Halfling's Hideout

Couple-run Brookline game store in Pittsburgh with Pokemon boxes, Magic: The Gathering, KeyForge and HeroClix, unique drinks and a basement full of play tables.

A few blocks down Brookline Boulevard from the neighborhood's older game shop, Halfling's Hideout has carved out its own identity as a cozy, couple-run store with a surprise underneath it. The street-level room holds the retail floor, and downstairs a basement play area is lined with tables for card games, miniatures battles and roleplaying sessions.

On the trading card side, the shop stocks Magic: The Gathering, Pokemon sealed product such as Elite Trainer Boxes and booster packs, and harder-to-find games like KeyForge and HeroClix. Pokemon prices are competitive for the city, which has made it a quiet favorite for collectors who want to rip packs without paying big-box markups. Tabletop players can browse Warhammer 40,000, BattleTech, Fallout: Factions and Dungeons & Dragons product as well.

What makes this Pittsburgh card shop memorable is the hospitality. The counter serves an unusual lineup of specialty drinks and snacks, and the owners are chatty and straightforward about product. Visitors passing through town for a concert or game have made a point of stopping in, and locals tend to drop by several times a week just to say hello.

The hours are generous: 11AM to 9PM Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 10AM to 9PM on Saturday and Sunday. The store is closed on Wednesday. Weekend days are the best time to catch open games in the basement, while weekday evenings tend to draw scheduled groups. Check the store's website for the current game list, and bring your own deck if you hope to jump into a pickup Magic or Pokemon match. New Pokemon releases sell through quickly at a shop this size, so following the store online or calling ahead is the surest way to snag a fresh Elite Trainer Box on launch week. Families are welcome, and the drink menu makes it an easy place to linger while kids sort their pulls.