Pikesville game store more than doubles footprint

A Baltimore County store specializing in trading cards and board games is more than doubling its footprint.

The Game Haven of Maryland has taken over a space next door, expanding its storefront from 3,500 square feet to 8,000 square feet at 1319 Bedford Ave. in Pikesville. Game Haven recently moved into the new space while the business renovates its original space.

The game store was founded in 2016 and is co-owned by Dorian Newcomb, a creative director at a game studio startup, and Jeremy Piggins, a cybersecurity professional working with an investment firm. The store first leased space at the Pikesville Shopping Center in 2021, per a news release. The Game Haven sells and buys trading card games like Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon. It also sells board games and hosts gaming events.

Game Haven’s expansion was prompted by “undeniable” increased interest and the need for more room to accommodate audiences, Newcomb said in a statement. The store acts as a third space for gaming enthusiasts and pulls customers from a 10-to-15-mile radius and beyond.

“If you would walk in on any given day, but especially weekends, you would notice 30-year-olds who are nostalgic about their Pokémon collection, 10-year-olds who are just discovering the activity and the young person’s grandparents who are looking for a shared experience opportunity,” Newcomb said.

The Game Haven is located within the nearly 80,000-square-foot Pikesville Shopping Center, which is owned by Hill Management Services. Staples, Dollar City and the U.S. Postal Service⁠ anchor the shopping hub, which is also home to Croustille Cafe and Pizza Brothers.

Andrew Beyrodt of Hill Management Services⁠ represented the landlord in the lease deal. Matt Haas and Sam Shapiro of JLL⁠ represented the tenant.

Source: Baltimore Business Journal