A trading card and tabletop game retailer with roots in Virginia is setting up shop in Arlington, planting its first Jacksonville location at 933 University Blvd. N., less than two miles from Jacksonville University's campus. Tower of Games is preparing to open the store with grand-opening events scheduled for October, giving local card and dice enthusiasts a new spot to shop, play and connect with fellow gamers.
According to WhatNow, the Jacksonville shop will add to Tower of Games' Florida presence and become its fifth listed location, joining stores in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Newport News, Virginia, plus the company's Boca Raton outpost. The company describes its locations as spaces for meeting other players and participating in regular events, and it has invited Jacksonville players to RSVP for opening events and sign up for updates through its company website. As of the report, Tower of Games had not posted a specific grand-opening date beyond confirming the events would fall in October.
What the New Shop Will Carry and Host
The Jacksonville location will serve trading card and tabletop gamers by offering new and secondhand games, accessories and collectibles, per the same WhatNow report. The store also buys cards, miniatures, collectibles and other gaming items from customers looking to sell or trade in their own collections.
Tower of Games plans to host regular events, giving local players opportunities to meet and play.
Tower of Games' Florida Footprint and Sanctioned Play
Tower of Games' original Florida expansion store, located in Boca Raton at 499 NE Spanish River Blvd., holds official Wizards Play Network Premium status and functions as a registered Disney Lorcana Play Network venue, according to The Card Shop Finder. The Boca Raton store also hosts sanctioned events, illustrating the company's South Florida operations before its attention turns north to Duval County.
At its Boca Raton store, Tower of Games has a play hall and hosts events.
Landing Near a College Crowd in an Established Gaming Market
Placing the new store at 933 University Blvd. N. puts it within the Arlington neighborhood, less than two miles north of Jacksonville University's 235-acre main campus along the St. Johns River, positioning the shop for direct access to a college-age player base.
Tower of Games will not be entering an empty market. Jacksonville's tabletop gaming ecosystem already includes established shops like Friendly Local Game Store on Roosevelt Boulevard.
A Broader Tabletop Gaming Landscape
The new Arlington storefront adds another place for tabletop gamers to meet and play.
Whether Tower of Games can carve out its own loyal following in a city that already loves its dice and decks may come down to how well it builds community rapport alongside Jacksonville's existing shops once its October grand-opening events get underway.
