The Game Table has seen its last role of the dice at its Mineola location on Jericho Turnpike.
The brothers behind the local Mineola hobby and game shop – David and Duane VanderWerf – plan on starting fresh in Hicksville with a whole new deck.
David VanderWerf admits “it can be a tough business,” but that’s not why Mineola has lost the store.
“The lease was up,” he said. “I needed a new space, on Friday night I was at capacity with 50 people. I had to turn business away.”
So he moved the location to Hicksville. The new store, where he is a managing partner is named Game Master Games and located at 954 South Broadway in Hicksville. The new space can accommodate more customers and on Saturdays he runs up to four different card game tournaments simultaneously.
“Come by on Saturday to see the madness,” David said. Last Saturday he had the tournament catered from his restaurant, Game Master Grill in Mineola. While the tournaments are every Saturday the catering is not.
For the 80-plus people last Saturday it seemed fitting with the atmosphere. The businessowners stated that they looked for spaces closer to Mineola and almost settled on a location in New Hyde Park but the deal fell through. The new location in Hicksville met all their criteria: parking, central air, heating and, most importantly, additional room, so everyone can come and play when they want to play.
Like the Game Master Grill restaurant, the VanderWerfs also have screenings of gaming related shows or movies. The retail space not only hosts card and board games but sells and teaches them as well.
