Lancaster County retro video game shop opens new mega store

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — The Lancaster-based business, Just Press Play, will officially open its new mega store on Saturday, May 10.

The 20,000-square-foot venue will include gaming and pop-culture items from the past decades.

Staff say it has taken a lot of work and patience to get the new store ready.

“The process has been very grueling, very tuff, but it’s been very rewarding to see where it is going. The excitement, I can’t talk enough about how excited we are, it’s been a two year wait to get the store open and just to see everything in it feels great,” said store manager, Zach Son-Finney.

The mega store will host events not featured at any other Just Press Play locations, including tabletop gaming, card game tournaments and other community-oriented activities.

“I think they are going to see a whole new Just Press Play, something that they’ve never seen before. I always like to say it’s our previous stores on steroids, it is just maximum Just Press Play,” Son-Finney said.

Customers can shop for a variety of products, like game gear, plushies, miniatures, trading cards and more.

People can even try their luck at a Gashapon machine.

“With these how they work you have to buy tokens, little custom made Just Press Play tokens that we keep behind the counter, with these they each take a certain amount of tokens, and you kind of go wild with them, there’s so many different options to choose from,” Son-Finney explained.

The first few customers through the door will receive exclusive items and participate in prize giveaways.

“We have a limited amount of gift bags, so every person that comes through gets one of those gift bags if they’re on of the lucky few, and in addition to that we’re going to have food trucks throughout the day here and a few surprise guests,” Son-Finney said.

Son-Finney says the best part about working at the store is helping first-time and experienced collectors find exactly what they’re looking for.

“I love helping people out and finding the exact thing they’re looking for, especially if they don’t realize we have it. I have a lot of people come in, parents of kids who say they’re not really into video games, we say ‘do you like vinyl, do you like music,’ and they’re like ‘I didn’t even know you had music,’ it’s all about finding that right item for the right person, it’s a great feeling, very gratifying,” Son-Finney said.

Saturday’s grand opening is free to the public and begins at 10:00 a.m. and runs until 9:00 p.m.

For other Just Press Play locations, click here.