Many of you who read this if your visiting London will head to Forbidden Planet in Shaftesbury Avenue to immerse yourself in fantasy and science fiction. I however suggest that if your a modeller and/or gamer you should also explore further, head down the road towards Tottenham Court Road and just beyond FOPP emerging from behind a stall that sells hats is a small oasis of calm, creativity and adventure known as Orc’s Nest. I have often visited the shop and its the variety of material they sell that I enjoy. My own shopping over the years has included; wargaming figures, paints, brushes, Magic the Gathering cards, dice, glue and various RPG rulebooks.
This shop has been trading for some 39 years.
PUNK BEGINNINGS
Peter one of the founder’s of Orc’s Nest told me that the beginnings of the shop can be found in the Punk bands of the 1970s. Orc’s Nest was once a punk band and as Peter states they ‘had a couple of almost successful singles in the late 1970s and early 1980s.‘
When the band no longer had a recording contract and bookings started to go quiet he along with the bands lead singer Simon Snakke begun to play Dungeons and Dragons and miniature historical wargames. This soon developed into a interest in painting the figures but they both realised that sourcing the figures was not easy. That is where the idea originated for starting their own shop.
THE ORC INVASION
After a lot of false starts we were about to give up in despair but gave it one last chance and went out walking around Soho and Covent Garden in the snow looking for opportunities and we saw a hand written notice in the window of the shop in Earlham Street saying „Shop for Rent“ and a phone number. The rest, as the cliche goes, is history.
THE BUSINESS OF RUNNING A SHOP
I spoke to Peter about how they decide what to stock. I have always been impressed by the variety of material they offer boardgamers, roleplayers and wargamers. Not surprisingly Peter told me that Dungeons and Dragons outsells any other RPG by about 100 to one.
Their board game range is incredible with over one and half thousand titles stocked. Peter did hint as to why so much boardgame stock is required
Boardgame popularity actually fluctuates quite a lot and there are a lot of trends and fashions that come and go in the boardgame market. What can be really popular one year can be forgotten about the next and the publishers will let a game go out of print quite soon after it is published.
DIVERSITY OF BOARDGAMES
Boardgames are not of course all about wargaming and battlefields. One such example of the diversity in boardgames is Finspan. Peter believes that Finspan will become very popular.
This is a very good example of the sheer beauty of the boardgame and the variety of themes they now cover. These can all be found on Orc’s Nest’s shelves. They are an inspiration in themselves.
Many of these boardgames also now incorporate a solo play element also opening up their playability to many more people.
NOLZUR’S DnD MINIATURES
Boardgames and RPG titles are where Orc’s Nest focus is although they do hold a range of fantasy minis to paint they just cannot compete with the online sellers. It is certainly worth looking in when your there at Nolzur’s DnD miniatures range which are situated upstairs. Yes you can byt online but there is something very satisfying with examining the physical figure before you buy it. I have overheard many conversations where the buyer is trying to find the figure that suits their DnD character. Of course the idea is you buy it then paint it and it does not add to your pile of needing to be painted. As if that would happen!
Near to where these figures are is a small range of historical wargaming rules and figures. In many respects these, as well as offering a great source for the buyer like myself also pay homage to Orc’s Nest roots.
We do try to carry as wide a range as possible. We still carry historical wargaming rules, miniatures and paints because that is really where our own interests and origins lie.
SEE FOR YOURSELF
Please do go and seek out Orc’s nest if your in London. As hinted its stock is varied, its staff are very friendly and helpful and you will I am sure find something to purchase and spark your imagination, whether this is to the dungeons seeking a treasure or to battlefields of the Napoleonic wars. That choice is yours.
Orc’s Nest has a comprehensive website and this can be found here:
