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PAGE 10 â€" WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1983 Northdale Auto Body e Retirement Savings â€" Plan with No Fees of Complete Collision and Refinishing Service 430 Albert Street,Waterioo THE FEE FREE R.R.S.P. Software Services Ltd. 279 Weber St. North Waterloo, Ontario N2J 3H8 Xerox Office Products Dealer XEROX is a registered trademark of XEROX CORPORATION used by XEROX CANADA INC as a registered user XEROX. * Can be covered _ The Ark has landed in Waterloo! Mr. Gameways‘ Ark, that is. On the surface, the store looks like any typical toy, game and hobby store. But once inside, custqgners quickly realize that this is not your average retail outlet. "Don‘t just be another store â€" be interesting!" ‘That‘s the philosâ€" ophy of the Mr. Gameways‘ Ark retail chain, according to local store manager Jim Wilson. Wilson manages the Waterloo Square outlet which opened in late Ocâ€" tober. In many ways, says Wilson. One obvious way is that at Mr. Gaâ€" meways‘, people of all ages are encouraged to have fun and to play with the merchandise. The Waterâ€" loo Square outlet had a specified play area while it was in larger quarters next to the Bell Phone Centre. For the next month or so, the outlet is situated on the lower level, where space is limited. But once the store returns to the main floor, Wilson hopes that customers will again have a play area. Horses turned into reindeer is an example of management‘s attitude toward employees. Workers are encouraged to use their creativity. *‘People (employees) here are much looser. It‘s not as starched an atmosphere as you might find at other stores," Wilson explains. The numberâ€"one priority for workers ‘‘is to get the job done." But after that, ‘"then you do what you like, within the bounds of basic sanity." Pipecleaners on chess pieces was within those bounds. How is Mr. Gameways®‘ Ark difâ€" ferent? â€" Another unique feature of the store is a bit more subtle. "You might stumble across odd things on the shelves," Wilson says. If you were browsing around in the store‘s chess section during the Christmas season, you might have found that "all horses had pipeâ€" cleaners tied to their heads to make them look like reindeer." Roleâ€"playing with customers is also (within sanity‘s bounds for employees. Roleâ€"playing games, such as Dungeons and Dragons and Space Opera, have become increasingly popular. Mr. Gaâ€" meways‘ Ark sells a wide variety of such games. And store clerks are free to indulge in verbal roleâ€"playing with any interested customer. So while shopping at the store, you might overhear someâ€" one say they‘re going to take their sword and "slash at an Ork." Or you might even see two role players having a sword fight using posters as weapons. Roleâ€"playing games often atâ€" tract people who are from "the lunatic fringe," in Wilson‘s words. These are ‘‘people that are wrapped up irf odd hobbies."" They are ‘"a step off the main line of society ... but not part of the criminal element." Referring to people as part of a "lunatic fringe"" might sound a bit peculiar. So to put things into proper perspective, it‘s important to note that Mr. Gameways‘ Ark also offers the full gamut of usual merchandise. Customers will find standard family games, such as Scrabble and Monopoly, popular board games, gambling games, jigsaw puzzles, brain teasers and crafts. As well, the store stocks a full array of infant and toddlers toys, dolls, Lego, figurines, as well as nic nacs, books and cards. But the store‘s merchandise goes beyond the dimension of usual or ordinary. ‘"The general philosophy is don‘t be afraid to try anything,‘" Wilson notes. With this in mind, the retail chain regularly takes a number of games on conâ€" signment. One game which was first sold on a consignment basis at Mr. The Inside Track KARLA WHEELER ‘We were very generous," Wilâ€" son says facetiously, ‘"and took six on consignment‘"‘ in late 1981. ‘"‘Three days later we took another six, then we put them on the regular accounts." According to Wilson, Waterloo will likely be the site for a major games convention this spring. Wilâ€" son and two associates at Mr. Gameways‘ Ark are organizing the weekendâ€"long event. Last year, the trio ran a convention in Toronto. But Waterloo is the preferred site, Wilson explains, because of the concentration of student populaâ€" tion. ‘‘Games are a lot more organized in a university town." Gameways‘ store in Toronto is the hotâ€"selling Trivial Pursuit. â€" Today, Mr. Gameways‘ outlets continue to be deluged with reâ€" quests for the game. In Waterloo recently, for example, Wilson and his staff preâ€"sold 450 games to local Trivial Pursuit enthusiasts who eagerly await, fresh shipâ€" ments. There have been manufacâ€" turing delays, but Wilson says all orders should be filled by the end of next week. Mr. Gameways‘ Ark was foundâ€" ed in 1976 by Toronto residents Peter Statner and Maggie Husâ€" band. The company experienced serious financial problems a few years later, which ‘"really waâ€" kened up the management," Wilâ€" son explains. The company has been clear of receivership for two years now, ‘"long enough that we, and all the suppliers, have comâ€" plete confidence." Many people try to break into the games market with their original creations. "A lot are bad. Some are good, and Trivial Purâ€" suit is a gem," says the manager. The event, expected â€"to attract more than 1,000 game enthusiasts, will feature many tournaments, as well as booths set up by Canadian and U.S. game suppliers and reâ€" tailers. Next time you visit the Waterloo outlet, why not have a little fun with the manager‘s sense of humor and call him by his nickname, "JOSO." Jim Stevens Wilson says he and his friends are on "the lunatic fringe" of society. His friends call him "JOSO," which represents his first two initials with huge periods between them‘! The main store is located on Yonge Street in Toronto, and branch outlets have opened in Waterloo, Cloverdale, Pickering and Collingwood. Jim Wilson, manager of Mr. Gameways‘ Ark, displays some popular roleâ€"playing games in the Waterloo Square store.