Buying poker chips in Toronto

June 7, 2005 8:52 AM

Where can I buy poker chips in Toronto? I'm looking for something nicer than what the dollar stores are offering, and Google is no help for obvious reasons. I imagine I'm looking for a gaming store of some kind, but I don't know where to start looking. Downtown is preferable, but anywhere TTCable is doable. I don't mind spending up to fifty or sixty dollars for a set which will accomodate eight players—is this reasonable?
posted by DrJohnEvans to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (10 answers total)

Probably not the best solution possible, but here in Montreal they sell a small selection of this kind of thing at Indigo in the "gifts and junk" section. In a pinch that might work for you. There are Indigo stores at Yonge and Eglinton, Bay and Bloor, and in the Eaton Center (as if you didn't know already!).
posted by mikel at 9:07 AM on June 7, 2005

What are your expectations for poker chips? If you just want something better than the cheap plastic tiddly winks they sell for $3 at 7-Eleven, you'd probably be fine with the acrylic/resin ones (some are clay filled.) You'll find decent 8 to 8.5 gram poker chips from $20 to $60, depending on the quantity (you need at least 300 for 8 people, 500 is even better.) If you're planning to play at least once a week, I can't overemphasize how much better the 11.5 gram chips are. They shuffle better, don't knock over as easily and feel more like money.

As to where you can buy them in Toronto, most cigar shops/cutlery shops sell poker chips. So do billard supply stores, and novelty shops such as Spencers (do you have Spencers in Toronto?) Wal-Mart actually has decent ones too, if you're going for cheap. (The cardinal chips Wal-Mart sells online look alright, though you'd need to buy 3 or 4 packages.)
posted by Happydaz at 9:49 AM on June 7, 2005

Look for billiard shops or hobby shops (model building, miniature painting).
posted by ODiV at 9:51 AM on June 7, 2005

Mind Games at the Eaton Center has some sets - search for "chips" on their site.
posted by Zetetics at 9:54 AM on June 7, 2005

Here is a list of game stores in Toronto with ratings.

I have personally been to Strategy and Mind Games. Strategy is mostly chess so maybe Mind Games is your best bet.
posted by toftflin at 9:57 AM on June 7, 2005

Did you try google -local- ? It throws up some hits for my area with 'poker chips'
posted by phearlez at 10:41 AM on June 7, 2005

phearlez: what do you mean?
posted by Iax at 11:30 AM on June 7, 2005

DrJohn, there are a few places that I've seen that sell the 11.5 gram aluminum case sets downtown. The Bay at Yonge and Richmond is selling them for Father's day, as are some Hallmark stores in the PATH. There's also an It store type place around Adelaide and Bay that certainly has the sets, all for about $100 each. Send me an email if you need more specifics, but don't worry about finding quality sets, just about everyone is selling them these days.
posted by loquax at 11:36 AM on June 7, 2005

Thanks for the primer, Happydaz. It's a birthday present for a poker player. She'd usually be the one I'd ask about this sort of thing, and I obviously can't do that, so any educational material helps.

phearlez, I tried Google local, but all the results were arbitrary locations pointed at by weblogs who'd been overrun with poker-related comment spam. Sad times indeed.

The 11.5 gm ones seem to be what I'm looking for; I just need to figure out whether I should go 300 or 500-piece—I'm leaning towards 500 for safety's sake, which means I'll probably have to up my price range a little.

I'll definitely have a look at Mind Games and Indigo at the Eaton Centre, as well as the Bay across the street. Thinking of Indigo made me think of Amazon, too (which I really should've thought of in the first place). Looks like I have plenty of options, though. Thanks, everyone!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 12:14 PM on June 7, 2005

I'm going to have to stop pimping for redflagdeals...
I don't understand the fascination at all myself, but there seem to be lots of threads about them...

Since you asked for downtown, you do know about Walmart in Dufferin Mall right? The closest Costco is at Islington and Queensway I think, of course there are other issues with Costco.
posted by Chuckles at 10:36 PM on June 7, 2005