Over the weekend, I found myself in the beautiful town of Chico, California, and while I was there, I stopped by a lovely little Magic shop in Downtown Chico right near the Cal State Chico campus called Chico Magic. It is the kind of local game store that immediately feels personal, welcoming, and genuinely excited to have people walk through the door.
During my visit, I had the pleasure of speaking with Sam, one of the co-owners of the store, and learning a bit more about Chico Magic’s purpose, the community they are building, and why local game stores still matter so much in a world that continues to move further and further online.
After my trip to MagicCon, I spent a lot of time talking with bigger store owners, vendors, and workers, and I have to admit that the convention left me with a bit of a bad taste in my mouth when it came to some of the larger shops. Rather than turning those feelings into a rant, I thought it would be much more meaningful to highlight the smaller, more personal shops that are doing things right. The stores that truly welcome players in, make people feel comfortable, and foster the kind of community that a game like Magic: The Gathering absolutely needs.
That is exactly what I found at Chico Magic.
Chico Magic is owned by a wife-and-husband duo, Sam and Jesse, who have clearly put care into creating a space that feels welcoming for any and all players, with a real emphasis on the “all.” Speaking with Sam, it was easy to tell how much pride she takes in building an environment centered around inclusivity, kindness, and safety. She spoke openly about wanting more women to feel comfortable in these kinds of third spaces and about how important it is for people to feel like they can enjoy the hobby without feeling judged, pushed aside, or unwelcome.
That matters, especially in a hobby that is still often male-dominated despite how much broader and more diverse the online Magic community may seem. Trading card games thrive on community. They are built around sitting across from someone, sharing a table, talking through plays, laughing over wild moments, and building friendships through the game. Because of that, the environment of a local game store can make or break someone’s entire experience with the hobby.
Having an owner who actively cares about that experience is refreshing. Chico Magic is not just a place to buy cards or sit down for a match. It feels like a place where players can find a home, whether they are LGBTQ+, a person of color, a woman trying to get more comfortable in the scene, a brand-new player, or simply someone who gets nervous walking into a room full of people they do not know. That kind of intentional community-building is what keeps local game stores special.
Sam and Jesse have only owned Chico Magic for about a year, with Tarkir: Dragonstorm marking their very first prerelease together as owners. Even in that relatively short amount of time, the shop already seems to have built a great crowd and a strong foundation. They host everything from Commander nights to Pauper events, and I have to say, I am always happy to see Pauper getting some representation. It is a format that deserves more love, and seeing a smaller shop make room for different types of players and playstyles only adds to the charm.
There is something special about finding a shop that does not just feel like a business, but like a genuine gathering place. Chico Magic has that feeling. It is small, personal, inviting, and clearly built around the idea that this hobby is better when more people feel like they belong in it.
My conversation with Sam also made me realize something that feels obvious, but still needs to be said: there are not nearly enough safe spaces for everyone in this hobby.
Magic: The Gathering, and trading card games as a whole, are built around community. At their best, they bring people together who may have never crossed paths otherwise. You sit down across from someone, shuffle up, and for a little while, you are both just there to enjoy the same game. That shared love of the hobby should be enough to make the table feel welcoming, but unfortunately, that is not always the experience people have.
That is why shops like Chico Magic matter so much. They are not just selling cards or hosting events. They are helping shape the culture of the hobby at a local level. A good local game store can be the reason someone keeps playing, keeps showing up, and keeps feeling like this space is for them too.
So I want to start by urging players to be more welcoming to everyone, no matter how different you may be from one another. Whether someone is new to the game, comes from a different background, identifies differently, plays casually, plays competitively, or simply does not look like the type of person you expected to sit across from, they deserve to feel welcome at the table.
Because that is exactly what this hobby is supposed to be about. It is about community. It is about connection. It is about finding common ground through a game we all love. And if we want this hobby to keep growing in a healthy way, that responsibility cannot fall only on store owners like Sam and Jesse. It has to come from the players too.
If you live in the Chico area, or even in the greater Northern California area, Chico Magic is absolutely a stop you should make. It is worth the drive, and yes, there is free parking on the weekends. Whether you are looking for a new place to play, a friendly shop to support, or a hidden gem of a local game store to call home, Chico Magic is more than worth checking out.
And don’t just take my word for it. Local players have already taken notice of what Sam and Jesse are building, and the shop has received some well-deserved attention from the Chico Enterprise-Record where other locals shared their thoughts on why Chico Magic has become such a meaningful space for the community.
Chico Magic is located near the Chico State campus at 300 Broadway St, Chico, CA 95928. Check out our full interview below!
