By Cole Windsor, Alvernia University Community News Lab
Pictured above: Detail of the back of a Magic card, by Jesper Myrfors.
In 1993, game company Wizards of the Coast created Magic: The Gathering. Since then, Magic: The Gathering has become the largest trading card game in the world. Magic: The Gathering’s explosive popularity has created stores across the world that sell trading cards of all kinds, with Magic: The Gathering Cards usually the most popular. Multiple game stores, with an emphasis on the selling and playing of Magic: The Gathering, have popped up in Berks County. Through these stores, the Magic: The Gathering community has flourished in the Berks County area.
Golden Eagle Comics & Games, located at 2910 N. 5th St., Hwy #A, Reading, PA 19605, has a vibrant community. Part-owner of Golden Eagle Comics & Games, Scott Fasnacht, said Golden Eagle Comics & Games has been in business for over 40 years, opening in 1984. He also said they host many events, like Thursday night Dungeons and Dragons. The Magic: The Gathering community flourishes here, with Friday night being Golden Eagle’s dedicated Magic: The Gathering night. The story has boxes of cards to look through for deck building, as well as preconstructed decks for newcomers. Getting into Magic: The Gathering can be daunting, but Golden Eagle Comics & Games does a great job at making it accessible to all.
Similarly, Symbiote Collectibles, located at 514 Penn Ave, West Reading, PA 19611, curates a unique space for the Magic: The Gathering community to gather in West Reading. Symbiote Collectibles is known for its collectible merchandise of all kinds, from action figures and toys to a large selection of trading cards.
The top floor of Symbiote is filled with collectibles, including a large case of collectible Magic: The Gathering cards and binders full of cards. Their selection makes finding good cards for a deck extremely easy. They also have a large selection of preconstructed decks, as well as new and old Magic: The Gathering packs to open. Symbiote Collectibles offers a punch card that gives a free pack once fully punched, according to purchases. On the right side of the store is a staircase to the basement. This basement has rows of tables for players to hang out and play, and a full wall of boxes, entirely full of Magic: The Gathering cards. These bulk boxes are an amazing resource when trying to fill out a deck with lands or filler cards. Every Friday at Symbiote Collectibles is standard Magic: The Gathering night, and Sunday is casual Commander Magic: The Gathering. Symbiote has a lively community of players each week, enjoying each other’s company as well as the game.
Located at 600 E. Penn Ave., Wernersville, PA 19565, is the Banish Zone. Banish Zone’s main items are tabletop miniature gaming, but that does not mean they lack in trading card games. Every Thursday, Banis Zone hosts two different Magic: The Gathering events. All Thursdays are open tables for Commander, where players can come in at any time and find a game, and, at 6 p.m., they host constructed and draft games.
These shops and many more across Berks County keep the growing community of Magic: The Gathering thriving and continuing to grow. Each shop hosts their own events, allowing for new and old players to experience the game with ease. Each of these stores is extremely welcoming and ready to show you the way into the world of Magic: The Gathering.
