A birthday gift on the way to a party. A new Pokémon deck. A puzzle for the weekend. At The Game Chest, our local teams help families, collectors, and players find something they’ll love—right here in our stores.
Discover educational toys and STEM activities, sensory play, collectibles, family board games, and puzzles. Whether you’re ready to add to your Sonny Angel or SMISKI collection, need a tactile NeeDoh, or want to crack open a Pokémon pack, our shelves are full of discoveries. Make family game night your own with favorites like UNO, Scrabble, Monopoly, and plenty more to discover.
Shopping for a curious kid or a longtime player? Tell us what they’re into. We’ll help you navigate the shelves.
PLAN THE PLAY. WE’LL HELP WITH THE REST.
Parties, programs & a little imagination.
After-School Programs
Pokémon and Dungeons & Dragons sessions turn after-school time into an adventure. Young players build strategy, practice teamwork, and create stories together in a welcoming place to make friends. We can craft a custom after-school program for any of our CCGs (Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Disney Lorcana, One Piece Card Game, Dragon Ball Super Card Game, Digimon Card Game, Star Wars: Unlimited, Gundam Card Game, Riftbound, UniVersus / My Hero Academia).
Pokémon play: build confidence with cards and strategy
D&D adventures: characters, shared stories, and teamwork
Sessions available at all locations
Summer Camps
Pokémon and Dungeons & Dragons summer sessions bring young adventurers around the table. Explore card-game strategy, create characters, and solve imaginative challenges together while making new friends. We can craft a custom camp for any of our CCGs (Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Disney Lorcana, One Piece Card Game, Dragon Ball Super Card Game, Digimon Card Game, Star Wars: Unlimited, Gundam Card Game, Riftbound, UniVersus / My Hero Academia).
Pokémon sessions for card-game discovery and play
D&D sessions for storytelling and collaborative adventures
Ask your local team about dates, age groups, and registration
Birthday Parties
Pokémon parties, Dungeons & Dragons adventures, science, arts and crafts, or a gaming party designed just for your group. Tell us their interests, your group size, and your preferred date.
Gaming, science, and arts-and-crafts party options
Talk through the group's interests and experience
Plan the celebration with your local store
Private Events
From a gathering of friends to a team building game night, start planning something a little more playful.
Ask about private gatherings and game nights
Explore activities for your group's interests
Check space and availability with the store
Call your preferred store for dates, age groups, pricing, and registration. Sessions available at all locations.
BRING YOUR DECK. BRING YOUR FRIENDS.
A place to play together.
Trading card games, organized play, Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, board games, and speed puzzling bring our communities around the table. Find your next game through the store calendars linked below.
Pokémon
Magic: The Gathering
Yu-Gi-Oh!
Disney Lorcana
One Piece Card Game
Dragon Ball Super Card Game
Digimon Card Game
Star Wars: Unlimited
Gundam Card Game
Riftbound
UniVersus / My Hero Academia
For a first game night, a tournament format, or a rental-library question, call your local team. They can help you find the right starting point.
Regional overview of our five locations. Pins show stores or shopping centers; open Google Maps directions for street-level navigation.
MOM-OWNED. COMMUNITY-MINDED.
Two moms. One welcoming community.
Karen Altwein (left) and Maryam Al-Hammami (right)
The Game Chest began with a single mom’s dream and a willing business partner. Maryam Al-Hammami and Karen Altwein left their corporate jobs in 2017 to create a family destination where kids, teens, and nerdy adults could feel at home.
As moms, they saw how many young people felt like outsiders—even in their own communities. They wanted a safe place that celebrated individuality, welcomed different personalities, and gave everyone room to be themselves. Around a game of Dungeons & Dragons, Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, or a family board game, there is a place for every player.
Their first store opened in Mission Viejo in February 2017. Free family board game nights and a rental library helped families return to shared play, both in the store and at home. Torrance followed that September, with Irvine joining the adventure in 2018.
Today, that same spirit runs through The Game Chest. We welcome individuals of all ages, interests, and backgrounds into a safe, inclusive space, building community through play. Whether someone joins us for their first game or discovers their new favorite gathering place, we love seeing them find a place to belong.
Freedom of expression. Acceptance of all players. A community to call your own.
YOUR STORE. YOUR COMMUNITY.
Stay in the Game Chest loop.
Irvine
Torrance
Long Beach
Rolling Hills Estates
Manhattan Beach