Penny Arcade on Game Stores

Tycho at Penny Arcade had something to say this morning that I thought was worth quoting (and linking):

There's a shop Gabriel frequents for his tabletop needs, even though... well, we'll go into it.

I feel strongly that the Hobby Shop as a concept and as an actual physical coordinate is crucial.  I craves me some conveniences moderne, but I've watched entirely too many little shops emaciate over the last decade, culminating in that day I stop by "because I'm in the neighborhood" except now it's a teriyaki place and the only miniature they have is a cat statue which cannot stop waving. I mean, yes. I still go in. But I want to do right, which (according to empathy-matrix/45-dir-com, qualifactor α) means that optimally I need to give my hobby dollar to a person I can see.

 I'm not an obsessive Penny Arcade fan, but I do read the comic regularly. I love the fact that, although the writers are primarily video gamers, they have such a love of tabletop gaming in all its forms (and aren't afraid to poke fun at the tabletop hobby as well).