The Guardtower East

Commander Mondays, One Piece learn-to-plays and a $1 Magic bin make The Guardtower East a hub for Columbus tabletop and TCG players on the east side.

East Main Street in the 43232 area is home to The Guardtower East, a game store that mixes trading cards with miniatures, dice and role-playing. Reviews give it a 4.8 across nearly 500 ratings, and the same details come up again and again: a big singles selection, a $1 bin for Magic cards, and staff who go out of their way to help.

For card players, the schedule is the draw. A longtime customer says Commander is on Monday and mentions that the store runs Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder and Starfinder, while another visitor learned about One Piece learn-to-play sessions on Tuesdays during a casual pack run. Lorcana players report being pleased with the booster supply at a time when it has been hard to find. It is the kind of place that welcomes you whether you are already deep in a game or just starting out with a spouse or child.

Customers also praise the care. One buyer had a problem with a purchase that the manufacturer was not much help with, and the store stepped in anyway. Another has been going for almost seven years. A reviewer does note that some prices run high, which is fair to flag, but the same person still calls it a great place to hang out and play. If you need something that is not on the shelf, they will order it.

Hours are long. Google lists 10AM to 10PM Monday through Thursday and again on Saturday, with Friday running until midnight and Sunday closing at 9PM. That is plenty of room for an after-work Commander night. A good tip is to pop in earlier in the day for singles and browse, then return for the event of your choice.

You will find The Guardtower East at 5939 E Main St. Check the shop's website for the event calendar and the online catalog. For Magic cards Columbus players can dig through on the east side, it is a dependable choice.