Game On!

Exploring northern Michigan’s playful side

This year, the best gift might come in a box topped with a bow…and then unfold on a tabletop, in a burst of laughter, strategy, or quiet concentration.

Across northern Michigan, local game shops are bringing people together, not just through cards, dice, and puzzles, but also through good old-fashioned fun. Whether it’s the satisfying click of a puzzle piece fitting just right, the friendly rivalry of a Magic tournament, or a family discovering their next favorite board game, these stores are more than retail spaces—they’re gathering spots where community thrives.

Fortress of Fandom

1143 U.S. 31 N, Petoskey

Walk into Fortress of Fandom in downtown Petoskey, and you’ll feel it immediately: the hum of dice rolling, the laughter over a shared strategy gone sideways, the camaraderie of a community that truly loves to play.

Owners Keith LaGrow and Josh Christ, lifelong friends and gamers, opened the shop with one mission: to make sure Petoskey’s gaming community had a home. “We both worked in local game stores when we were younger,” LaGrow says. “When the previous one closed, we knew we had to keep that spirit alive.”

Today, Fortress of Fandom is buzzing with energy. It’s a haven for Magic: The Gathering players, Warhammer hobbyists, Pokémon fans, comic collectors, and tabletop adventurers alike.

“If it lives in your nerdy little heart,” Christ says with a grin, “we probably have it … or we will soon.”

Beyond the shelves lined with Funko Pops and decks of cards, what makes Fortress special is its people. “We greet everyone at the door. We learn names. We talk about games, about life—it’s community first,” LaGrow explains. Part of the shop is even set aside for local makers to sell their own creations.

Tournaments and game nights bring out the friendly competition, with players battling for bragging rights and store credit, all in good fun. “It’s all fun and games until the prizes come out,” Christ laughs. “Then it’s still fun, just louder!”

This holiday season, Fortress of Fandom is adding a new twist: a community-organized Secret Santa through the shop’s Discord channel. “One of our regulars started it,” LaGrow says. “We’re so excited to see how it goes, maybe it’ll become a new Petoskey tradition.”

The Missing Piece

1036 Barlow St., Ste. 100, Traverse City

There’s a quiet kind of magic that happens when puzzle pieces scatter across a table and friends and family gather around to complete it. Kitty Miller knows that feeling well. It’s what inspired her to open The Missing Piece, a Traverse City shop dedicated to all things puzzles, peace, and connection.

“Christmas has always been about family for us,” Miller says. “We’d spend hours over the holidays just working on puzzles together. There’s something peacefully inviting about it, that moment when you feel ‘one with the puzzle.’”

You’ll find that simple fun at Miller’s store on Barlow Street, where she curates a collection of beautiful puzzles for every kind of puzzler, from children discovering their first 50-piece set to enthusiasts tackling luxury wooden designs from the United Kingdom’s Wentworth. She even carries puzzles made for those with dementia or cognitive challenges, so everyone can share in the joy.

Puzzles are only part of the charm. The Missing Piece shines with other local touches: books by Michigan authors, watercolor stationery by Emily Lex, ornaments crafted from Miller’s own Grand Traverse Bay Beach Glass (a family project that began in 2005), and handmade gifts like botanical fire starters and Michigan-themed stickers.

This December, expect sparkle—lots of it! “I told the airport to expect it!” Miller laughs, recalling her earlier days running a Christmas shop in the Village at Grand Traverse Commons. On Dec. 11, she’s hosting a holiday open house with neighboring businesses, complete with giveaways and home-baked treats.

House of Games

415 N Mitchell St., Cadillac

Owner Steven Bowen and his team dreamed of creating a welcoming, judgment-free hangout where people could game, laugh, and feel at home. “We work with people with special needs through our other business, MI Independent Living,” Bowen says. “We wanted a safe, fun place for everyone to come and just be themselves.”

Inside, you’ll find a vibrant mix of card games, collectibles, and arcade fun. The shop’s bright energy spills over from its gaming tables into an attached arcade that offers all-day, come-and-go play for just $10. Families wander in together, parents sort through cards while kids conquer the high scores, and groups gather for Magic, Pokémon, or Dungeons & Dragons campaigns.

House of Games has become a hub for the Cadillac community, hosting leagues, tournaments, birthday parties, and even baby showers. “We get everyone,” Bowen says. “Families, collectors, casual players, competitive gamers. We’ve gotten to know so many of them by name. They’re more like friends now.”

When it comes to holiday shopping, the store offers something for everyone, from collectible Loungefly bags and unique candies to new releases of Magic and Lorcana. Staff recommendations fill a display near the front, making gift hunting easier.

There’s a touch of humor, too: the store’s four skeleton mascots sit around a table, dressed for each season. “For Christmas, we make one Santa Claus,” Bowen laughs. “People take pictures with it every year.”

Welcome, Treysian’s Treasures

757 Garfield Ave., Traverse City

New for northern Michigan gamers, Treysian’s Treasures blends the thrill of collecting with a family-friendly atmosphere. The shop, which had a soft opening Nov. 10, specializes in Pokémon cards, Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, video games, and collectible treasures, plus dealer tables for local sellers. Stock rotates often, making every visit a fresh hunt for rare finds and holiday gifts alike.

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