Hordes & Boards

Redding gaming lounge open until midnight on weekends, pairing Pokemon and MTG card sales with judged TCG play, board game tables and party bookings.

Hordes & Boards bills itself as Redding's gaming lounge, and that framing fits: this is a place built for sitting down and playing as much as for shopping. The space on Hartnell Avenue is bright and roomy, with long tables for card players, a board game library, and room for groups who book the lounge for birthdays and get-togethers. Trading cards sit at the center of the retail side, with Pokemon and Magic: The Gathering leading the shelves.

What separates it from a typical counter-and-binder shop is the organized play. The store runs regular TCG events with knowledgeable judges on hand, which makes it a comfortable entry point for newer players learning tournament rules as well as a steady weekly stop for competitive regulars. Pokemon cards in Redding are easy enough to find at big-box stores, but finding someone who will explain a deck list, sleeve up a new player and seat them at a league table is a different thing, and that is the niche Hordes & Boards fills. The shop also keeps an online singles storefront through TCGplayer, useful for checking stock before you drive over.

The hours are the longest of any Redding card shop. Doors open at 10AM Monday through Saturday and close at 10PM on weeknights, staying open until midnight on Friday and Saturday. Sunday runs from 2PM to 10PM. That late window makes it the natural after-work or after-dinner stop, and weekend nights tend to be the liveliest.

The lot out front has plenty of parking, and the store is family friendly and accommodating to visitors of all ages and abilities. Check the events page and the reservations calendar on the shop's website before planning a group visit, since tables and party slots can fill on weekends.