will have a small library of games you can play at no cost.

You’ll also find a lounge area where you can sit and socialize for a bit. Beverages and snacks for sale when you’re getting into a long gaming session. Private rooms for your regular gaming groups. There will even be smart TV’s that can display information for your tournaments or campaign information like maps and such.

The Ideal Customer Experience

It’s great to have neat toys and comfy chairs but at the end of the day this is a store. We need to be able to provide you with an awesome experience. At The Griffin’s Rest we don’t just stand behind the counter, we are your concierge. We want to hear about what kind of games YOU like and help make a recommendation based on that.

Know what you want and just need to grab it and go? No problem! We’ll get you squared away real quick so you can continue on with your day and look forward to seeing you next time. Don’t have what you need? We will give you a realistic time frame as to when it will arrive if you order it from us and let you decide if that meets your needs.

When you visit us you can always count on us to be professional, knowledgeable and accommodating.

Fun Events

Events are what we think will really make things special. Every month we are going to hold a specialty event that revolves around a concept. This event could revolve around Star Wars, Game of Thrones or any other multitude of things. Along with a gang of games that are free to play that revolve around the theme, you will find people in costume running demonstrations. There will be light music, giveaways and special discounts on themed games.

Don’t worry tournament players! We love you too! We will be doing our best to ensure we have awesome weekends and whatever games you guys want us to run. Friday Night Magic be a big part of what we do as well as other competitive play options. What other games? Well…It would be pretentious of us to assume we know the will of the people. You guys are gonna have to come in and let us know so we can make it happen.

A Safe, Inviting and Inclusive Community

Another thing we think is really important is being stewards of the local gaming community and that means spreading the love of the hobby. The way we plan to do this is by sponsoring gaming clubs at the schools in the Muskegon area. This helps the next generation of gamers start enjoying the hobby earlier.

We also want to ensure our players know we are dedicated to ensuring all visitors are held to a simple yet firm standard.

– Maintain your personal hygiene before coming to the store. It’s not our goal to single anyone out but we want to make sure EVERYONE has a great shopping and entertainment experience. If it happens, we will ask you to leave for the day. If it is a reoccurring problem, you will be asked to leave and not return.

– Loud or consistent profanity are not allowed. We understand people are human but this is an all ages store. We don’t need little Timmy telling his parents about all the profanities he learned at The Griffin’s Rest because you play a loud drunken pirate in your Dungeons & Dragons game.

– Be courteous to your fellow players. We are all passionate about the games we play but it never gives us an excuse to be mean or rude to each other. Do onto others as you would have done onto yourself and when in doubt if something is OK, don’t do the thing.

– You are the eyes and ears. If you see any of the above occurring we ask that you let us know so we can ensure the standard we have set is maintained.  Don’t suffer in silence.

Pretty simple right?

Big Promises

It does sound like a lot right? I agree. So when we open this spring, come check us out.

As progress continues on the renovation of the building we will keep you informed, get you pictures of the progress, and the date for the grand opening. We’re looking forward to our opportunity to earn your business and provide you with an awesome gaming experience.