Victory Point, a new game store for purchase and play, recently opened in downtown Jersey City — bringing together a community of game board and card game enthusiasts. Located at 112 Brunswick Street, Jersey City, Victory Point hosts events, including pre-releases for trading cards, and even tournaments. The idea originated from three pals who were looking for something different to do after their full-time jobs. Read on to learn more about Victory Point in Jersey City.
Coming to Jersey City
Victory Point garnered the interest of Jersey City residents weeks before opening. A Reddit page posted a photo of the store’s ‘Coming Soon’ sign with the description “board games, cards and collectibles.” The doors officially opened on Saturday, May 18th, and since then, locals have been sharing the news via word of mouth and even stopping by to check it out.
The owners tell The Hoboken Girl that since the store’s opening, the event nights have drawn about 24 people thus far and the recent Magic: The Gathering’s pre-release event for Modern Horizons 3 cards had 14 attendees – one person even came from Philadelphia. “So far, we love the outpour of support from the community. We’ve had a lot of people come in to say hi, offer to help plan events, or make a purchase,” the owners shared.
The masterminds behind Victory Point are Jersey City residents Nanyou Guan, Philipp Starovoytov, and Barry Chau. “We decided to open the store because all of us are either gamers or collectors. We’ve been to similar stores in other cities and have been waiting for one to open up in the Jersey City area,” the owners explained.
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“Compared to Play! in Hoboken, we’re more focused on board games, trading card games, and tabletop games. So that means our space is dedicated toward those hobbies and we have a larger selection of board games available to play in store.”
They noted that it was “inconvenient” having to go to Hoboken, Bayonne, or New York City for a game store. “We also thought it would add variety to the city since there are plenty of bars and restaurants, but not a lot of options for entertainment or if you wanted to do something other than eating or drinking with friends,” the pals added.
Nanyou, Philipp and Barry, all first-time business owners, have other jobs (such as software engineer and software developer) outside of operating Victory Point, which is why during the week the store is open after 6PM.
What’s Inside
Upon entering the Brunswick Street property, visitors will receive a warm welcome by one of the owners and get introduced to the new game store. Visitors can make a purchase from a variety of trading cards (such as Pokemon, Disney Lorcana and Magic: The Gathering) and collectibles and/or sit at one of the wooden tables and play a board or card game. There are even some snacks and non-alcoholic drinks available for purchase.
The entire back wall of the store is stocked with hundreds of games to select from. These include the popular games Codenames and CATAN, as well as the classic board games, such as Clue, Checkers, Monopoly and Scrabble.
Victory Point has become an official partner of game manufacturers, which allows the store to host tournaments with games, something the owners haven’t seen at other nearby game stores.
“We have a vast selection of board games for play and we continue to add more. Whenever someone comes in with a game suggestion or asks for a specific game to play, if we don’t have it, we will look into acquiring it. We do the same for trading card games, so if there is a trading card game that they’re looking for we will try to add it to the store,” the owners told HG.
While the majority of items are retail price/similar prices seen at other stores, Victory Point does have some rare finds, such as a $300 Secret Lair Commander deck: Raining Cats and Dogs.
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Check It Out
The hours of operation and prices for play and purchase can be found outside the storefront as well as on the website. It costs $10 per person to play on the table space with Tuesday through Thursday being unlimited time and Friday through Sunday being a three-hour limit. Space can be reserved online or by walking in.
Tickets for events range from $10 to $60, depending on the type of event. Game nights are every Wednesday and tickets purchased in advance are 20 percent off ($9.38 per person). The description reads: “Whether you’re a strategy master or a newbie looking to learn, our diverse collection of games has something for everyone. Meet new friends who share your love of board games and enjoy a night full of laughs, competition, and good times. Join us for an unforgettable evening of gaming fun!”
The owners told Hoboken Girl that they are planning events around other games like Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Lorcana, Warhammer 40,000 and so forth. They concluded, “Generally anything the community wishes to host. We want our space to be a haven for all hobbyists and gamers because there is no outlet for those communities in Jersey City currently. Please feel free to reach out to us to plan, host, or request any events you’d like.”
Victory Point is open Tuesday through Thursday from 6PM to 11PM, Friday from 6PM to midnight, Saturday from 10AM to midnight and Sunday from 10AM to 11pm. The store is closed every Monday. For more information, visit victorypointjc.com.
Book Clubs to Join in Hoboken, Jersey City, + Bayonne
Reading is one of those activities that never gets old — no matter where you are, who you’re with, or what’s going on in your life — it’s a constant comfort and a way to escape reality for a few hours. For some, reading is a quiet hobby, filled with solitude, but for others, it’s a way to meet people with similar interests. And if you’re in that second camp, you’re probably looking for book clubs in the Hoboken + Jersey City area — so we've rounded up all of the best book clubs to join locally. Read on for our growing list of book clubs to join in Hoboken, Jersey City, and Bayonne.
Hoboken
Completely Booked Book Club
Run by The Hoboken Girl's very own Jordan, this virtual book club meets monthly and celebrates the diversity of all readers and authors. The author of the book pick joins the conversation live each month. Get more info on her Instagram, @_completelybooked.
Little City Books
Little City Books in Hoboken hosts monthly book club meet-ups open to all. Participants vote on each book and can engage in-person at the store. Attendees can also receive 15% off of the current book selection in-store. Aside from the usual LCB Book Club meetings, there is also a Little City Queer Book Club which highlights reads by queer authors. For more info visit Little City Book's event page.
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Lit in Hoboken
Lit in Hoboken is a community organization that connects women through reading. This book club was recommended to us in the Hoboken Girl Insiders Facebook group. For updates on book choices and meeting times follow along with @litinhoboken on Instagram.
Hoboken Public Library
The Hoboken Public Library hosts a variety of themed book clubs that are completely open to the public. Currently, the library hosts a Romance Book Club, Mystery Book Club, Sci-Fi and Fantasy Book Club, "What's New" Book Club, and the Hoboken Public Library Friends and Foundations Book Club. No registration is required to attend and drop-ins are highly encouraged. For more info visit the Hoboken Public Library website.
Symposia Bookstore
Symposia is a Hoboken staple loved by locals. Aside from the expansive collection of used books, the store also hosts a variety of community events. Recently, Symposia announced the start of the Bookworm Baddies Book Club on Instagram which will take place each month. Follow along with @symposiabookstore for more book club updates.
Jersey City
Books, Brunches + Booze
Books, Brunches + Booze is a book club with chapters all over the U.S. and Canada. In New Jersey, readers can participate in the Jersey City, Asbury Park, Morristown, Princeton, and Mahwah chapters. Books, Brunches + Booze is built on the idea that "community creates a space for building new friendships and celebrating old ones over good food, cold brews, and lots of laughs through Meet-Ups held by chapters all over the world." To join visit Books, Brunches + Booze's website.
Fashion on The Beat
Fashion On The Beat is a local blog that shares worldwide narratives and local experiences with a focus on fashion, art, and design. The site recently announced that a fashion-focused book club will be launching soon and is currently accepting members through an online questionnaire. Follow along with @fashiononthebeat for more updates.
Hudson County Ladies Book Club
Hudson County Ladies Book Club is a 300+ member public Facebook group that was spotted on our Hoboken Girl Insiders Facebook group. The Hudson County Ladies Book Club admin releases frequent updates about meet-up spots and book selections. To stay up to date be sure to join the group on Facebook.
Jersey City Book Club Babes
Jersey City Book Club Babes is home to "all the book nerds," according to the group's private Facebook group. This Jersey City-based book club meets once a month and has members vote collectively on new reads. For more info, follow along with Jersey City Book Club Babes on Facebook and Instagram.
Jersey City Public Library
The Jersey City Public Library Pavonia Branch hosts recurring monthly book clubs for those who are 19 years of age and older. The Adult Book Club meets on the fourth Monday of every month and explores a wide variety of literature. For more info, readers can email [email protected] as registration is required.
WORD Bookstores
WORD hosts several monthly community-based events in both the Brooklyn and Jersey City locations. From author talks, to book launches, open mic nights, and story time every Saturday, WORD knows how to bring people together. Word currently hosts four book clubs titled: Multiplicities (virtual), Romance, Well-Read Black Girl (virtual), and Queer Me Out. In addition, WORD also has four partner book clubs in collaboration with Polished Gems, Jersey City Mamas, Jersey City Moms, and Page Turners JC. Participants can receive 10% off when purchasing book club reads through WORD the month prior to the meeting.
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Bayonne
Bayonne Public Library
Every month the Bayonne Public Library hosts the Bayonne Book Club. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. The library offers eBook and eAudiobook copies of the monthly reads as well as copies of the physical books. There are 50 seats available for each meeting and participants can register in person or online via the Bayonne Public Library website.
The Little BOHO Bookshop BookClub
The Little BOHO Bookshop hosts a monthly book club of roughly 30 members that has gained great popularity over the years. Members meet in-person on the last Tuesday of every month. Interested readers can email [email protected] to learn more about joining as space is limited.
