Sanctuary Games, a new Regina store, is attracting hobbyists and gamers by offering everything from anime figures, DIY kits to D&D games.
“I can spend that whole day here, looking at all the exciting things. A woman visiting the store with her daughter says, “It’s perfect; my daughter can spend time looking at the stuffies while I look at the old vintage puzzles I like to solve and collect.”
Regina has a new destination for families who enjoy playing board games and those who are experienced hobbyists with collections. With its opening date being September 5, 2024, the store has been a popular destination since then.
It’s especially popular for those in the north end, as there is no other store like it in the area, and it’s located at 5918 B Rochdale Ave.
The store offers a wide variety of products, including puzzles, board games, trading cards, card games, manga, anime figures, diorama kits, Dungeons & Dragons paraphernalia, toys, plushies, novels, and art supplies. Prices range from $20 to 80.
Customers can find the newest and most popular releases of games. From classic board games like Life or Scrabble to the newest party games similar to Cards Against Humanity.
Sanctuary Games was founded by Aron Saltys and Anup Hazunia, a local couple from Salmon Arm, BC.
“They first opened a store in Salmon Arm, BC, and quickly grew to be popular,” Cara Hystad, the store manager of Regina’s new store, said. “After they took a road trip through Sask, they hoped to open a store here because they didn’t see a gaming store that was exclusive for all ages, genders, and interests. They couldn’t find a space in Regina, so they settled in Moose Jaw in 2024. They did really well there and then were offered a space here in Regina, so they took it. We have been open for just about a week and have received an overwhelming amount of support from the community and have been so busy.”
Sanctuary Games is planning to use its new Regina location as a space for community events and private bookings. It can accommodate up to 32 people.
Community involvement is a central part of their store. As the store expands finding a place in the community, customers have suggested hosting puzzle competitions, crokinole tournaments, and having some beginner-friendly nights where you can drop in to learn and new game.
A Facebook post from Sanctuary Games states that it hopes to be a place that brings Regina’s gaming community together. By creating a cozy and welcoming environment that offers products for the whole family. “We like to donate significant amounts of our sales back into the community through supporting food banks, women’s shelters, kids’ sports teams, school fundraisers, and so many other causes close to our hearts, like sponsoring as many families as we can who had a hard year with Christmas dinner and presents for the kids”
The store’s hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.
