DIXFIELD — “RC Hobbies hopes the magic of gaming fills you with wonder,” reads a flag hanging in the entryway of Ron and Kelly Charity’s new gaming and hobby store on Weld Street.

The store will hold a grand opening Saturday, Sept. 16, with “all-day magic” featuring three back-to-back gaming events beginning at 10 a.m.

The shop at 214 Weld St. has seating for 70 and offers 1,500 board games including Magic: the Gathering, Dungeons and Dragons, Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! 

“One of our goals, especially with the seating out there and the gaming space, is to get the community involved (in gaming),” Ron said.

Kelly added, “We’re looking to expand in many areas. We’re just trying to figure out what this (community wants) as far as different merchandise and stuff like that.”

Ron described playing Dungeons and Dragons:

“So, you’ve got dwarves and elves and the things they’re fighting, and you might decide to be a dwarf fighter, while other compatriots might be elves, archers or mages (wizards) or clerics or warriors,” Ron said.

Kelly added that there is a dragon master who creates all of the things the characters interact with.

“(Players) are raucous and loud and have a lot of fun with it and usually those (games) can last weeks and weeks and months and years,” she said.

“One thing that’s been proven is that kids who play board games and card games, it causes your brain to actually think a lot more and they actually do better in school,” Ron said. For older people, game-playing can ward off the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, and because many of the games involve a lot of thinking, planning and strategy, games improve people’s cognitive abilities, he said.

For those interested in learning, Kelly and Ron will teach and give demonstrations of the games. For more information about RC Hobbies and events, see the Facebook page HobbiesAndGames.

mhutchinson@sunmediagroup.net

RC Hobbies at 214 Weld St. in Dixfield holds a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday morning. Owners Ron and Kelly Charity, center, are with members of the River Valley Chamber of Commerce.

RC Hobbies of Dixfield owners Ron and Kelly Charity stand inside their store at 214 Weld St. The store is hosting a grand opening day of gaming events Saturday, Sept. 16.

RC Hobbies’ game room seats 70 people. Owners Kelly and Ron Charity will host a grand opening Saturday, Sept. 16.

RC Hobbies at 214 Weld St. in Dixfield is holding a grand opening Saturday, Sept. 16.