‘I’m never going to retire’: Popular Barrie gaming shop Sir Games-A-Lot celebrating 20 years

However, store owner Vincent Booth tells Simcoe.com this isn’t their first attempt at holding a 20th anniversary celebration, only his math was wrong.

“We had a 20th anniversary last year, and I announced it, made posters, and put everything out there, and then I got about eight people phoning me and said, ‘Yeah, it’s only 19.’ I said, ‘No, it’s 20.’ They said, ‘No, you opened in 2004. I said, ‘No, it was 2003,’ and then I checked back, and it was 2004. So I got a lot of flack for that,” he said with a chuckle.

Looking back, Booth says he thought he was on to something when he first opened his store, giving up his day job as an engineer to do so.

“I thought it would be good, because we didn’t have anything like this up here. There were a couple of smaller stores, but they were catering more to card games and things like that. 20 years later, we’re still here.”

Booth says there will be plenty of fun things to do to mark the 20th anniversary this year, and as it is May the fourth — a special day among Star Wars fans — the day will include a special photo shoot for Star Wars cosplayers. Booth also promises board gaming all day long, miniature game demonstrations and paintings, at least eight local vendors, and a cosplay contest run by his daughter, who also works at the store.

He admits, however, that her sights are set on his job.

“She runs the store occasionally; she works here as well. She eventually wants to take it over, but I’m never going to retire,” he said.

Anyone making a purchase at the store during the celebration, and in costume, will receive a $5 discount, while Booth is offering further discounts of 10 per cent, or whatever the outcome is of a 20-sided die roll, up to 20 per cent off.

The Sir Games-A-Lot 20th Anniversary celebration runs from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., with the Star Wars cosplay photo at 2 p.m., and the cosplay contest starting at 2:30 p.m.