Where to get clay poker chips in Manhattan

December 31, 2004 10:20 AM

Where can I buy a decent set of clay poker chips in Manhattan?
posted by turaho to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (12 answers total)

Craigslist, for starters? You might have better luck mail-ordering (there are all sorts of companies that will do custom chips if you want that, or will sell standard).
posted by aberrant at 10:50 AM on December 31, 2004

I was afraid someone was going to say that. This is kind of a last minute thing, so I was hoping to walk into a storefront today. A long shot maybe, but if anyone can come through, it's the AskMefites...
posted by turaho at 10:55 AM on December 31, 2004

Most game shops will have them, and by "game shops" I mean where the role-players gather. I don't know Manhattan whatsoever, but those who traffic in games are definitely taking advantage of the upswing in poker interest. Expect to pay a premium.
posted by blueshammer at 11:17 AM on December 31, 2004

Hope this isn't too late, and I'm not from Manhattan. I would first look into the other kind of "game shops", the billiard kind. The ones that would specialize in selling pool tables, cues, darts & boards. I've seen poker tables in stores like this, so I would assume they would heave the nice chips.
posted by helvetica at 11:25 AM on December 31, 2004

I don't know if they're open today, but Blatt Billiards downtown carries (or used to carry) "gaming supplies," including nice poker chips.

Contact info:

Blatt Billiards
809 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
212.674.8855

Oh, and their godawful website is here.

Good luck!
posted by enrevanche at 11:43 AM on December 31, 2004

I would use caution in going to midtown today. It's going to get a bit crowded.
posted by bingo at 11:52 AM on December 31, 2004

I bought my chips at Blatt's. Not cheap, but if they're open, they should have something good for you. I think they're at about 13th and B-way.
posted by lackutrol at 11:55 AM on December 31, 2004

In case it's helpful to people neither in a hurry, nor in Manhattan, Surplus Computers has a 500-chip set for $39.99, plus $10-15 shipping. Not a bad deal, from what I understand. (I'm not affiliated with Surplus Computers, nor have I bought these chips.)
posted by hootch at 11:57 AM on December 31, 2004

So that's what those chips are made of. I've always wondered.
posted by jjg at 12:54 PM on December 31, 2004

The 500 piece set from Surplus (listed above) is plastic, not clay.
posted by sad_otter at 1:55 PM on December 31, 2004

I'd like to second aberrant's mail-ordering suggestion. I got mine from 5 Star Deals, and have used them with no complaints for almost two years.
posted by LouMac at 3:29 PM on December 31, 2004

Blatt am de best.
posted by Captaintripps at 11:10 PM on December 31, 2004