A family-owned gaming business in Salisbury is planning to celebrate its first anniversary with an exciting weekend event.
New Realities Gaming, on Fisherton Street, dedicates its business to bringing the joy of trading card games (TCGs) and board games to the community.
The business was started by Emrys, who at the time was aged 16, using the proceeds he received from playing in the Pokémon World Championships.
Unable to access school and rarely leaving the house, travelling to game stores to play trading card games was the only outside engagement Emrys could manage for many years.
His family decided to support his passion by helping him start his own games store in Salisbury to provide a safe community space for anyone interested in games.
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Since opening its doors nearly a year ago, New Realities Gaming has become a hub for gamers of all ages to meet others and play in person away from the computer. They aim to provide an alternative to the usual pub, cinema and restaurant options with daily events and an open play area.
The weekend long event on August 3-4 will offer free entry with complimentary hot drinks and sweets, exclusive discounts, tournaments and extended opening hours.
The focus on in-person table-top games including board games and trading card games such as Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering includes a wide selection of TCGs, board games, snacks, and drinks, and regularly hosts tournaments, game nights, and special events.
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The store has grown to become a safe and open space to learn and play new games with others they meet through the shop’s community across various social media platforms such as Discord and Facebook.
Emrys said: “It’s our goal to create a welcoming space and foster a community where people interested in various geek cultures such as Trading Card Games, Board Games, D&D and Anime can come together, have fun, and share their love for the games we all enjoy!
"We can’t thank everyone in the Salisbury community enough for embracing our store and helping us grow, we look forward to celebrating this milestone and looking ahead to another event filled year of games with everyone who has supported us.”
The event aims to not only celebrate the store’s success but also to highlight the vibrant gaming community that has flourished in Salisbury over the past year.
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