Get Your Game On, a gaming store and electronics repair shop on State St, closed permanently on Thursday following 12 years of business. The store posted a sign on the door stating the events leading to the closure occurred quickly preventing them from providing prior notice.
The store’s website names Alexander and Stephanie Horvath as the owners and claims to specialize in “Magic: The Gathering,” which is a trading card game. The store accepts cards in return for store credit or cash and hosts events and weekly tournaments, according to their site. As a result, the store posted they are exploring options for those with remaining store credits.
The store thanked and apologized to the community in their sign. The owners have been reached out to for comment but did not comment in time for publication.
LSA sophomore Duey Smith is one of the Vice Presidents of Operations of the University of Michigan’s Casual Gaming Club and regularly went to events at Get your Game On. Smith said the store’s closing was unexpected and disappointing.
“It blindsided me entirely because they were hiring just before break and then all of a sudden, bam, they were closed,” Smith said. “I was really disheartened because that’s a pretty common thing that happens with stores like that nowadays… the one I played at here, which is the only one accessible to students without cars closing, really inhibits any real get-together for people playing Magic or D&D.”
Through his interactions with Get your Game On, Smith recalled how he got to know the community of people the store brought together.
“I would stop into the store just to chat with the people working there because we became pretty familiar because I was in there so much,” Smith said. “Everyone was welcoming and it was just so nice. Because I came in really anxious, and they were all just super welcoming, super warm.”
Even though Get Your Game On is closed, Smith said the gaming friends he met at Get Your Game On are still close, and are searching for a new place to meet.
“I’ve been talking to some of my friends from the store, trying to just get together to play games,” Smith said. “Someone made a group actually for all the people who went to Get Your Game On, just so they could try and organize events and get together and play like that.”