A trip down memory lane in the world of gaming. Do you remember what store or shop got you started life long pursuit of spending your hard earned dollars. I do here it is. The building was once the Alcove Hobby Shop. The Mecca for miniatures gamer's in Detroit. On it is a print shop. If the walls could talk. One could still heard if you listen closely the many famous tales of battle
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The Old Alcove Hobby Shop.
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MICHIGAN'S GAMING HERITAGE: This is the former location of the store that was the hub of most all gaming in the tri-county area. ALCOVE HOBBY STORE. Located on 12 Mile Road in Berkley, it was run by Bob & Joyce Boyle. This store was the place that introduced most of us to gaming and was the hub of the gaming community (in addition to the gaming centers). The store was very successful, and eventually the Boyles started an entire distributorship (Greenfield Hobbies) and the store would move to Woodward between 12 & 13 mile road, next to everybody's favorite Thai restaurant, Siam Spicy. They would eventually sell the store to a couple guys who, unfortunately ran it into the ground.
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| Last Alcove Hobby on Woodard. Now an interior Design company |
The Squadron Shop, 1977, Bob Webb ran a WRG 2nd edition Romans vs Gaul game. I had the Gauls and very nearly pulled off a victory. I have never looked back since!
ReplyDeleteI started with Bob Web also at the shop. But the best game was the micro armor game. Destroy a tank get a shot of Jack Daniels. Oh the good old days.
ReplyDeleteI was the store manager at the Alcove when it was at the Woodward location. I grew up going to the Berkly location across from the doll house shop. I was very fortunate to know the Boyles and the cast of characters from Palladium Games, etc. that hung around or worked for The Alcove or GHD at varous times.
ReplyDeleteI spent a lot of time at the Squadron Shop in Warren and at the Alcove in Berkley and Royal Oak. Even worked at the Alcove for a while. Very fortunate to meet a lot of people that are influential in the hobby even today.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see people from the area are reading this post. Hope more folks will share their stories about the Alcove.
ReplyDeleteJust got back from GenCon and was reminiscing. Trying to find any information on the Alcove as it's where I started in gaming back in 77-78. Ran across your page. Was a great store.
ReplyDeleteYou should of posted your name. There are a few people from Detroit that reads this blog.
DeleteI was wondering about some of the old employees of the Alcove and Greenfield Hobby Distributors that was run out of the back by Bob Boyle before moving to Madison Heights. As I recall, a number of the old staff were assiciated with Palladium Books. Eric was a writer that worked in the store and did some Ninja Turtles and RIFT writing and the assistant manager is on the cover of RIFTS Mercenary. There was another emoployee there going to school down a the Center for Creative studies that did a lot of artwork. Does anyone have old photos or names?
ReplyDeleteI remember Rob Krauz working as a saleman after the Squadron fired him as a manager. When Boyle shut down the store. There wasn't another gaming store around the city. The alcove was the only store that had both historical and fantasy related gaming items.
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