Valhalla Hobby

Great place for a lot of hobbies I only really go there for Gundam model kits

Have been here a few times for some TCG release events. They've been great about having adequate product and are fair with their distribution! Space is a little cramped, but overall staff was generally friendly, and I've had positive experiences the handful of times I went.

Horrible experience trying to purchase product. TLDR: sold something I already paid without contacting me at all My friend and I were looking for a trading card product (Riftbound booster boxes) but all of our local stores were completely out so we broadened our search. Fortunately we found Valhalla Hobby which said they had a few in stock! Brilliant. Both me and my friend would have to make the drive (not too long, not short) since we both wanted boxes and the website said one per person (to prevent scalpers, sure, makes total sense). Even though we planned to drive there the very next day and arrive near opening, knowing how hot this product was I went ahead and made an order online (paid). Got the confirmation, checked my phone again in the morning to no notifications, and hopped on the road. We walked in all excited just to be told one of our boxes was already sold. How? Apparently paying for both boxes in the same order was not allowed despite no indication of that online. To reiterate, my friend and I both wanted our own boxes, we both made the drive out there, but because I made one order to pay for both of us (personal reasons) they just sold one of the boxes with saying anything? Now what got me mad enough to write a review was not the one box per customer policy or not being able to get a box, but all the blatant disrespect for paying customers that made this situation even possible. First off, if you want one box per online order then say that. One per person and one per order are two very different things. Or at the very least limit the number of boxes the website allows me to order to 1. If either of these had been the case my friend would have just made his own order. Another option would be an area on the order to indicate it was for multiple people. Second, send a follow up email, text, or call. All my information was on the order and clearly an employee had to see the order, see the issue, to know to sell the other box. All it would have taken was a email/text/call to verify, "Hey, it's one per person, did you pay for two people?". Instead I was dismissively told by the employee when I asked "Well, was it indicated anywhere? What could I have done?" "You could have emailed us." Well yeah, I could've and would've if I known that's what I was supposed to do? I got an order confirmation email and everything. Nowhere did it indicate I was supposed to send a separate email to confirm something I thought would be obvious looking at the order (paid for two boxes, am two people). I did get an email minutes before I got there saying my order was ready, but rather than confirm anything it simple told me my other box was already refunded (which I didn't even see until after as I was driving and the heading was "Order is Ready!"). Which leads to the third issue, just wait? I get it if two days pass and I don't pick up my order. Can't let product sit on the shelf and all. But these products were (are) flying off shelves, it can't hurt to hold it until the person comes to pick up their order or at the very least 24 hours? I showed up less than 12 hours after I placed the order. We could have sorted everything out in person in seconds, "Oh btw you need two people... oh you are two people, great." If I was one person then you can refund one of my boxes and sell it to someone else but to not even wait an hour for me to show up? Even if adjusting the website was too hard and calling me was too much effort, at the very least you could wait until I show up to pick up the product I already paid for to sort out any concerns you had? Worst comes to worst you don't let me walk out with either box and put them back on your shelves to sell which clearly you have no issue with doing since one of my boxes was literally sold in the hour after opening. As a final thing, I would be less mad if this was a clear money grab, something understandable, but I had already paid the money? And the person who bought it out from under me paid the same price I did? This is inexcusable behavior, just a complete lack of care and respect.

The employees and owners are kind and the store is clean. They are very quick and responsive when asked questions. They even will sit down with you and demo games. Their prices are always fair (Sometimes more than fair)! I just started going here at the beginning of the year, but this has quickly become my preferred hobby store in the greater Madison area.

Small Space, Epic Inventory Good selection of miniatures and paints for a small storefront. Had the Tamiya glue I wanted for less than Amazon. Update: They have added more racks of board games, since our first visit.