Indie RPG publisher The Melsonian Arts Council has teamed up with the specialist bookshop Iglootree to open a new retail location in South London. The new venture, located at 254 Lee High Road, will serve as both a bookshop and a Friendly Local Game Store (FLGS) and will celebrate its grand opening this Saturday.
For those new to the term, an FLGS is a cornerstone of the tabletop gaming community. More than just a shop, a Friendly Local Game Store provides a physical space for gamers to meet, play, and discover new titles. In an industry increasingly dominated by online retail and digital platforms, these brick-and-mortar stores are vital hubs for fostering community and offering curated, specialist knowledge that algorithms cannot match. Supporting an FLGS is supporting the grassroots of the hobby.
The move marks a significant change for The Melsonian Arts Council, which has spent the last six years operating out of various self-storage warehouses and shipping containers. A recent price hike in storage costs made the prospect of a high street shop a financially viable alternative.
The collaboration brings together two closely linked creative forces. Iglootree is run by Shuyi Zhang, who is also an illustrator for Melsonia. The new premises will allow Iglootree to showcase its collection of unusual books, while The Melsonian Arts Council gains a basement for storage and a public-facing venue for events.
In a newsletter, Melsonia’s Daniel Sell explained the vision for the space, stating they plan to host, “book releases, talks, clubs, game nights, and everything else we’ve always wanted to do there.”
He also touched on the appeal of moving away from a purely online existence. Dan noted, “I feel like this hobby has become too reliant on the internet for its activities and we forget how great it is to meet people who share our interests in person. I’m looking forward to it!”
The publisher acknowledged that the significant effort required to fit out a high street shop has caused some delays. In a note to customers, Dan confirmed they are behind on some orders and fulfilment for projects like Stay Frosty and the Friends of Melsonia collection, but assured backers that clearing the backlog is a top priority after the shop’s launch.
The grand opening takes place this Saturday and will feature a raffle with “ludicrously posh games” as prizes, as well as a basement area for gaming.
