By ROBERT CONE
Correspondent
Whether they’re top-decking a Lightning Helix for lethal damage, navigating a swarm of Imperial T.I.E. fighters or pitching in for some pepperoni pizza and Mountain Dew, Mike Dunlap, Brian Ortiz and brothers Aaron and Michael Fortino share a common passion: their jobs.
In October, the four partners – Dunlap and Ortiz from Land O’ Lakes and the Fortinos from Carrollwood – opened Armada Games at the Temple Terrace Village shopping plaza on 56th Street.
The seed of owning their own gaming store had been germinating for several years.
“We’ve been friends for 10 years or so, and actually met while gaming,” said Dunlap, 28. “I think we would go to some stores when we were growing up and say, ‘If I owned this place, I’d do it better.’ Well, this is it.”
The journey has been anything but smooth sailing.
“Four years ago, we got together and got a booth at the Big Top Flea Market. We did that seasonally for three years, selling gaming supplies, anime toys, and also going to gaming conventions,” Dunlap said. “After three years of asking for loans, we finally found a bank that said yes, and here we are.”
On 56th Street between Fowler Avenue and Busch Boulevard, the store’s location seemed just right, Ortiz said.
“We love Temple Terrace and love the people here,” said Ortiz, 27. “We knew we wanted a place around people, around homes. We knew this was our spot.”
Having Five Star Pizza as its neighbor in the shopping plaza has also been a boon for both businesses; the easy access to pizza and 2-liter bottles of soda help fuel hungry gamers’ appetites well into the morning on most nights at Armada Games.
The shop features a wide variety of fantasy, role-playing, miniatures and collectible card games and supplies. Some of the most popular games include “Warhammer” fantasy and “Warhammer 40K” miniatures, “Star Wars” miniatures, “Dungeons & Dragons,” “Magic: The Gathering,” “Ultimate Fighting System,” “Axis and Allies” miniatures and “HeroClix.”
The owners also help quench gamers’ thirsts for competition by offering a steady schedule of tournaments each week. An array of anime toys and collectibles, board games and miniatures can also be found on the shelves.
The four partners have enjoyed fantasy games since they were back in school, even meeting initially via an online game of “Neverwinter Nights” in the 1990s. The game was a forerunner of today’s popular massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs) like “World of Warcraft” and “Everquest.”
When asked to pick his favorite game, Michael Fortino, 27, was stumped.
“We play anything and everything. As long as it’s fun, I’ll play it again. I couldn’t really pick a favorite,” Fortino said. “People who play games like this tend to be freer thinkers, more creative and have more active imaginations. They’re open to new things and adaptability seems to be higher.”
Choosing favorites isn’t so tough for Michael’s older brother, Aaron.
“I’m a (Warhammer) 40K and “Magic” freak,” said Aaron Fortino, 29. “We’re all like-minded. We wanted a place to play games, wanted a place for people to play games, and wanted to meet new people to play with.”
The store has become so popular, it’s not unusual to see 20 people playing there until after midnight, even on weeknights. Part of the shop’s appeal is its knowledgeable owners.
“Every time I come here, the people have been awesome. The sign says they close at 11 or 12, but they’re usually here until 2 or 3 in the morning. One time, they didn’t close until 8 a.m.,” said Anthony Tecchio, 18, of Temple Terrace. “I like to play “Risk,” “Magic: The Gathering” and RPGs (role-playing games) like “Shadowrun.” If I can’t come here every day, then I come every other day because the shop owners are so cool.”
One of the store’s several female regulars, Fena Davison, 20, said she enjoys its open environment.
“The atmosphere is great. It’s a very neutral setting – happy and creative,” said Davison, a Carrollwood resident.
Though the owners said they’ve been overwhelmed by the response from people so far, they’re not resting on their laurels.
“I’d like to see us keep getting bigger and better, to be a place where anyone can come and play games and expand the gaming community,” Ortiz said. “When people think about gaming in Tampa Bay, I want them to think Armada Games.”
For information about Armada Games, open seven days a week, call 980-6080 or visit http://www.armadagames.com.