Mesa Top Games and Toys Owner Carolyn Cowan in her store at 1247 Central. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
The electronic Ferris wheel is a centerpiece at Mesa Top Games and Toys. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
Grab the board games and bags of dice and head over to Mesa Top Games and Toys at 1247 Central Ave., in downtown Los Alamos next to Boomerang Consignment. Why? Because it’s a gamer’s haven!
Owner Carolyn Cowan is offering a variety of programs Thursday through Sunday. While things officially kick off at 6 p.m. except for Sunday, when the gaming begins at 3 p.m., she said people are welcome to come whenever they like.
Thursdays feature board games. Cowan said people can either play ones at the store or bring their own.
Fridays is for Magic the Gathering, which is free except for organized drafts and formal events. She explained that Magic the Gather is a collectible card game – players assemble their deck for a magical battle against opponents. Competitive players participate in tournaments to win additional cards.
JackBox is scheduled for Saturdays, which is a family-friendly digital game. Cowan said JackBox is played on smart devices. Players can get a party pack, which comes with a selection of electronically hosted games that range from drawing and trivia to word games that will leave them laughing, she said.
Finally, on Sunday, the store offers Stars Wars X-Wing. This game, Cowan explained, has players learning to maneuver a Stars Wars spacecraft and using the Force. It can be played alone or in a group.
Cowan said everyone is invited to game nights and will teach newcomers the different games.
The objective is “to try to meet the community’s requests,” she said.
Cowan said she and her husband are game enthusiasts.
“My husband and I play games and we think it is a great bonding activity,” she said.
Cowan pointed out that games can teach good life skills such as cooperation and strategy.
Mesa Top Games and Toys shares space with her other business, LA Bootery. When Cowan relocated her shoe business to its location on Central Avenue, she said the space was too big for just the shoes so she decided to indulge in her long-time fantasy of having a game store.
Offering a selection of toys came at the request of the community, she explained, adding that she and her husband put out feelers regarding what the community wanted, and the number one request was toys, which fills a need left vacant when CB Fox closed.
This hit a personal note with Cowan as well since she has two young children.
“With our kids we wanted something nice in the community that our kids could grow up with,” she said.
Mesa Top Games and Toys does not just cater to young customers but to all ages.
“We have just the whole gambit,” Cowan said.
Whether it is participating in game night or purchasing a new toy, Cowan said she wants to effectively serve the community.
“The point of the store is to serve the community, so the events are an open invitation to the community,” she said, adding that the support they have received means a lot.
Mesa Top Games and Toys is open seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 1 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit https://www.mesatopgames.com/, call 505.521.2000 or email games@mesatopgames.com, but the best way is to just drop by the store and meet the staff!
