Chico Magic

Chico Magic is a Magic: The Gathering store in Chico, California, at 300 Broadway St, built around a play space more than a retail floor. Organized events center on the Commander, Standard, and Pauper formats, and the weekly calendar leans on casual Commander. It suits players who want a relaxed pod, newer players who want to learn the game, and anyone who cares about a store with firm rules on behavior and hygiene.

What the store carries

Magic: The Gathering is the store's specialty and the only game it carries. Booster packs sit in a bin at the front of the store, and those packs are part of the entry deal on play nights.

Casual Commander Night

Commander is played three nights a week. Players can arrive any time after 4:30 PM and staff help them find a pod; arrivals between 4 PM and 8 PM are accommodated, so there is no need to be there at the start. The regulars bring everything from unmodified precons and upgraded precons to competitive decks and deliberately silly ones.

The $6 entry includes one booster pack from the front bin, and $10 buys two packs, but either booster deal applies only to players who check in to the event with the Companion app.

The tone is casual competition: relaxing and having fun comes first, and decks range from mechanically optimized builds to a defense-contractor pillowfort where everyone gets mana and counters. Table consent and Rule 0 apply, so anyone running janky or cheesy decks is expected to say so before the game. The regular community tends toward higher power levels, though the priority is inclusive fun and learning from one another. Players who want to flatten everyone with a stronger deck are better off playing elsewhere.

Prerelease events

Star Trek prerelease tickets are available, with a casual event on Saturday, November 7, at 2 PM and a competitive event on Sunday, November 8, at 1 PM.

House rules and hygiene

Everyone who comes in agrees to three terms: a courteous attitude, kind behavior, and personal hygiene appropriate for a small indoor space. Players whose attitude, behavior, or body odor disrupts others are asked to leave, with no refund at a paid event. Transphobia, sexism, racism, bigotry, and not respecting someone's no are grounds for immediate removal and a permanent ban. The store keeps free deodorant on hand, and showering before an event is part of the social contract.

The store runs like a well-tended garden: it nurtures what supports a welcoming community and prunes what does not.

Hours and getting there

The store is open Thursday through Sunday only.

The address is 300 Broadway St in Chico, CA 95928, and questions are handled in person.

The local scene

Chico has several other card and game shops close by. BaT Comics & Games is at essentially the same spot, Piland's Cards & Games is about 0.2 miles away, and Norcal Collectables is about 0.5 miles away. J&r Sportscards is roughly 1.1 miles off and Max Level Video Games about 1.7 miles.