GeekStop

The kids persuaded me to take them on a pilgrimage to GameStop this evening, as they both had gift cards burning holes in their pockets.

The place is Nirvana for geeks (so would that be Nerdvana?).  Just computer games, wall to wall - new ones, secondhand ones; games for Wii, games for Xbox, games for Nintendo DS; violent games, cute games, games for...kids who are too young to be playing video games, surely?

There's not much I have less interest in than computer games, and yet... I really love the store clerks at GameStop.  Geeks to a man and woman.  They love games, know them all inside-out, and are only too willing to share their enthusiasm with their customers (who, after all, are kindred spirits - or failing that, close relatives of kindred spirits).  Since I'm a sucker for enthusiasts of almost any kind I find them utterly charming.  The girl on shift this evening enthused about our Girl's anime-figure necklace, enthused about her choice of game (I have all three in that series - they are soooo cool!), and just all round seemed happy to be there serving us.  Of course the clerks are nice enough in, say, Best Buy - but that's a store that also sells TVs and toasters.  Not the same at all.  Speciality - that's the key to creating a sense of retail community.