A space for the community

The scent of candles and sounds of triumphant music greet you as the door opens. Wood paneling and vibrant posters line the walls, and shelves are stocked with games, cards, and collectables. This is legends lair. A hobby store in downtown Bloomsburg, PA that focuses on community rather than profits.

This hobby store is located on the corner of East Main street. If the store is open, people can always be seen in there, but they aren't always shopping. Legends lair also acts as a place for people to come together and play some of their favorite games. These games include Magic the Gathering, Pokemon, Beyblade, and many more. The owner, James, proclaimed that he "wanted to build a place where that was the norm"  and that if he "could keep at least some people away from the frats and making bad decisions" he would be happy.

James is proud to be the owner of legends lair, as it has become a regular destination for many people. The store was originally a branch of the White Knights Gameroom run by Erik Guthrie. James ultimately broke away from the White Knights Gameroom and started his own store "because of differing views on how to run a gamestore, and the Bloomsburg community needed something different. Erik was set in his ways and was very focused on maximizing profits." James, however believed it would be better to "focus on serving the community, and if that's what is done properly the money will follow."

Legends lair hosts copious activities with a chalkboard showcasing them for the public. The most popular of these activities being the beyblade tournaments, which are a prime example of James focusing on the community. James was once approached by a local student asking if they could host beyblade tournaments there. Dumbfounded, James replied by claiming that the student "was about ten years too late. Nobody plays with them anymore and there would be no competition." Nevertheless, James agreed. The first tournament had about fifteen people in attendence, and James admits that "it was a complete shock." 

Legends lair is more than just a store, according to a regular it is "a place where anyone and everyone is accepted, and you can can learn or play whatever you want." The community based aspect has helped legends lair thrive, and James's dream of creating such a place has come true.