Eduardo Yarhi runs Kobold’s Keep, a unique and eclectic hobby shop located in the basement catacombs of an old church at 1188 Victorian Plaza Circle, Suite 100, in Sparks. Learn more at www.koboldskeep.com.
What is Kobold’s Keep? How long have you been in business?
Kobold’s Keep is a tabletop hobby shop that started life as a pop-up shop on a convention circuit. We finally opened our physical location almost a year ago, in August 2022, so we are coming up on our one-year anniversary. It took us a few years to land a physical location, and that was mostly due to COVID.
Where did the name come from?
Like most geeks, I have an enduring love of the fantastical—dragons especially! “Dragon’s Den” was originally pitched as a name, but it’s far from original, so we workshopped it until it was based around kobolds (a mythical type of reptilian-humanoid). I have a soft spot for the little guys.
What services and products do you have?
We stock a wide variety of card games, RPGs (role-playing games), wargames and board games, as well as accessories for each. Among our most popular are Magic, Pokémon, UniVersus, Dungeons and Dragons and the Song of Ice and Fire miniatures wargame.
Magic: The Gathering has been very popular for years. What is the enduring attraction?
Magic: The Gathering is simply a seminal game. You can get into it very easily, but its complexity scales near infinitely. You can play it with your friends on game night, or you can make a living as a career player. No matter how deep you want to dive, the game can accommodate you, and whether you enjoy the thrill of hunting rare cards, the beautiful art that’s put out every set, or the ever-changing rhythm of its mechanics, you won’t be disappointed. Plus, you’ll find someone to play with in any city in the United States, and in a good deal of the rest of the world.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to become a player?
I’d recommend visiting our shop on Fridays and arriving near 6 p.m.! We’ve got a friendly crowd who meets for Magic, and who’s more than happy to lend out a deck and show somebody the ropes. I stay in the back myself, and there’s no better way to learn than through a rousing game of Commander. It’s easy to learn. Once you’ve played and are ready to get in, you’ll want to pick up a starter deck. The new Tales of Middle-earth starters are very fun, and they make several ready-to-play Commander decks you can pick up right off the shelf.
I see that there are some local conventions coming up.
Aerie-Con is held Aug. 18-20 at the Odd Fellows Building, at 1300 Stardust St., in Reno. Donations go to the Solace Tree, an organization that helps grieving families. SNAFU Con is held Nov. 17-19 at the Grand Sierra Resort, benefiting the Big Brothers Big Sisters, an organization that supports one-on-one mentorship with local youth.