We traveled to Rochester for a simple get away not too long ago, and had the distinct pleasure of running into three more local game stores during our time there. The first of these, Millennium Games, was truly a magnificent place. As one of the largest and most fully-featured LGS’ we have visited, it only makes sense for Millennium to be the first review we do! However, despite it's accolades and being our first review, by no means should it be held up as a yardstick to any other LGS. (Photos from Google)
Address:
Selection
Millennium is what most lay-people think of when they are told about local game stores - you can find everything nerdy here, including board games, all the major TCGs, Warhammer and other miniatures, dice, RPG books galore, playmats and carrying cases, and more generic nerd paraphernalia like Doctor Who welcome mats and the like. Not only is the diversity of their stock fantastic, the specifics left very little to be desired. They have singles for MTG, Yu-Gi-Oh and Pokémon cards, all displayed beautifully in a large glass case that encircles the front of the store. The board game and RPG aisles are filled with mainstays, new products, and niche/cult hits alike. The miniatures are well-stocked as well, with models for nearly every Warhammer player as well as Star Wars Legion, Heroclix, and D&D minis. There is nothing to complain about here - any nerd would be happy with what is available at Millennium!
Cleanliness
This category will be interesting, as it seems to be the one that is most extreme in differences from LGS to LGS. Millennium is immaculate - the floors are clean, the bathroom spotless, and the shelves orderly. The play spaces in the back of the store were closed off, COVID is great fun, but the large room was clean as well. No complaints here at all.
Friendliness
This category will always be particular to the individuals’ preferences towards customer service, but I will provide as much an honest portrayal as possible. The employees at Millennium were attentive, helpful, and seemed pleased to be working at an LGS. That being said, when perusing the TCG singles they are quick to approach you and ask if you are ready to take some cards out of the case. Some would see this as extra attentiveness, I saw it as a bit pushy - but my preference is ‘available but not in-your-face,’ whereas I know many like the social interaction a more active customer service experience can bring. Other patrons asked the employees behind the main desk about board games, dice and RPG books and the responses received were always knowledgeable. There isn’t much else to say here; the employees were friendly and I enjoyed my time talking to them, even if I felt a little pushed when it came to exploring the singles specifically.
“I will add that the associates do border on too-attentive, but you can tell they are well trained in general customer service and happy to be there. I fear they may have too much of a sales-centric approach, however. Near the end of our visit I was wondering aloud what MTG pack or two I wanted to pick up, clearly looking at the standard or recently rotated selection. The associate pointed at the Double Masters VIP packs and suggested one of those (for over $100 each). I think it was clear that I'm not a VIP pack kind of guy, and I found that interaction slightly pushy, if still friendly.” - delo
Play Space/Events
In the time of COVID, reviewing play spaces and events will be difficult. However, I cannot stress enough that Millennium Games has one of the largest and most modern-looking setups amongst LGS’ I’ve seen. The play area is offset, in the back of the building, and has several large black tables with matching metal chairs. The tables are large enough for wargaming, while clearly being labeled for up to three 1v1 games of your TCG choice or perhaps two 4-person Commander games. Like the rest of the store, everything was clean, though of course nothing was in use when we visited. I would love to have attended some events here - maybe in the future we will return to do so!
The store has events covering the gamut from board game nights and D&D to TCG and miniatures open play and tournaments. The website is easily navigated and the events clearly marked - likely even more so when the events are actually happening.
It is worth noting that it seems you can't really come to Millennium with a Magic deck and some friends and sit down. If you're looking to use their space and tables to play board games, TCG games, or run a D&D session, you must pay a rental fee. This is not the norm anywhere else we've visited, but it seems in line with their business model focused on scale. You can read about their room rentals
here.
Value
For this category I will be purely factual, and of course can only be objective on hobbies I am more familiar with. MTG singles were of relative competitive pricing, though tended to be a bit higher than TCGPlayer averages. Warhammer miniatures were sold at GW pricing - not fantastic, but Star Wars Legion minis were priced fairly. Board games and RPG books were all MSRP.
Millennium did have clearance sections (even for Games Workshop products!) and there the prices were quite good, with steep discounts on models and paraphernalia. Insofar as a place to actually purchase things, perhaps there are better places to look after you’ve exhausted the clearance section.
Niche Notes
This is where I will add my thoughts on what makes the reviewed LGS unique compared to others we have visited. Millennium feels, for better and worse, like the most commodified version of an LGS I’ve yet seen. The owners clearly have a vision: be the Target of LGS’, with all the MSRP and selection that entails. There is a lack of personality that I can’t quite put my finger on, a personality that is often lended to an LGS due to its specialization in one product or another or in the personality of a quirky owner. Millennium doesn’t have any of that, though I still feel that it would be a fantastic place to do events at. A strange thought I had while writing this, Millennium is one of a very few LGS’ that I have seen families with younger kids entering, shopping, and purchasing things. More niche LGS’ have issues with this due to perhaps an unfriendly outward appearance - so I definitely think this is a plus especially if you want to get kids into any of the nerd hobbies!
Millennium also has a whole section in the back for Disc Golf, presumably a popular hobby with the local RIT crowd.
Final Thoughts
Millennium Games was a breath of fresh air. I don’t mean that necessarily as a pejorative comment towards the many LGS’ in our area of New Jersey - it was just kind of nice to go into an LGS that had everything a nerd could ask for. No need to go to other LGS’ if they are further away or you dislike them for some reason, Millennium has everything, even if for slightly higher prices than most LGS’. Again this may sound negative, but Millennium feels like an Amazon/Target-like store for nerds, you can get everything you want and even play in an extremely well-kept and spacious area. To add to this, just up the street is an anime store, so you can have the convention experience after your time at the LGS! Millennium was a great store and I really enjoyed being able to jump my mind between Warhammer and the MTG singles - adding a few things to my collection and making our trip to Rochester far more fun than it would have been otherwise. Give it a visit if you ever find yourself in Rochester and see for yourself!
Comments
Post a Comment