Good day, fellow travelers, and welcome back to the latest installment of Waypoint! Not only do I enjoy being able to support our local communities, even just a little bit, by writing these segments, but it’s also a great excuse to travel and check out all the different game stores around us!
But really, who needs an excuse for fun? This time, I made the trip to Area 51. No, not that Area 51; I mean the game store in Cortland, New York (although arguably just as interesting). I had actually met some of the staff at FLAGCON 2025, where they had a booth. After my experience with them there, I was eager to visit the mothership.
“Whoa” was my first word when I walked through the doors. Area 51 was big, and the selection of goods they offered certainly matched the space. The store was split up into a few different sections, with the usual one would expect: a counter for TCGs, a section filled with board games and TTRPGs, lots of dice and gaming accessories—the usual shabang. Their play space in the back was also sizable, with plenty of tables for any kind of gaming one might desire, plus two private gaming spaces to host, for example, your group’s weekly D&D session.
But Area 51 didn’t stop at the usual: they also featured old and discontinued video games and accessories, sci-fi and fantasy books and manga, and a wide range of nerd memorabilia and paraphernalia, making this game store a space for not just tabletop gamers. There was even a play space for kids, offering toys, games, and crafts to play with and a spread of kid-focused games and toys for sale.
But perhaps coolest of all is Area 51’s cosplay section. Yes, cosplay, in a game store. Honestly, I shouldn’t have been so surprised, because it only makes sense. An array of swords, lightsabers, shields, bucklers, and even pieces of chainmail armor are available to purchase. It was all I could do to refrain from picking up a new piece for myself. There was even a small section for hair dyes, in case you really want to get into character.
Overall, I’d trust Area 51 to have anything I or anyone else might need, so if you’re in the area and searching for something specific that you haven’t been able to find anywhere else, you might just find it here. You can be sure I’ll be stopping in whenever I make a trip up to Syracuse.
That’s all for this issue! Take up your swords and shields (or if you’re lacking, you now know where to find a new one) and adventure on, and I’ll be sure to see you at the next Waypoint.
