Tick. Tick. Tick. The Christmas shopping season is ebbing away. The gift of a board game can be a thoughtful and engaging present, especially with winter weather on its way, leading to increased indoor time. And they’re quick and easy to obtain. Two of the best board game shops in the region that are conveniently close to home, writes Nick Vadala for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Board games took off in sales during the pandemic, with major manufactures Hasbro and Mattel, the makers of Monopoly and Uno, reporting huge increases in sales.

More involved games have also seen a resurgence, including Dungeons & Dragons, which saw a 35 percent rise in revenue in 2020.

7th Dimension Games in Jenkintown offers everything from board games and trading card games to RPGs and miniatures. All other gaming-related accessories and many novelties and hidden gems are also available.

Meanwhile, family-owned Alternate Universes in Blue Bell is the ideal place for card game lovers: Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Magic: The Gathering.

Customers can also sell some of their rarer cards to the store.

Read more about the best board game stores at The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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Looking for something known to be a hit in the board-game market? Here are some solid recommendations.

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Editor’s Note: This post originally ran Feb. 21, 2021; it has been checked and updated for accuracy.