If You Want Your Faith in Humanity Restored, Open a Game Store in Portland, MI

There are easier ways to spend your days than opening a game store.

You can choose careers with predictable schedules, quieter weekends, and far less risk. You can avoid the stress of inventory mistakes, late shipments, broken tables, event planning, and wondering whether enough people will show up for the thing you poured your heart into.

But you would miss this.

You would miss the moments that remind you that people are, overwhelmingly, good.

That communities still matter.

That kindness still exists in abundance.

That strangers still become friends over dice rolls, paint brushes, cardboard decks, and stories shared across a table.

At Monkey Llama Games, we have the unbelievable privilege of seeing humanity at its best almost every single day.

And nowhere could this have happened except Portland.

There’s Tina, who never misses a Mini Painting Monday. Tina can somehow teach someone the perfect way to highlight a cloak while also telling the funniest story you’ve ever heard about a D&D adventure that went catastrophically wrong. Usually because someone made a deeply questionable decision involving explosives, goblins, or both.

And then Chris and John immediately jump in to remind Tina that none of the disaster would have happened if she hadn’t adopted a stray goblin in the first place.

They are, of course, absolutely correct.

There’s Randy, soft spoken and impossibly kind, with a beard worthy of tabletop legend. He’ll be sitting at a table playing Magic with the boys from Fowler, talking deck construction one minute and giving resume advice the next. Somewhere between shuffling cards and sideboarding strategies, life lessons happen naturally.

No lectures. No speeches. Just good people investing in younger people because that’s what good communities do.

There’s Merry, one of the sweetest souls you could ever hope to meet, whose wisdom and encouragement helped us put together Wonderland Weekend. Years of experience running The Port gave her the kind of calm, practical insight that only comes from genuinely caring about people and community for a very long time.

There’s Braxton and Vander, nearly always together, patiently helping newcomers learn Warhammer without making them feel intimidated or out of place. They have this rare ability to make complicated games approachable while making new players feel like they belong immediately.

Patrick has become something of a local legend for his ability to explain even the most complex games in ways that make them fun instead of overwhelming. He has donated countless hours simply because he loves sharing his passion with other people. The patience, enthusiasm, and generosity he brings into the store changes the experience for everyone around him.

DeAnna has brought life, laughter, and unforgettable energy to every Murder Mystery and Tea Party we’ve hosted. Her outfits are incredible. Her commitment to every character is unmatched. She doesn’t just attend events — she helps create the magic that makes people remember them weeks later.

And then there’s Brandy and Chad from Kats and Kittens 2nd Hand.

Most people will never fully know how much they quietly do behind the scenes for this community. They’re thoughtful, grounded, approachable, and generous with both their time and support. The kind of people who make a town stronger simply by being part of it.

Joe literally takes time off work to run Quest & Rest because he believes people deserve a welcoming place to experience roleplaying games. He’s an incredible DM, but more importantly, he’s someone who understands how much courage it can take for a new player to sit down at a table for the first time. He creates spaces where people feel safe being creative, awkward, excited, nerdy, and themselves.

That matters more than most people realize.

And the truth is, this list barely scratches the surface.

There are too many wonderful people to name. Too many acts of kindness. Too many moments where someone stayed late to help clean up, taught a game to a stranger, welcomed a nervous newcomer, encouraged a shy kid, celebrated someone’s first painted miniature, or helped another person feel like they belonged.

That’s the real secret of game stores.

The games matter, of course. We love the games.

But the games are just the excuse.

What people are really looking for is connection.

They want laughter after a hard week.

They want somewhere they can show up exactly as they are.

They want friendships that aren’t transactional.

They want community.

And somehow, in this little corner of Michigan, we keep finding it over and over again.

So if your faith in humanity needs a little restoration, come spend an evening in a game store in Portland.

You’ll probably find someone teaching a new player.

Someone sharing pizza.

Someone cheering because a ridiculous dice roll somehow worked.

Someone helping another person feel included.

And if you stay long enough, you may realize something important:

The world is still full of good people.

We’re lucky enough to know a whole store full of them.