The Side Deck Gaming Café - Columbia

★★★★★

“The Side Deck was awesome. I've fallen off of some larger card game stores in the greater Columbia area as they've just been lacking the thing that makes them feel like a card store. The heart of it all. At other stores I would walk in and immediately feel like I was just someone there to give them money. But when I entered the Side Deck the workers were so nice, helping me set up my bandai app, helped me understand how the tournament I entered worked, they were even nice enough to hand out some extra packs they had laying around for free! In the middle of my tournament I walked over and asked them if they had any sodas which they told me they didn't, that they only served drinks that were on their menu (speciality drinks like coffees and frappes and the like). But this worker, bless his heart, he went to their fridge where he had a single coke that they used for other drinks and sold it to me. I have never felt so seen and like I mattered from a card store before. On top of that, just being able to see cards out and displayed as opposed to be behind a giant locked door, like I'm buying from some warehouse,just felt so much more personal. I'm rarely someone who knows what card I'm buying when I enter a card store, I love just seeing all the cards displayed in such a manner thats lets me know how much love and care was put into the showcasing. I like being able to see the card in front of me, even if I'm not buying it, it's like entering a museum but for tcg. It is beautiful. For all these reasons and so many smaller ones, the side deck of Columbia will for sure keep me as a costumer and ensure it is my number one spot for anything tcg.”

★★★★★

“Damien and Macy are an absolute joy to talk everytime we come in. I would highly recommend buying cards here as well as their coffee options.”

★★★★★

“This is such a cute place! Staff was friendly and helpful too :) highly recommend!!”

★★★★★

“Much bigger then their original store over on Sunset Blvd; the product isn't so clustered and easily accessible, everything is labeled and spread out the first half of the store. Its so much bigger that it almost makes the store feel empty even though it's filled with so much new product not often seen at the other location. The sign for the store is different than the others, its bright orange and very appealing. The coffee bar is much bigger and you're able to sit there comfortably and enjoy your drink. I can't wait for them to start doing events here.”