Daily O’Collegian News
Lisa Lewis
January 23, 2007
USA

Couple creates haven for rare games, players

A deep furrow of concentration crosses 13-year-old Nathan Heien’s brow as he stares at the dozens of cards in front of him.

“Probably nobody’s going to be able to get this, but,” he says before selecting certain cards from the pile and starting to arrange them.

“Top hat.”

“Computer.”

“Coffee cup.”

“Magnet.”

“Toaster.”

“Schizophrenia!”

A chorus of enthusiastic, seemingly random guesses ring out from the people around Heien at the table before someone guesses the correct object, earning one point.

The name of the game is Squint. It is a little like Pictionary, but, instead of drawing, players assemble pictures using a series of small cards with various lines, squiggles and geometric shapes on them.

It’s just one of several games being played this particular Thursday night at Distraction Games, at 203 1?2 S. Perkins Road.

The store, which specializes in lesser-known, hard-to-find board, card and party games, holds Game Night every Thursday at 6.

Sally Kellenberger, who co-owns the store with husband, Jared, explained the couple’s idea behind Game Night:

“I think the premise was, you know, we have all these games, most of which just anyone doesn’t always recognize at first glance.

“We don’t carry a lot of the stereotypical things that you see at (retail stores), and so we wanted to do Game Night so people could come in and try the games. And then also just to offer something to do.

“There’s not much to do in Stillwater, as far as recreation or just getting out of the house that’s family, especially for people that don’t drink, that don’t party and don’t go to the bars.”

Rob Jackson, a math senior, said he goes to Game Night to “hang out with people and have fun.” His favorite games are those of the strategy variety, such as Warlord and Shadows of Camelot.

His fiancée, biology junior Chelsey McGuire, said she has a decidedly different taste from him as far as gaming goes.

“I like Apples to Apples,” she said.

Stillwater resident Kevin Richardson regularly attends Game Night with his son, Eric Hurd.

They found out about the event before the store’s opening in June 2005, Richardson said.

“We just stopped in here,” he said. “We saw the games and walked in and they weren’t actually open, but they were so friendly that we came back when they did open.”

The Kellenbergers are extremely customer-oriented when it comes to their business, Richardson said.

“They go out of their way to help get the customer things,” he said. “If customers are looking for a particular game, they go out of their way to help them find it.”

Richardson said anywhere from eight to 20 people usually attend Game Night.

The designated game Jan. 11 was Quelf, which the Kellenbergers describe as “totally random.”

“Some people call it like a truth-or-dare type of game with a lot of dares in it; not any truths, but a lot of stunts,” Jared Kellenberger said.

Sally Kellenberger said Quelf is by far the best party game the store has carried, outselling every other game 10-to-1.

“Because it can be used for, you know, a fraternity or a sorority, it can be used for a bunch of drinking buddies; it can be used for a church youth group,” Sally Kellenberger said.

“It’s totally diverse in that every different kind of group can find fun in it.”

Although many of the evening’s 18 players engaged in the game of the night, some smaller groups at different tables played other games.

“I think that’s what makes it work, all the little clusters; everybody enjoys something different,” Sally Kellenberger said.

“There’s always people here to where you can find the game you like.”

Although the majority of shelves and displays have games geared toward an adult crowd, one corner of Distraction Games is devoted to a children’s game section, including a kid-sized table where younger customers can play to their hearts’ — and minds’ — delight.

Game Night usually lasts until 9 or 10 p.m., depending on the size of the crowd, Sally Kellenberger said.

In addition to Distraction Games’ scheduled tournaments and events, the store is always available during regular hours for open gaming, Jared Kellenberger said.

“We have people that will just maybe go get food next door (at The Golden Dragon) and there might be a long wait, so they play whatever’s on the table or something like that,” Jared Kellenberger said.

The Kellenbergers said the most popular games on Game Night are the strategy game Settlers of Catan and the card/party game Apples to Apples.

“During the day, especially, when we don’t have anything planned, the tables are just open so you can just come in and eat your lunch and play games,” Sally Kellenberger said.

She said she has noticed an increase in people and groups starting game nights.

“They have been in and had a good time and started one with their church group or started one with another couple from work,” she said. “I think it used to be a trend back in the day and it’s finally sort of starting to make a comeback.”

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