The cost of living is becoming more expensive every day and for a lot of people, that means cutting back on spending on non-essentials. With rising prices, some hobbies and hobbyist groups begin to see problems with the games they play, as certain game pieces become unrealistic to obtain for more players.
Magic: The Gathering by Wizards of the Coast is a classic trading card game with a reputation for being an expensive and competitive hobby. Unfortunately, because players lack anything similar to organized sports with leagues and skill groupings, playing the game can be a frustrating experience for players simply looking for a balanced game. CGN Games is a new game store in Rexburg that aims to help foster an inviting and smooth play experience for veterans and new players of various card games.
“Anybody can sit down with anybody no matter how good or bad they are and make you go from having a really good night to having a really bad night really quickly and that’s not what these games are about you are supposed to always have fun. It’s a social thing,” said Gavin Rodriguez, the owner of CGN Games.
Rodriguez started the card store, not with the intention of making record profits, but as a way to create a better community around a hobby that has drawn him and his brother closer together.
“We have been playing for 15 years, and that’s how we started coming together as brothers… we were always fighting and didn’t get along … but then he started reaching out to me,” Rodriguez said.
Despite the focus on balancing ability levels, some events will still be competitive with prizes for players that come out on top. In an effort to help out players the store will also have raffles for valuable products often.
“We’re looking more for just come in, play, and if you want to buy something, buy something. Our main thing is that we are not banking on sales as much, but we actually want to give away a lot of our high-end product,” Rodriguez said.
The shop is located at 402 West 4th South in Rexburg and is open from 4 p.m. to midnight Tuesdays-Saturdays. You can also check out their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100080593721245