A BIT ABOUT US
Bring back the magic
A community where you belong
Curated for you
About our Owners
We are a trio of nerdy folk who believe in the magic of tabletop games. Driven by our love of games and the joy they bring, we want to help other people come together with friends and family to laugh and forge unforgettable memories through the power of games.
Jen
Jen grew up playing games like Monopoly and Crib with her family, and first played D&D)when she was about 6 with her brother and some kids in the neighbourhood. For Jen, gaming is a way to stay engaged with friends and family. Leading role playing games has become one of her favourite ways to spend quality time with her teenage son and his friends.
Jen has spent over 25 years working with children, youth and adults in the roles of coach, instructor, mentor, and guide. She has coordinated events in a variety of settings from after-school programs, summer camps, themed retreats, and competitive events.
Jen loves playing outside (especially trail running and climbing), travel, her somewhat neglected veggie garden, social justice, grouchy cats, and chocolate.
Kim
Cozy family game nights are some of Kim’s best memories from growing up. Games like Pit, Pictionary and Stop Thief brought laughter and a strong sense of belonging. As a young adult, Kim noticed that she felt excluded from gaming experiences because of her gender. Like many, she turned to video games where she could play video versions of tableop games without feeling out of place. Kim now enjoys regular board games, card games, and D&D with family and friends, and is passionate about ensuring everyone feels included.
Kim spent over a decade teaching and developing educational programs. She has worked in the service industry, helped Indigenous communities with language revitalization and boosting community resources, and worked with women in rural Vietnam in entrepreneurial development. She has a strong artistic side, including music and illustration.
Kim loves animals, nature, magic, food, making up adventure stories for her stepkids, cute illustrations, and sparkly things.
Aaron
Aaron is a self-proclaimed “socially awkward guy” who found a love for tabletop games at a young age. Games, he found, are fantastic for him and fellow awkward-folk because they give clear structure to get-togethers. And from that safer and less stressful place, friendships and conversation can flourish. Aaron is most passionate about making you feel comfortable and welcomed in our store and gaming space. To all the awkward-folk: let us take you on a gaming adventure where you can sit back and relax, knowing you need to do nothing but enjoy the game.
Aaron loves leading role-playing games and world-building. He is incredibly creative, and is our in-house miniature painting expert and costume creator. He is also our pop culture buff, as the only one of us who can quote books, movies and comics at the drop of a hat.
Aaron loves making costumes, painting minis, watching live stream RPGs, Critical Role, and his day job as a super great massage therapist.
Why Clients Love Us
My teenage daughter has been playing D&D with Jen for many years and thoroughly enjoys her time spent doing so. She looks forward to the social interaction as well as the game itself.
Jen has been a fantastic Game Master and adult connection for her. During the pandemic, their weekly virtual games were a way to remain connected with friends and a positive thing to look forward to during such a difficult time.
D&D has helped her to continue to develop important life skills in language and communication, perspective-taking, self-awareness, empathy, creativity, critical thinking and problem solving.
I’ve had the chance to play D&D with Aaron as the Dungeon Master and can’t recommend him enough. He is very knowledgeable and kind, and made me (a total newbie) feel welcome. His quick wit and warm sense of humor create a fun and inviting atmosphere – one that I’m sure will be apparent in the store and any events there.
I’m confident that this shop will be a wonderful addition to the gaming community and a testament to Aaron’s dedication to nerd craft.
I love learning new things and really enjoy a good board game night, but when my son wanted to learn D&D I was completely lost. I didn’t know where to turn!
Jen took him under her wing and carefully stepped him through the ins & outs of the game and opened up a whole new world for him. Her patience and knowledge as a DM were amazing, but what really stood out was the joy and energy she brought to the game. She transported him into a world where he could be & do anything with the right roll of the dice… even vanquish goblins.
My kid got some Dungeons & Dragons stuff for Christmas, and we didn’t know how to play. GM Snowfire (Kim) came to the rescue. I was blown away by her ability to teach 9–13 year olds – and me – the game while leading us through an adventure.
What surprised me the most was how, in our very first game, the kids were creatively solving problems together. Pure magic. I highly recommend Kim to anyone, any age, wanting to learn and play Dungeons & Dragons!
I needed a team-building activity for my staff, and went with a murder mystery party, led by one of the Arrow Wood Games staff. They hosted the party, in costume and fully role-playing the part.
We all absolutely loved the event, and can’t wait to have Arrow Wood lead another.
Highly recommend an Arrow Wood private party to anyone wanting to fully entertain party guests. So good!
The family was on vacation one year and met up for a few sessions of D&D with the folks from Arrow Wood Games. We had an absolute blast.
We're not regular players but they got us up and running with characters and everything we needed. Our (real life) party consisted of an adult and a 12 year old. The campaign they picked was perfect for a mix of young and older players and we all were engaged and had a blast.
So many special things were created ahead of time. Game Master Aaron had scrolls, miniatures, and even background music and sound. It was great to unplug and connect with everyone in such a fun environment. Certainly one of the highlights of our vacation.
After having not played D&D for many years, I joined a session run by the Arrow Wood Games crew and had an absolute blast! There were intense moments, funny moments, and overall just a lot of great energy and creativity. Highly recommend to anyone!