memory spell needed

September 8, 2006 9:44 AM

What was the name of the D&D store on Yonge Street (T dot) that sold lead figurines to be painted.

I think it was south of Bloor and definitely on the east side of Yonge. It had elves and orcs and fighters etc in lead or some other metal that were about an inch tall.

I can't remember the name of this store. Any dungeon masters out there that solve this for me?

posted by greedo to Shopping (11 answers total)

Well, there's the Hairy Tarantula. It's on the west side of Yonge but otherwise seems to meet your criteria.
posted by jellicle at 9:47 AM on September 8, 2006

Best answer: There was the Worldhouse which moved around a bit (I can't remember if it was ever on Yonge). There was also a model/toystore that sold gaming supplies and miniatures, but it closed down in the eighties. The name escapes me at the moment (it might have been Gepetto's).
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 9:55 AM on September 8, 2006

It had elves and orcs and fighters etc in lead or some other metal that were about an inch tall.

On the off chance that it helps you figure out what you're looking for, those were probably Warhammer 40,000 figurines.
posted by mendel at 9:55 AM on September 8, 2006

Response by poster: thanks for the quick replies - I am pretty sure it was Worldhouse. This is the one where you walked up to the second floor on a creaky wood staircase into the store area. There were glass cases with the miniatures and a few that were painted so well that a young boy's imagination was sent into overdrive. I can rest tonight. Merci.
posted by greedo at 9:59 AM on September 8, 2006

There's a Warhammer 40K store in the Eaton Centre, bottom level, right by the Queen subway entrance and the tunnel to the bay.

Silver Snail, on Queen W @ Peter sells some figurines.

Dueling Grounds at Dundas West & Roncesvalles also sells some, but that area is all screwed up right now what with the filming of Hairspray. Businesses are theoretically opening, but I don't know what the filming schedule is.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 10:00 AM on September 8, 2006

Best answer: This is the one where you walked up to the second floor on a creaky wood staircase into the store area.

Years ago (70s/80s) there was a place called Mr. Gameway's Ark on the second floor on the north-east corner of Yonge and Charles (2nd blk south of Bloor). It's now a McDonald's or a Wendy's or something. The place was huge. They had every game under the sun there. It's where I first purchased Trivial Pursuit. They had a full-size replica of the the bridge from Star Trek in there. It's mentioned briefly on this Worldhouse page.
posted by dobbs at 11:32 AM on September 8, 2006 [2 favorites]

On the off chance that it helps you figure out what you're looking for, those were probably Warhammer 40,000 figurines.

Since W40K is not a line of fantasy miniatures (as implied by the OP), they probably weren't.
posted by solid-one-love at 11:36 AM on September 8, 2006

I first heard of Worldhouse when they were on Spadina near Cora's pizza, that was in the early 90's, but it may have dated back several years. About 1995 they moved to the second floor of a building on College, right across the street from Wallberg (UofT chemical engineering building). I don't think they were there for very long, and I don't know where/if they went anywhere.

There was a games store in a very old gothic looking building on Young near Wellesley in the 80's, I think it might be a McDonald's now, the name is on the tip of my tongue..

Also on Young near Wellesley are Grey Region, and 1,000,000 Comix.
posted by Chuckles at 11:38 AM on September 8, 2006

Mr. Gameway's was the model/toystore I was thinking of. Thanks dobbs! As far as Worldhouse goes, the Spadina location was a later incarnation, and your memories of their earlier, creakier second-floor location certainly ring a bell with me.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 12:10 PM on September 8, 2006

Response by poster: Dobbs - Mr. Gameway's Ark is the place I was thinking of. The name seems vaguely familliar (which is the reason for this question - I totally had no idea of the name). But it was absolutely a gaming mecca. Back in the day after Mr. Gameways Ark I recall trekking to a place near Woodbine subway stop for similar miniatures named something with Dragon in it I recollect. Some of my best childhood memories were kicking around to those stores. Later, I was in those "Saturday Morning Classes" run by the public school board and played Traveller with some far-out cool guy who totally brought fantasy gaming to life. Thanks again to those that answered and its great to know that there are few shops still around.
posted by greedo at 12:25 PM on September 8, 2006

When I was young there was a Games Workshop store right near the Eaton Centre, this would have been about 16 years ago. Games Workshop stores alway have cool miniatures on display, and their figs are still some of the best on the market.
posted by Vindaloo at 6:07 PM on September 8, 2006