A Daytrip Adventure and a Visit to Pop's Culture Shoppe (2020 Review)

I actually took some vacation this week before the holiday weekend, and overnight "day" trip back up to Wellsboro.  Wellsboro is in Tioga County, which is small and remote enough that they're part of the earliest group of counties which have been designated "Green" (all businesses open, barbers/hair/nail salons 50% capacity appointment only, restaurants are allowed 50% inside and outside seating.  Otherwise wear your darn mask around people.)

Going up the night before and spending the entire day up there allowed the kids to swim at someone else's pool, allowed my wife to take different walks, and allowed me a few minutes of absolute quiet.

Our day was cut short by tree cutting along Main St and a lack of inventory among the regular stores and and usual tourist destinations (Thanks COVID for the latter.)   After a solid trip to the bookstore, lunch at the Wellsboro Diner, and and okay "boutique" ice cream at the new Creamery, we tried to end our day at the main location I wanted to go to, Pop's Culture Shoppe at 25 Main St. 

There are a handful of gaming stores with a more "immense and diverse selection," as my old boss used to say, but Julian and Anja Stam continue to run their business plan with cover the hardcore gamers, the casual boardgamers, and every random tourist that wanders in their doors.

Our take-away from the store is not something you would normally pick up at a "Magic 40k Captain Sweatpants" destination:  A harmonica, a chess/checkers/backgammon set, five dollar primer(!) and two pack of Magic cards, just for fun.  We could have picked up a lot more, but in this crazy COVID world, I might consider full price and shipping from Wellsboo for my want list. 

The high point of the visit wasn't strolling through the aisles and aisles of product, but the conversations Julian was having with other customers.  I've never heard of an in-depth editions war discussion  over Boggle before, and that followed up an awesome discussion and search for not one, not two, but three copies of Photosynthesis. There are a few stores in my travels that stock that game, and one or two that I know of that host multiple copies, but none have the customer service of Pop's.  I believe that interaction netted the store sales from all the family members from the initial interaction.  Now, all of that would come to fruition with a simple "Yes we have it, cash or charge," but the long lost art of customer service and enthusiasm was missing at most shops, even prior to the shutdown.

Pop's Playroom (and library)

While the "Green" status has opened up in-store gaming elsewhere, Pop's Playroom remains quiet for casual game nights, although they had just a safe and awkwardly social distanced Magic Pre-release for the new Core 2021.  And despite only 25 cases in the whole county, it's still a bit too early to start up the usual community  Mah-Jong games and their Chess club. 

The store is a staunch enforcer of mandatory masking, but they are happy to schedule private shopping after-hours, and offer curbside service for those who aren't able to comply. 

Pop's Playroom (and library)

Feel free to find my other reviews of Pop's over the years, but I assure you, things continue to evolve and improve at Pop's Culture Shoppe.   I've found a few outstanding stores over the years, and some are even better than Pop's in certain things, but every store I walk into is immediately compared to Pop's.

The Five Gnomes out of Five Gnomes for Pop's Culture Shoppe is maintained yet again!

2012, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2020