June 4, 2021

Tom Chleborad and Jason Kaeding don’t like the term “board game.” They instead prefer to call them “tabletop games” to take any negative connotation out of their beloved pastime. 

“They call them ‘tabletop games’ now because they’re trying to get the ‘bored’ part out of there,” Kaeding said.

Their passion for games led them and their partner, Joe Hamerly, to open Average Joe’s Gaming & Hobby Store. Located near Tea at 27294 Verhey Place, the store had its grand opening last weekend.

The main entrance brings customers into the merchandise section of the store, where tabletop games, crafted figures and other pop culture trinkets are sold and spaces are provided for customers to play virtual reality and arcade games.

This room represents the inside of a castle, according to Chleborad and Kaeding.

Customers walk through an arch to exit the “castle” and enter the game room, where customers can choose from Hamerly’s expansive library of tabletop games to pull out and play on one of the many tables. And the best part? These games are completely free for customers to play. 

“We want people to come here. It’s warm and inviting. They pick a game, play, talk to us and interact,” Kaeding said.

Chleborad and Hamerly met through a gaming enthusiasts group several years ago, and they would gather at Hamerly’s game room in his house every weekend to play games. Chleborad said Hamerly always had a dream to start his own store to sell games, and they eventually decided to pursue it together last year. 

Kaeding has a background in finished carpentry and electronics. Around Halloween every year, he would create elaborate costumes for himself using these skills, eventually joining South Dakota Superheroes & Villains to dress up as different comic book and movie characters for public events. 

Kaeding met Hamerly through one of these events and gradually was drawn into tabletop games by Hamerly. He was asked to join the store as a partner to help construct the castle decor and create merchandise, such as large foam dice and masks. 

The store shares a name with the video podcast that Chleborad and Hamerly have co-hosted for going on three years. The pair discuss all things related to tabletop games every Friday on Facebook Live and later post the recording to YouTube.

“It’s just a lot of fun,” Chleborad said. “We’ve always had fun doing it. We have a kind of a decent chemistry together in regard to the things we talked about. We have a lot of give and take in regard to sort of poking fun at each other too. So yeah, it’s a good time.”

On the podcast, Chleborad is known as “Tom the Mustache,” and Hamerly is called, of course, “Average Joe.” While Kaeding didn’t have a similar persona, he and Chleborad came up with one when asked that just might stick. 

“I think we’re coming up with ‘Jason the Prop,’ ” Chleborad said. “He’s the guy who, if we need it built, he can build it.”

The trio hopes the new store becomes a fixture of the community where locals can escape the stresses of daily life by playing tabletop games with their friends and loved ones. 

“My hope is that it becomes kind of a family-friendly place for people who are looking for something to do that is going to get you away from … the screens at home to come and just kind of hang out with family and friends, play some games, learn about some games (and) meet new people that they’ve never met before,” Chleborad said.

“Maybe friendships will develop, and then if they find something they really love, they can purchase it from the store. We’ll make a little money if we can, but the main thing is just to build the community of gamers in this area.”