JohnGaunt wrote:Hitting the stores in the Sea-Tac area isn't as difficult as hitting the DFW stores.  Up in Seattle, the traffic isn't as bad, the stores are cleaner, BadMike and the rest of the DFW Acaeum crew are 2000 miles away . . .

DFW's roadside scenery is bad.  The stores are farther apart and a bit dirtier (still clean --- just not as shiny).  DFW also doesn't have the RPG companies that Seattle has.

$4 gas should not deter you from making the rounds of the HPB stores . . . who knows what rarities lurk in the hearts of them?

But $3 gas shall deter the DFW crew from HPB this weekend!  Stay away!  Is that boxed Goodman Games set really worth the drive?  

So John....what do you look like?  That way when I see you I can holler at an employee and tell them I saw you shove a book down your pants.  

I just think we need to carve up the HPB territory.   Mike can have Arlington and the mid-cities.  I'll take the Plano and Richardson stores.  You can have whatever is left including the monster flagship store on Northwest highway.  Sound good?  

JohnGaunt wrote:On a related note, I will be attempting to hit at least three to five Lone Star Comics on Free Game Day --- Mesquite (over the highway from HPB), Mockingbird (up the highway from HPB), Plano (across from HPB), Irving (by HPB), and Fort Worth (by HPB).

Screw you guys....I'm poaching territory.

Mesquite AND the FW HPB on Hulen?  Man that is ambitious!!!! Gas is too expensive!!!

Mike B.

Hi everyone,

I live in Rhode Island, and unfortunately the nearest Half-Price Books store to me is in Pennsylvania...  

However, two years ago I went out to Phoenix, Arizona, and had a great time poking around all the used book stores in that area.  I did visit the HPB in Phoenix, plus the one in Superstition Springs.  I must admit that I didn't find much for RPG stuff in either store, but maybe I just hit them at a bad time.

I did have better luck at another used bookstore chain out there called Bookman's, though.

Wish we had places like that in New England, but with real estate prices at ludicrous rates, I don't see it happening anytime soon...  

Cheers,
JohnH
aka Wandering Monster

You guys actually have a real store to go into? Wow, lucky. I have to deal with them online, and they suck. Half off, my bunghole.

oh man, oop rpgs... Travelling man used to sell a lot of stuff, I got the complete book of necromancers for abou £4 I think as well as a second copy of Harbinger house for £2:50 which I sold on for about £8.. whooo.
unfortunately, they've stopped stocking second hand books and theres nowhere else about that sells them. Ebay is alas, my only option. Shamereally, I love bargians

AdderMcOne wrote:Pretty sure it's on June 23rd    (because only applies to US)

Here are two links:

http://www.freerpgday.com/stores.htm
http://www.freerpgday.com/sponsors.htm

Badmike wrote:JG, if you are coming this direction (for the Fort Worth or Arlington LSC), maybe we could catch a lunch.  I don't know what Aneoth and Kingofpain are doing that day, but I know King wants to hit as many LSC as possible to pick up some free stuff.  Maybe we can meet up.  Hell, what's Gus Landt up to?  We should have a mini-Acaeum meeting after we are done.

Lunch does sound good.  I should be able to do that since I am randomly driving around anyway . . .

I still have a goal of hitting as many stores as possible, though throwing in some stops at HPB will slow me down.  A carpool with King would make more sense but be impossible to coordinate, since I want to drive where I want to drive when I want to drive.  

JohnGaunt wrote:Lunch does sound good.  I should be able to do that since I am randomly driving around anyway . . .

I still have a goal of hitting as many stores as possible, though throwing in some stops at HPB will slow me down.  A carpool with King would make more sense but be impossible to coordinate, since I want to drive where I want to drive when I want to drive.  

I only plan on going to the Plano LSC.  A friend of mine from out-of-town may be coming in that weekend so I am not sure about my plans that weekend yet.

I'll see if he has any problems with hanging around a bunch of RPG nerds for a bit.  

JohnGaunt wrote:It's Friday; I might as well do my best to annoy people.

Texans:

If one drives from Dallas to Houston in search of Half-Price Books, which stores are the best to hit over a two-day period?  I see eight stores in the Houston area; in what order should I hit them?

Also, will I frickin' melt in the June heat and humidity of Houston?  The last time I was there I lost 10 or 15 pounds in a matter of weeks.

JG;

I have stepkids in the Houston area, so I hit the stores there about once or twice a year...I usually space it out over two days since there is a lot of area to cover.

First, yes, the heat and humidity are brutal in Houston, "The Toilet that never flushes" as one of my friends so admirably referred to that city.....

I would ignore the Rice Village store and the Clearwater (Egret Bay) store....havent' found anything useful at either the last few times I've been.  Plus, the Clearwater store is WAY south and not near any of the others (unless you want to combine a trip there with a trip to NASA, which is close by).  They rarely have any decent gaming stuff. The Rice store is an ass whipping.  No parking, always packed full of people, and a gaming section maybe half a shelf wide filled with crap.  Avoid at all costs. The Copperfield store you might also cross off your list; it is way, way up in the NE sector of the city, and most times not worth the long drive.

My favorite stores in the last few years have been both the stores on Westheimer; The Sugarland (south) and Humble (west) stores; and the North Oaks center store.  All have yielded treasures at one time or another.  If you visit the store on East Westheimer, be sure to visit Nan's which is a few blocks away.  It used to be Houston's premier game store; a gigantic building filled with all sorts of goodies.  Alas, the years, and flooding, have removed all the coolest stuff.  Still, very well stocked and every once in a great while you can come across a treasure.

You can probably hit the five stores i mentioned in one day if you start early; I have done it before.  It may take all day, but with so many good places to eat in Houston who cares...! Be sure to stop at Taco Milagro at least once. (The Kirby store)

Damn, I wish I was going now!!!!

Mike B.