Dragon Fire Games Serves Growing Local Gaming Community in New Location
By: Emily Mook | Photos By: Ashlee Glen
In his 1989 book The Great Good Place, sociologist Ray Oldenburg introduced the concept of “the third place,” defining it as a public place to meet and build a sense of community with others. Designating one’s home as “the first place” and one’s workplace as “the second place,” Oldenburg asserted that third places “allow an individual to put aside their concerns and simply enjoy the company and conversation around them.”
In today’s increasingly digital world where connection so often involves screens and where a societal push for measurable productivity causes many of us to feel caught in a constant loop between those first and second places, these third places are more important now than ever before.
The Lynchburg area boasts many such spaces—some of which are free and some of which are commercial—and our communities are immeasurably enriched by these establishments. As someone who works remotely, I value opportunities to venture out and work in shared spaces even if I am not actively collaborating with others. Each third place we enjoy offers something unique and important, and local gaming store Dragon Fire Games is no exception. In fact, Dragon Fire exemplifies a third place’s ability to provide a foundation for community-building because its offerings (in terms of both products and events) and layout are centered around tactile games and hobbies that inherently bring people together—no screens attached.
At Dragon Fire, which recently moved into its new location at 408 Federal Street, game enthusiasts of all ages gather to engage in either casual gameplay or competitive tournaments for hugely popular trading card games such as Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon, Disney Lorcana, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and One Piece and for miniature-based games such as Warhammer and Star Wars: Legion. In addition to selling products under these and other titles, the store sells a wide variety of items associated with long-beloved tabletop roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons. Groups of people can frequently be found running D&D campaigns or painting miniatures together at one of the shop’s many community tables.
But the bustling ease of a typical day at Dragon Fire Games in its large and vibrant new location doesn’t tell the full story—a story of remarkable resilience that speaks to both the dedication and determination of the store’s owner, Evan Garrett, and to the transformative power of community support.
In April, the building that used to house Dragon Fire on Memorial Avenue was the target of grand larceny and arson. Consequently, the building was condemned and hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of product was either stolen or destroyed in the fire. Garrett was already planning an eventual move to the new location when the crimes occurred, but he had to expedite that process while also working with law enforcement officials on their investigation and processing the trauma and major financial losses incurred by the crimes. Because his insurance policy covered only a fraction of that loss (a lesson that he said he has learned and applied for the store’s new building) and because several community members expressed a desire to contribute to the store’s reopening efforts, Garrett started a GoFundMe campaign. The community response to this campaign was staggering—contributions surpassed $14,000—and Garrett said he is humbled by and grateful for the support.
“That someone would want to steal from us and then burn our store down is still something I am struggling to understand, but the way the community has rallied behind us and their response to this has been absolutely incredible,” Garrett said. “The donations and support and offers of help have humbled us beyond even our greatest hopes, and we are honored and lucky to still be able to get to do the things we love: provide a safe and fun gaming environment for all groups of people.”
As he and his staff continue to rebuild in the store’s new location, Garrett is also building beyond the previous store’s capacity by adding new products and events.
“Creativity is a big part of Dragon Fire Games,” he said. “Having the opportunity and space to now host completely unique community-driven offerings such as our K-POP Photo Card Trading Meet-up as well as our upcoming LitRPG book signing of local writer E.A. Winters has me excited for the kind of events we could host in the future.”
These ever-expanding offerings, the new building’s improved accessibility and closer proximity to downtown, and an ongoing societal shift in the perception of tabletop gaming (from a niche interest to a more mainstream pastime) have increased store traffic considerably.
Amid this exciting growth and change, however, customers who have been coming to Dragon Fire Games for years say that the strong sense of community they have experienced at the store has remained unchanged.
“When you think about the friendships we’ve made here—and we continue to make them—it’s really like a second family,” said Kathryn Kurlander.
“My husband and I have been coming to Dragon Fire Games for years,” added Nora Genter. “It’s a very open and welcoming place, and there are always friendly faces to see here. The staff always speaks to you and makes you feel welcome, and that goes a long way to making it feel like a family community space rather than somewhere cold where I just go to buy stuff. Having the opportunity to meet with friends and express your passions in a safe space, without fearing judgment, is so important.”
Whether you are a seasoned gamer or are just starting out, Dragon Fire Games has a seat at the table for you.
For more information about Dragon Fire Games, search “Dragon Fire Games” on Facebook.
