Wow. I am utterly infuriated by the appalling treatment I received at the Area 52 store in Hobart. It is deeply disheartening to witness such a supposedly "amazing" store engaging in blatant racism and exhibiting a complete lack of empathy towards customers who may not possess extensive knowledge in certain areas. It is high time for them to reevaluate their approach and strive to be better. From the moment I walked into the store, it became evident that the staff harbored prejudice and bigotry. Despite my excitement to explore their products, I was met with disdainful glares and condescending remarks. It was as if my race automatically rendered me unworthy of their assistance and respect. Discrimination should never have a place in any establishment, let alone one that claims to cater to all customers. To make matters worse, instead of utilizing my visit as an opportunity to educate and guide me, the employees opted for an elitist approach. Their attitudes were dismissive, leaving me feeling alienated and discouraged. It is essential for a store to foster an inclusive environment where customers can feel comfortable asking questions and seeking assistance without fear of judgment or belittlement. The store's supposed commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction fell flat on its face. Rather than embracing diversity and embracing the opportunity to educate and enlighten, they chose to belittle and alienate customers who may not share their expertise. This is not how a reputable establishment should conduct itself. I implore the management of Area 52 to reflect upon their actions and reevaluate their training and hiring practices. They must prioritize diversity, inclusion, and anti-discrimination efforts. Customers should feel valued and respected, regardless of their race or level of knowledge. It is not enough to simply stock great products; the employees must embody the values of equality and fairness. In conclusion, my experience at the Area 52 store in Hobart was nothing short of a disgrace. Their discriminatory behavior and lack of empathy towards customers who may not be well-versed in certain areas have left me feeling deeply disappointed. I sincerely hope that they take this review as a wake-up call and make the necessary changes to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all customers. Be better, Area 52.

it was a lovely Saturday afternoon. the sun was shining, the birds were singing, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. i decided to pop into what appeared to be a top-tier anime and comic store. how badly I was wrong. I was minding my own business, browsing through one of the many isles stuffed from top to bottom with anime books, when I realized that this shop had been scamming customers by dealing fake books! the books were printed with the spine on the right side, which is a clear sign of a fake copy. I alerted the women who was working there, before i was rudely assaulted by another so called woman calling me uneducated. I was not happy with this and had a few words to say to her! I was then exiled from the store for no specific reason by the female worker with no reasoning, and not just because they couldn't speak English. the only reason that is a fair assumption is that this horrible act of cruelty was motivated by race. I am not happy with this! never going back! which is fine because when I tried to make amends later, the worker came at me again with a gang of others, and i am not permanently removed from the facility. which i think is fine because i am never going back! because I don't want to not because i can't. hope you find this information helpful, regards, Jamar.

First time at this store, was shocked to see the level of inforcement on marks since the pandemic is now coming to an endemic stage. Not disputing masks don't work, but requesting to see personal medical information on a certificate for someone's exemption isn't even required by law or from police. In fact a person is only required to verbally advise police of the reason and not required to have a certificate, let alone tell staff or owner of why they can't wear a mask. This is personal information, and there are a handful of reasons and to ask for the reason is actually unlawful and quite intrusive, for example if someone is deaf and needs to use their mouth or see a face to communicate, down to personal medical information that a bookshop/popculture staff member does not need to see, nor is there any training provided by the government on what a certificate would actually look like or what is valid. I emplore the owner to please review the guidelines put in place by the government, and by all means encourage face masks.

Come and have a chat with Area 52 when you need a game. They are the best: super friendly and give great game advices. I was looking for a game to play with friends. Owner Andrew was so friendly and came up to help. I talked to Andrew that I was after a game of portable size, easy to start and fun to play with friends, didn’t need to be family friendly and could be ‘wicked’, and great if it was Harry Potter or cat themed (one of our friends LOVES HP and cat). Andrew was so professional and suggested several game that checked the boxes. Last night we opened the ‘Exploding Kittens’ (one of Andrew’s suggestions) and had great fun with friends for several hours. Hugely impressed by his knowledge and experience in games, and warm hospitality. Thumbs up! (Other team members Jenny and Dean are super friendly as well!)

Absolutely, without doubt, the best local friendly local board game store in Australia. I've shopped for boardgames in Queensland, Victoria & South Australia, but nothing is like Area 52. There are books, comics, pop gear, Role Playing Games, collectable card games and, of course, board games. Every time I've been there there has been a minimum of 1 female staff member working and it's been a very welcoming and inclusive space (in case you're wondering, this is *not* the norm). The open gaming space is upstairs, meaning you can shop for your gaming needs without being overwhelmed by magic the gathering players. If you don't mind MTG players, or you are one, then the open gaming area is huge and well lit (and ventilated). Cannot recommend this store highly enough. Go there!

My husband and I were visiting Hobart from Sydney and stumbled upon this GEM of a store… They had exactly what kind of novels (sci fi/fantasy/Greek mythology) we are into. Then we realised they also had COMICS and MANGA (all the hottest stuff) and BOARD GAMES (comparative and even better pricing than online stores!) Also… Warhammer paints, books and fun gifts as well! Staff were so friendly, polite and helpful to think of stapling our bag closed for us (since it was drizzling outside) and didn’t even make a fuss that we visited right at their closing time (we didn’t realise until we left). Thank you for your service and we were blown away by how extensively stocked and well organised the shop was!

Area 52 have a fantastic range of books, and a decent range of graphic novels and games. The new location works very well and doesn't feel so cramped anymore (no more awkwardly brushing up/hugging against people while desperately trying to find my next post-apocalyptic, zombie book). The staff are friendly and very helpful, and when they don't have the book/s you're looking for they'll happily arrange for them to be ordered in. I also appreciate the cheeky sign stating "unaccompanied children will be sold to the highest bidder" - though i'm frankly unsure of why someone would bid for one in the first place*? Area 52 is certainly my place of choice when I need an unashamedly, geeky fix. *sarcasm

Arguably the best board game shop in Hobart. Their range is good, but their prices are ridiculously high. I’m from Brisbane and just moved to the Hobart region a little over a year ago. In Brisbane I was spoilt for choice and competition kept prices low. Area 52 also has the same issue I’ve noticed with most retail here: shipping to Tasmania is way more expensive and irregular than the mainland. Their prices have to compensate for this. I want to buy local, and you do get the advantage of getting the game right now if it’s in stock. But almost every time I can get the game much much cheaper online, even after adding postage.

The Area 52 staff always look after their customers. If there's something they don't have in stock, ask them and they will often be able to order it in! They regularly restock their store with new content, receiving stock in time for street release, such as with new D&D content. They host regular social events varying from card game tournaments to casual tabletop gaming and have snacks available for purchase. There's also an extensive collection of books (particularly in the fantasy genre), manga and anime. My go-to hobby & games store, and well worth stopping by just to have a look around!

If I picked up a book and put it back you were obviously checking me out then to follow me out on the street and ask did I pay for it is what? Edit... Found a decent graphic novel in the bargain bin was 10$ it was dammed so it went back to the box being followed around a store is annoying but who cares there bored I get it but being chased after and being called a theif 2 shops down on the street by one employee who I assume the boss told her to do it mate that is not safe for anyone So asking if I took something I didn't pay 4 is what

Two stars because I have previously had good experiences when making purchases here. Unfortunately, the owner was in today. I came in to look for a family board game. When I explained about my medical mask exemption I was asked for private medical information and then told to leave. It's an unfortunate sign of the times that I can no longer support a local business. Luckily, Good Games did not discriminate and was very helpful. Still, they have a good selection of books and games and the rest of the staff have always been friendly.

I just wanted to thank your staff member, Jenny, for really helping me out the other day. I was doing some Christmas shopping with my 8-month-old, who was getting increasingly grizzly. She was getting so loud and needy I was on the verge of just leaving, but Jenny offered to help - she played with the baby while I browsed and made my purchase. I can't tell you how grateful I was. It can be so stressful trying to deal with a crying baby on my own in the city. Thank you, Jenny, and we'll done, Area 52, on having such awesome staff!

Went to shop at 9.45. Not open. Checked web details. Waited until 10am advertised opening time. Still not opened. Quite a few others waiting including Australia Post for a delivery. A person came out at 9.58 with two empty cups, locked up and walked up street to coffee shop. Other waiters gave up. Person came back at 10.08. Australia Post delivered. Person then said to us and another ‘oh, we’re not opening today until 10.30am and closed the door. So we left. As had quite a few other possible customers. NOT IMPRESSED!!

Your one stop destination for all things pop culture (and more) in Hobart. Area 52 covers all your entertainment needs: Books, manga, comics, puzzles, board games, card games, tabletop adventures, figures just to name a few! The staff are well versed in their products and can offer help and recommendations to suit your needs. Their events cater to all ages and can entertain beginners to seasoned veterans of a variety of games. Drop in to find your next obsession!

An interesting little place thats just recently moved to its new location. Huge selection of games, books and other accompanying stuff. The staff were still busy unpacking and putting stuff away so seemed very preoccupied with that. The prices seem higher than other places but not too much. The request for wearing masks could have been nicer and the requirement to pay $1 for a mask and only getting it back after purchasing something was quite rude.

Fantastic store and somewhat of an oasis in a small city like Hobart, which for me entails a great range of fantasy figures, paints, tools and how-to books on modelling and diorama making. Very pleasant and helpful staff. I always love chatting about new products or techniques with owner-operator Andrew, a total gentleman who is very much about imparting useful knowledge and skills to the wider modelling and gaming community.

Would give 0 stars if I could, came from out of state and was recommended this store. They were renovating on the 10/8 but had a sign stating they would be reopened on the 11/8. Came back the next day only to be SCREAMED at by a female employee saying they were renovating. There was no need for the yelling as I was just going off what their OWN sign said yesterday. Absolutely disgusting.

Extremely helpful staff and great selection. Everyone here was super friendly and willing to give insight into their favourite games. They have a fabulous selection of graphic novels, comics and games. Always great to see stores have an area you can play a game with friends. Well worth a look if pop culture is a part of your life or of you need to get a gift for your friend.

Seems to have a lot less stuff than it used to in the old location, at least that interests me in any way. Book selection is a lot less niche, far more generic titles now that you can get anywhere. Came in from out of town for a browse and an impulse buy splurge, and sadly couldn't a thing to buy. Unless you're a big manga fan, I'd probably give it a miss.

I would shop on line instead of going into this shop again. Ive been going here for years and the staff are hit and miss with their horrible attitudes. If only there was another shop just like this one with friendly staff might just put area 52 in their box and give them a reality check. They show why there is a reason for online shopping.

If it would let me rate it a 100/5 i would because it is my favourite place in is Universe maybe even every universe. If heaven is really it looks like this place, books, Bored games, Table top Games, Card games, art, comics what more could a nerd need, they even had street fighter. In the wise words of Gandalf the Grey "Fly, you Fools!"

Area 52 is one of the best places to get cards games such as pokemon or magic. They have a variety of books and games for example demon slayer or my hero academia and what makes Area 52 great are the stuff they are friendly. If you are interested in anime, manga, card games or anything along these lines Area 52 is the best places to go.

Lemme explain how I rate stuff. Typically start out with 3 for "above average" if it's a place that's not below average. Then through time and interaction, the rating will changed based upon my experience. That way, I keep my scores honest with myself and maybe with folks who review. It's the sensible way to do stuff.... …

I just want to recommend this place because of its book selection! Love board games too, and they let us play some upstairs, but their bookstore is awesome. They had heaps of "how to" books for lots of interesting topics and a great historical fiction section. Two genres often under appreciated. Great find.

So Here's the real question why is there a limit on 5 stars? I need more than 5 to describe how wonderful and amazing this place is. The staff are the best in Hobart, the owner is wonderful and the customers make the environment an amazing place to be in. If you ever near defiantly drop in and check it out!

Nice store. The not-tall Asian women with a mask back in the storage/sewing area gave me a disrespect look three times at my kid when she checked one of the books. Well, surprise me if she keeps that attitude and work there for long. I will no doubt confront her next time with that look if she dares again.

Fantastic selection,best in Tas'.Always get my orders w/out any hassle.Great prices. 9 times out of 10 I'll purchase s'thing else for my collection on top of my orders as it's hard not to.Always a sale or discounts on offer .Games, puzzles, backlogs. You'll find s'thing.

Amazing store with such a welcoming environment. The staff are very knowledgable and passionate about everything in store and the owners are involved and always keen to help. The Area 52 community is warm and welcoming and Wednesday night dnd is always a blast.

Wow, what a great games store! This place is massive and should be your first stop for any games related items. They have a huge selection of board games, for all ages. They also have puzzles, trading card games, miniature figures, books & comics.

Pretty good, though parts of the store are always in disarray, like they never got around to setting the space up. Some sections also feel like a half arsed attempt. Basically their competition is minimal so they have no reason to push themselves.

I feel like this store was made for me. Awesome selection of fantasy and sci fi books, massive games and manga section, and heaps of collectibles and accessories. If you like Warhammer and Magic there was heaps of that there too.

Chip tune soundtrack made me feel instantly at home amongst fellow nerds, great to see what Superman is up to these days, wish I could have talked myself into some D&D lore books, there are some great plush and figurines as well.

Such polite and friendly staff, who always have time to assist you. Their range of books and games is extensive. You can get pleasantly lost in this shop, so be prepared to have time up your sleeve when you enter the premises.!!

An interesting shop with everything from postcards to gaming supplies. Plenty to see with books, fantasy and sci fi novels, boardgames, puzzles, a pretty good selection of card and miniature games and a big gaming area upstairs.

Nerd heaven. Downstairs is merchandise space, and upstairs has plenty of tables and room for playing games and getting to know people. They also host some great events there. Check out what they're doing next on their Facebook

The IN spot for all needs and geeks, etc; in Hobart. Table top gamers heaven. Warhammer 40k, Pokemon, Star Wars, Comics, Graphic Novels, Board Games, Gifts, Pop Vinyls, D&D. If they don't have it, they can probably find it.

This is the best store that sells this type of merchandise that I've ever seen. It's so much better than Minotaur in my home city of Melbourne and I only wish that there was an equivalent store to this one in Victoria.

Fantastic selection ranging through art and craft books, fiction of all kinds, novels and manga as well as D'n'D books, miniatures, dice and merch. Plus a load of other stuffs and really great staff to top it off

Visited while on holiday from Sydney. Great store, not a huge selection, but large enough to keep most comic/graphic novel fans happy. Less busy than expected, pleasant browsing experience.. Highly recommended.

Great vibe, great selection, and great prices makes Area 52 a must-see attraction for your gaming and cultural needs! Books, TTRPG needs, dice... so many wonderful things to delight and invite your attention.

My favourite place to browse and purchase manga and Pokémon cards. Kind and helpful staff, and good prices, plenty of events too!! Always go there when in the area, and end up buying something too haha. 10/10

refunds orders without saying why. EDITED nice people, and at least I get my money back. sorry for sounding harsh it just sucks to order something and just have it refunded. thanks for the quick response :)

Staff are super friendly very professional im a casual mtg commander player myself and its nice to be able to ask questions about the game to the staff and them come back with satisfying and truthful answer

Ellison Hawker have a fantastic selection of books, specialising in sci-fi. I've found books not stocked elsewhere when browsing here. Well worth checking out if you're nearby or after a hard to find book.

Absolutely love this shop. Great selection of books especially if you want something different for a gift. Also a superb range of board games & card games. Enjoy having a look and then buying a book!

A huge selection of books, comics, manga, light novels, anime, collectable and gift ideas. A must-visit for geeks and pop culture fanatics. Such a spacious store and great for exploring merchandise.

A good selection of games and cards. Not necessarily cheapest place to buy from but quite reasonable with good service. Their current location has plenty of space for playing various games in-store.

Fantastic range, loved having my two favourite hobbies (reading and games) in one shop, and didn’t feel claustrophobic and dirty like most game shops. Wish they had something like this in Adelaide!

Great variety, of board games, puzzles, comics and all types of stuff. The staff are so welcoming and friendly. Area 52 is a great place to wander in and leave with something new and entertaining

Amazing space. Well lit, clean, excellent stock and properly organised. All games/boardgaming shops should aspire to this. Fantastic play space as well, friendly helpful staff. Well done!

Great new space, great selection and staff more than happy to order anything in for you. Get your own pigeon hole for regular orders. Staff really knowledgeable on everything pop culture.

This place is great for the comic book person or the board games person. It has little of everything into for all people. I would recommend you going in and taking a look for yourself.

This place is bloody awesome!! They have everything in gaming and books!! Very knowledgeable and friendly staff. Walking distance from Hobart Mall, street parking and easy to find!

Visited Area 52 at the new shop on the corner of Elizabeth and Bathurst. Friendly staff, nice selection of books and related stock of games and hobbies like Gunpla and Warhammer.

Good range of teen appropriate comics, board games and figurines. Will check you are getting appropriate content for age group, may be able to special order specific volumes.

Great shop! Really friendly LGS and a awesome comics/subculture selection, came for a MTG prerelease while I was on holiday and they were super welcoming. Highly recommended.

Has a huge variety of books and games. However, the light novels are not in complete series, and are marked up too much compared to buying them for way cheaper from Amazon

Such a great board game store. They had so many options, and the staff were super helpful in answering questions and suggesting games to try. I could spend hours in there

Great atmosphere, friendly staff that always greet you with a smile when you enter the store. Fantastic range of games, books, comics etc. Always a pleasure to visit

Great friendly customer service. Caters for young and old. Also has some great card games days like Pokemon, where the staff will help younger kids learn how to play

This place has an incredible selection of books, comics, board games, miniatures and painting supplies, gunpla kits etc and the staff are very friendly and helpful.

Great range and staff are very helpful and welcoming, which is nice because some times pop culture shops can be intimidating to those who dont frequent them

The staff are very friendly and provided helpful advice for me as a novice player of 'Magic the gathering'. Area 52 has a broad range of games available.

Great store for people who enjoy reading in the fantasy or manga genres, as well as kid books. If you love games and puzzles this is the store for you.

Really terrible customer service. Would not support this business. Also their prices are more expensive than other board game stores a few 100m away.

Very cool place, really helpful attendants, but not a massive range if games of that's what your in the market for, despite this, walked away happy!

Nice store! Given the size of the shop, there us plenty of variety in comics, boardgames and some miniatures. Good little section for kids as well.

Amazing store and staff. Really supportive and inclusive of a wide and diverse gaming community. Will always support this great local business.

Absolutely amazing business, super inclusive and helpful. Andrew and his team take real pride is running what is a thriving friendly community.

Awesome shop with friendly knowledgeable staff who care about the local community. The true definition of FLGS, your friendly local game store.

Love this shop, all the staff are helpful, know their stuff and my kids are always over excited to go as they are a family friendly business

An amazing shop with every game, hobby, book a non electronic gaming kid could ever want. The staff are hugely knowledgeable and helpful.

Absolutely insane mark-ups, fine for emergency nerdy needs but I would always recommend going online when compared to prices like these.

Good customer service. Great range. best to take your time and browse the store. Can be difficult to intiutively find what you're after.

Wow. So infuriating the such an amazing store can be so cruel to someone just because of their race and lack of knowledge. Be better.

Owner was extremely rude to a customer as they asked too many questions about a game. I have seen him do this before - just watch out

Awesome store and worth a visit. Has a huge range of comics, graphic novels, books, collectables, and toys. Great for finding gifts.

Great range of books of all types, board games, tabletop games and card games. Really friendly bunch who are always down for a chat.

Seems to be really well set out, with a great selection of books, games, hobby stuff and knick knackery. Clean, tidy and welcoming.

Definitely worth a visit, such a fun store to browse and the staff are attentive, friendly and willing to help with finding stock.

The best shop in Hobart if you're into books or games or puzzles or comics. SO MANY INTERESTING THINGS. I could spend hours here.

Good store - very knowledgeable staff. Masks a bit weird and they told me buying it would be refunded with purchase, it wasn't.

Amazing store. Excellent range of games, books, comics, figures... Anything nerdy. Staff were also very helpful and pleasant

Fantastic friendly service, amazing range and highly knowledgeable and patient staff. Sells magic cards. Definitely 5 stars

Store is overpriced for what it is. Doesn't have that many games. It's very disappointing. Staff were somewhat unhelpful

Haven't been in here for years. Still a great range of books, comics and everything else. Friendly cheerful staff!

It's good for nerds, but if you're the average shopper, it may be daunting. Relatively good prices, good products.

Great open space for gaming of all varieties, excellent service with a smile, and always a friendly conversation.

Incredible shop, I could have happily spent hours there. The staff were lovely with a wide breadth of knowledge!

Excellent customer service, knowledge and stock availability. All the staff are so friendly and inclusive.

Fantastic shop! Staff are all incredible - friendly, helpful, and personable. Highly recommend …

Great range of things, helpful staff. Feels safe with continued mask requirements for the store.

Great range and hard to find Manga. Okay prices. Would love to see some more figures though!

Took the kids to look at some books. Ended up buying some cool manga books for my daughter.

Really great selection of anime and lots of other books, makes you feel like a kid again!

Fantastic range of games an collectables, passionate owners who know there clientele

Bought some games here, glad there are some comics and game stores around Hobart!

Very fun store with very friendly owners! Can't to visit once we visit Hobart.

Tasmania's premier pop culture store, filled with an array of collectibles.

Amazing staff !!! Such a lovely new store .... My son loves it here