Galactic Force Toys & Games - Chicago, IL (original) (raw)
Recommended Reviews
Search reviews
Search reviews
As someone who has played Magic: The Gathering on and off for 14 years, I have experienced good and bad shops/owners, but never before have I seen a shop so clueless about the game itself and the community around it as Galactic force, and to me it seems like they haven't learned anything in the years hosting Magic tournaments. To be fair, it does seem like they are moving away from Magic and focusing on the "toys and games" part of their business.
Some people I know were recently banned for daring to become friends and organize meetups, magic-related and otherwise outside of this shop. The owner continues to harass them and the places they now patronize. Goes to show you what they think of community at galactic, they think they own it exclusively.
Jun 15, 2012Updated review
(Update) Ladies and Gentlemen, the proprietor of Galactic Force!
I should point out that the 'other store' that did the fleecing was the now defunct MTG Chicago, not Dice Dojo. Also, I didn't get 'fleeced' by MTGChicago. I only played there once, on a Monday night.
In case you couldn't get through the wall of text, the owner of GForce is offering Free Entry into an FNM of your choice!
I strongly suggest you take that offer up, and tell him "Will Higgins sent me"!
And once you have, come find me at the place I choose to play FNM, and I will personally pay your entry fee. That way, you can make up your own mind, instead of taking my word for it. You'll get to meet tons of cool people who used to play at GForce, but now flat-out refuse to go there, and hear some funny stories about Aldermans!
Kind Regards
Jun 12, 2012Previous review
When I first moved to Chicago I played some events at GForce, but I stopped going for a number of reasons:
The owner does not want you talking about other stores. He's gone so far as to ban people from the shop for mentioning other game shops in Chicago.
I had a fair amount of Store Credit (roughly $30), and one day when I asked to redeem some of it, I was told that I no longer had that credit. I had earned the credit by consigning some of my cards, so essentially it was like I gave the money away. I had no method of recourse and the owner was uninterested in investigating further. I am not the only person that this happened to, either.
The owner is not kid-friendly. Under 18? He will kick you out of the store if it's past sunset.
Spectators/guests are not allowed. At no time are you allowed to just 'hang out' in the shop. You are forced to purchase something/enter an event to spend time in the store, which, to me, is absurd.
You are not allowed to bring in food, but the store does not sell any. Similarly you can't even bring in bottles of water to drink, you're forced to buy them from the store.
To play Casual games at the store the owner REQUIRES that you buy at least $4 worth of merchandise. This means if you want to play with your friends, you have to pay.
The prize payout for Magic: The Gathering events is very poor value compared to Chicagoland Games Dice Dojo or other area stores. For an entry fee of $10, the store keeps more than half of it as profit instead of paying out to players.
Drafts are also similarly poor value, there is no discount for playing in a re-draft or similar event with no store payout.
The store owner will often have random "B" grade (or worse) movies playing during events which are loud and distracting.
The store is very cramped, most of it is taken up by stacks of figurines and other merchandise. Actually playing games there is uncomfortable.
I have to say, I have since started going to Chicagoland Games Dice Dojo and I am so glad I did. The events are run in a clean environment by competent staff, they sell Magic singles, they let you "hang out" if you want, their payout is good and their events are fun as heck. I am never going back to GForce, and I can't see why anyone would when Dojo is just better.
My experiences with this store have been fairly awful.
I've been to many MTG shops both in LA and Chicago, and this is the worst one I've had the misfortune to attend. Not only is the prize support atrocious, but basic customer service and comfort is shunned at the whim of the owner.
There was a weird consignment policy, which I have since heard is defunct. There were no singles available.
Sealed product is way overpriced compared to the industry norm.
The owner also dislikes competitive players and draws.
If you are looking for a good time and a reasonable MTG scene stay away.
Wandered in just to shop, found that a Magic tournament was going on. My friends and I asked if we could grab some spare table space (and there was some, in the back where the wargames tables are) to play EDH and were told no, that spectators weren't allowed during tournaments.
Told the guy I'd be heading up to Chicagoland Games to use their table space, which they give away quite generously on a (mostly) first-come/first-served basis. Received raised eyebrows and a grunt in response.
Haven't been back to Galactic Force.
Awesome gaming store. 'nuff said.
OFFICIALLY REOPENED at:
1121 W Belmont Ave
(between Seminary Ave & Clifton Ave)
Chicago, IL 60657
(DON'T MIND THE "CLOSED" TAG ON THE TITLE)
The most important thing that must be said about Galactic Force, it is a store that still operates on the fundamental belief that games and hobbies should be played in a fun and safe environment. I think if you spent five minutes chatting with Mark or Andy (who run the shop) you would see that they care about their customers more than anything else.
We're all nerds, and nerds can be very aggressive and hateful at times. Newer players can often be run off by intimidating veterans of their game. But you won't experience that at Galactic Force because that kind of play is simply not tolerated, by shop owners and cliental. It should be noted that any negativity about this store is localized to the Magic: The Gathering community, all by players who do not frequent the store anymore. There are events every night for other popular games like Yu-Gi-Oh and Warhammer. Also you can buy casual board games to play with your friends at home.
The bottom line is that Galactic Force is a safe and fun location to enjoy your hobbies and play in a casual environment that also breeds healthy and challenging competition. There is no reason you have to only frequent one store, different events run different days. Galaxy Force is still the only local place you can play constructed FNM on Fridays. We as players are much more interested in educating newcomers to sustain challenging play, than take advantage of newer players or running infinite on store credit. This place is super relaxed and fun, but the only way to know is to come see for yourself!
And you can ask for me if it's your first time. I'm the little guy who may or may not be wearing a cowboy hat. Enjoy your games everybody.
Not sure what's up with the negative reviews on here. I rarely write reviews, but I felt compelled to put in a good word for Galactic Force since I spend a couple nights a week there playing Magic the Gathering.
Galactic Force is a great place to play Magic. The community is friendly, the emphasis of the store is on casual play. People don't take themselves too seriously here. There are no competitive jerks. Friday Night Magic gets a great turnout, EDH Wednesdays are a lot of fun too. You can get all your gaming supplies here, they have a nice selection of binders, dice, sleeves, etc. The store also hosts Warhammer and Yu-Gi-Oh events.
Short form: Galactic Force is a tremendously welcome and positive gaming environment, which any gamer knows can be tough to come by. You'd be hard pressed to find a gaming store in the city of Chicago that offers up such a perfect balance between competitive and casual play, while still managing to be welcoming to new players.
Long form: I've been attending events at Galactic Force for the better part of the last nine months, and have had nothing less than a great experience throughout. Some of the rules mentioned in the negative reviews, such as bringing in outside food, are real, but also very fair. I've never seen someone receive more than a polite reminder, and generally people don't have a problem with it.
I've also never seen someone turned away at the door. Yes, Galactic Force is mindful of the city's youth curfew, and its their prerogative to follow the law to make sure that their store continues to stay open and thrive. Personally, I find the 16+ tournament environment (only an issue for weekday tournaments that go past 10/11 PM) to be one of the store's major plusses, because it cuts back on a lot of the immaturity/negativity that can come up among younger gamers. It also creates, as Brian J mentioned, a self-policing environment where unwelcoming behavior is stamped out before it becomes an issue.
A lot of the reviews are focused on issues related to tournament play, or busier times at the store, but I can offer additional insight about the less busy hours. Whether someone is coming to Galactic Force looking to rekindle their love for Magic by purchasing a starter deck or looking for a board game they can play with their significant other/friends/family, they are always treated with the utmost respect by the helpful owners of the store. You will find few stores of this kind where an uninitiated former, current, or potential gamer can come in and be greeted with the same welcome as a "regular." However long-winded this rant may be, I unconditionally recommend Galactic Force for any gamer looking to get their "fix," whatever it may be. Happy gaming!
I don't play here regularly because of work, but I have to admit that I like this store a lot. I wanted to share a story with other yelpers to get an idea of the store and the atmosphere here.
Recently I played an FNM, and I didn't do great, but well enough that I would still end up in prizes (although on the lower end). (One pro about this shop is that the prize support goes extremely deep. This means that winning first place doesn't have a huge incentive, but its nice because you can play here casually and still leave with a few packs).
I wanted to stay to collect my prize but I finished my last match very early and I wasn't feeling too well. So I left home. The owner Marc messages me through facebook that I had won a few packs and that he would hold onto it for me. I think thats true customer service.
He could have lied about it and kept the few packs, but he did the right thing and I definitely respect him for it.
Some reviewers complained about the prices, but I think thats crap. Sure its more expensive than online stores, but you have to pay a premium here for the service. Think about it like this. Sure it may be cheaper to order your cards online, but after getting all of those cards... where are you going to play? Sure I pay more money to buy my products here, but that extra payment is the payment to keep the store afloat so I have somewhere to play all those cards I just bought.
Very small and cramped. Especially if you're the size of most fanboys, one or two of you (us) and it can get tight in there. Awesome selection of toys and games. Board games, Magic the Gathering, toys past and present. They've got some great finds at Galactic. Awesome staff and good prices, keep an eye out for deals.
Place could be bigger and more organized at times, but this is quickly becoming one of my favorite geek hang outs in town.