ala Tompkins TCG will be permanently closed as of May 1, 2025.

I am someone who lives at the intersection of “How hard can it be?” and “What’s the worst that can happen?” I am someone who moves mountains when I choose, and I could absolutely choose to continue running this business until my last breath.

However -

Since I began this adventure in 2020, my life has changed immensely and the level of dedication I previously devoted is no longer realistic. 

In addition to becoming a first-time parent, I am now also navigating a complex autoimmune disorder, which requires a level of rigidity to my lifestyle that owning a game store simply cannot support. Additionally, the business is facing massive tariffs, general economic downturn, theft, pandemic-level scarcity, and random enforcement of town laws without any clear indication of what we’re doing wrong or how much we may be charged if we fail to comply.

An unfortunate fact when running a small business is that business has to be your top priority, for many years and often for decades, before you are able to substantially pass responsibility to someone else. 

Running a business that requires every ounce of my care, that requires tons of compassion, and leaves me without a single moment to breathe, let alone care for myself or my family is simply not something I want to do anymore. My son, my partner, my pets, and I all deserve more from me than taking second place to a game store.

I am proud of what I built, and I’m grateful to those who helped me see our shop become the haven that it is. Thank you all for the love and enthusiasm you’ve shown for ala Tompkins TCG over the last three years. 

I am going to take some time to heal, to mourn, to dance, to figure out how to cook some gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, sugar-free meals so my immune system will calm down, and maybe I’ll even touch some grass. It’s been a very long time since I’ve been able to relax and enjoy anything. This crazy journey helped me realize I deserve to be loved, protected, and happy just as much as I believe you all do, so that’s my new goal. 

- Amy