Planning to start your winter holiday shopping, support local geek businesses, or just take advantage of some amazing deals this weekend? Well, we’ve done all the legwork for you and are happy to provide your ultimate Minnesota geek guide to Black Friday and Small Business Saturday! We’ve arranged all of the businesses into categories and featured what sorts of bargains and specials they’re offering this year right under their address, complete with a Google Maps link to make life easy.
All of the awesome stores below are participating donation locations for the 2023 Twin Cities Geek Holiday Toy & Book Drive, so why not take advantage of the deals to donate something in one of the collection boxes or make an online donation to brighten someone’s holiday? It feels really good to do good—we promise.
Art and Craft Supply Stores
Now is a great time to stock up on craft, cosplay, and art supplies from some awesome local businesses that will help you find exactly what you need—or something perfect for those special someones on your gift list!
Knit & Bolt
2833 Johnson St. NE
Minneapolis, MN 55418 (Map Link)
(612) 788-1180
Special on Black Friday:
- Buy 1 item and get the 2nd 70% off (fabric cuts must be full yard cuts; does not stack with other discounts)
Special on Small Business Saturday:
- Get a special thank-you gift with your purchase!
Special on Cyber Monday:
- Free shipping with code CyberKnit
Wet Paint
684 Grand Ave.
St Paul, MN 55105 (Map Link)
(651) 698-6431
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
Games, Toys, and Comics Establishments
Whether you’re shopping for your kids, your significant other(s), your siblings, your friends, or yourself, Minnesota’s wealth of local game, toy, and comics shops are sure to have what you need. You don’t want to miss the amazing discounts that so many of them are offering.
Adventure Loot Games
2365 Commerce Blvd., Unit 2
Mound, MN 55364 (Map Link)
(612) 876-7789
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
All Systems Go Games and Movies
1519 NE Central Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55413 (Map Link)
(612) 331-0028
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
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Up to 20% back in bonus gift cards (fixed quantity available—when they’re gone, they’re gone!)
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Spend $50 in store, get a $5 bonus gift card
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Spend $100 in store, get a $15 bonus gift card
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Spend $150 in store, get a $30 bonus gift card
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All $2 DVDs are 2 for $3
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All $4 Blu-rays are 2 for $6
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Fresh clearance starting at 40% off
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50% off board game rentals
- All used games on the website are 20% off
- Annual memberships to Boop’s ASG Fam Club are available for 20% off the monthly rate (members get open access to the store’s board game rental library, an additional 10% off all purchases, and other perks throughout the year)
Brickmania GHQ
1618 Central Ave., Suite 110
Minneapolis, MN 55413 (Map Link)
(612) 584-3627
Specials on Black Friday:
- Buy 3 get 1 free Brickmania kit (excludes preorders and vault kits)
- Free Brickmania Black Ops Brick with purchase of $100 or more
- Free domestic shipping with online purchase of NJG-1 BF-109
Bricks & Minifigs Minnetonka
12909 Ridgedale Dr.
Minnetonka, MN (Map Link)
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
- Buy 3 minifigs get one free (of equal or lesser value up to $25)
- Buy one $3, $5, $10, $15 bagged item get one free (equal or lesser value)
- 50% off bulk tables
- 25% off all used sets
- 15% off all BrickArms and Brick Forge weapon packs
Comic Book College
1430 County Road C West
Roseville, MN 55113 (Map Link)
(612) 822-2309
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
- 30% off recent comics and back issues priced under $100
- 20% off CGC graded comics, graphic novels, and toys/action figures
- Select books discounted to $7 each
- Select sale comic books from 25¢ to $2
Sale excludes this week’s releases and any merchandise on hold.
Dreamers Vault Games
14332 Burnhaven Dr.
Burnsville, MN 55306 (Map Link)
(952) 895-1989
and
Dreamers Vault Games
11591 Theatre Dr. N
Champlin, MN 55316 (Map Link)
(763) 506-0303
and
Dreamers Vault Games
4701 Hiawatha Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55406 (Map Link)
(612) 724-4543
and
Dreamers Vault Games
1143 Larpenteur Ave W
Roseville, MN 55113 (Map Link)
(651) 330-7859
and
Dreamers Vault Games
207 13th Ave. S
South St. Paul, MN 55075 (Map Link)
(651) 200-4374
and
Dreamers Vault Games
3015 Utah Ave. S
St. Louis Park, MN 55426 (Map Link)
(952) 938-8163
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
- Buy 1 get 1 50% off all board games (discount is applied to lesser-value item)
- $100 The Brothers’ War and Dominara United collector booster boxes
Fragmented Nostalgia
Maplewood Mall
3001 White Bear Ave. N
Maplewood, MN 55109 (Map Link)
(920) 889-6430
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
- Buy 2, get 1 free on all blind boxes (free item is equal or lesser value)
- Buy 1, get 1 30% off all items in store (discount applied to equal or lesser value)
- $25 or 2/$40 Pokémon sitting cuties/fits
- Get a $20 off coupon towards a Pikachu at the Fracnos outlet store when you spend $100 or more
Galaxy Games
1095 Diffley Rd.
Eagan, MN 55123 (Map Link)
(651) 797-2670
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
- Get a $5 gift certificate for every $100 you spend on board games and accessories (sleeves, deck boxes, binders)
- Buy any role-playing game book and get a free $4.50 miniature or $4.50 off of a larger mini
- $10 off all Epic Encounters
- 20% off all Pokémon products more than $5
- A large clearance table with increasing discounts throughout the weekend featuring board games, books, accessories, and trading card products from Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon, Flesh and Blood, Digimon, Dragon Ball Super, and My Hero Academia
Please keep in mind that none of these deals stack!
The Gamers Den
140 Buchanan St. N #142
Cambridge, MN 55008 (Map Link)
(763) 689-5370
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
- Almost storewide discount all weekend
- Online discounts with code BlackFriday2024
Discount applicable to in-stock items only. Not applicable to gift cards, preorders, event entries, Ichiban, or machine tokens. The store reserves the right to limit quantities.
Games By James (Roseville)
327 Rosedale Center #652
Roseville, MN 55113 (Map Link)
(651) 636-0701
and
Games By James (Bloomington)
Mall of America
358 East Broadway
Bloomington, MN 55425 (Map Link)
(952) 854-4747
and
Games By James (Edina)
2510 Southdale Center
Edina, MN 55435 (Map Link)
(952) 925-9656
and
Games by James (St Cloud)
Crossroads Center
4101 W Division St
St Cloud, MN 56301 (Map Link)
(320) 253-1571
and
Games By James (Minnetonka)
Ridgedale Center
12401 Wayzata Blvd., Level 2
Minnetonka, MN 55305 (Map Link)
(952) 545-6616
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
- Free first-tier gift with any purchase of $50 or more
- Free second-tier gift with any purchase of $100 or more
Items available as free gifts may be different for differing days or stores.
Heroic Goods and Games
3458 Minnehaha Ave.
Minneapolis MN 55406 (Map Link)
(612) 200-9354
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
- All DVDs and VHSes $1 each
- D20 sale: roll the die at checkout for 10% to 20% off your purchase
Hidden MN
1975 Oakcrest Ave. Suite 1
Roseville, MN 55113 (Map Link)
(651) 478-4112
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
Hot Comics & Collectibles (Richfield)
26 W 66th St.
Richfield, MN 55423 (Map Link)
(612) 798-3936
and
Hot Comics & Collectibles (Minneapolis)
4400 Osseo Rd.
Minneapolis, MN 55412 (Map Link)
(763) 593-1223
and
Hot Comics & Collectibles (Jordan)
224 Broadway St. S
Jordan, MN 55352 (Map Link)
(952) 492-7870
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
- 50% off back issues (excludes graded comics)
- 40% off trade paperbacks and hardcovers
- 40% off toys (excludes Hot Toys, Sideshow, and recent products)
- BOGO Magic and Pokémon $1 rares
- 5¢ Magic and Pokémon commons
Hub Hobby (Little Canada)
82 Minnesota Ave.
Little Canada, MN 55117 (Map Link)
(651) 490-1675
and
Hub Hobby (Richfield)
6410 Penn Ave. S
Richfield, MN 55423 (Map Link)
(612) 866-9575
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
- 20% off all Road Race, Bachmann train sets, Douglas plush, Playmobil, and puzzles
- Huge remote control discounts
Issues Needed Comics
15465 Cedar Ave. S #160
Apple Valley, MN 55124 (Map Link)
(952) 683-9339
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
- 30% off all (full-priced) graphic novels and bundles
- 20% off all toys, Funkos, and statues
- 20% off all back issues (wall books, graded comics, and keys included)
- Bring your own short box and fill it up with dollar-bin books for only $40
Level Up Games
120 2nd St. E
Hastings, MN 55033 (Map Link)
(651) 346-1631
and
Level Up Games
1425 LaSalle Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55403 (Map Link)
(612) 315-3945
and
Level Up Games
2493 7th St. W
St Paul, MN 55116 (Map Link)
(612) 528-8681
Specials on Black Friday:
- Get a $20 gift card for every $100 spent in the store
Lodestone Coffee and Games
10982 Cedar Lake Rd.
Minnetonka, MN 55305 (Map Link)
(952) 657-5226
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
- 50% off playmats and select accessories
- Up to 25% off Magic: The Gathering sealed product
- 20% off anything in the wall case
- 20% off all board games and board game accessories
- 10% off all Magic singles in store and online
- 10% off online orders with code BLACKFRIDAY
Sale does not apply to preorder items, event entries, gift cards, or used games.
The Lost Zone Cards & Collectables
9915 Lyndale Ave South,
Bloomington, MN 55420 (Map Link)
(612) 850-2425
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
- 25% off board games
- 20% off Pokémon in-stock box Collections
- 20% off Dragon Ball Super box sets
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15% off everything in the store (including singles)
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$120 Pokémon booster boxes
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$100 Pokémon Charizard UPC
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$70 Yu-Gi-Oh booster boxes
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$85 Yu-Gi-Oh 25th anniversary box
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$70 Digimon booster boxes
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$80 Digimon Resurgence booster box
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$65 Dragon Ball Super booster box
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$65 Wixoss booster boxes
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$65 Wiess Schwarz booster box
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Sale Magic: The Gathering boxes: Draft $100; Set $115; Collector’s $225
Mischief Toy Store
818 Grand Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55105 (Map Link)
(651) 493-3307
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
- 20% off everything you can fit in one of Mischief’s stockings
- 20% off the store’s favorite 12 holiday gift ideas
- 20% off all online gift packages and gift cards
- Free cookies!
Limit one goodie cookie per person. While supplies last.
Punch-Out Gaming
828 Lake St S
Forest Lake, MN 55025 (Map Link)
(651) 464-9820
Specials on Black Friday:
- 50% off all sports card singles
- 25% off all PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One game systems
- 25% off all plush toys and LED lights
- 25% off all Pokémon booster packs
- 10% off all Pokémon singles
- 10% off everything in the store
- Buy 1 get 1 free on all coasters
- Buy 3 get 1 free on all video games
- Buy 3 get 1 free on Pokémon Elite Trainer boxes
Red 6 Games
1326 Grand Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55105 (Map Link)
(651) 690-4628
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
- Get a $10 gift card when you spend $100 on qualifying purchases
- Get a $40 gift card when you spend $250 on qualifying purchases
- Get a free unpainted miniature or $5 discount on a miniature with RPG book purchase
- All war game purchases will receive additional discounts
- Purchase a game for the Twin Cities Geek Holiday Toy & Book Drive and get a gift card for half the purchase price
Source Comics and Games
2057 Snelling Ave. N
Roseville, MN 55113 (Map Link)
(651) 645-0386
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
- Huge Black Friday sale all weekend
- Make a monetary food shelf donation at the register to receive an additional 10% off your purchase (or 20% off if you have an Adventure Club card)
Tower Games
3920 Nicollet Ave. #150
Minneapolis, MN 55409 (Map Link)
(612) 823-4477
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
- Buy 3, get the 4th free on all items in the store except consignment (free item of lesser or equal value; like items grouped together if multiples of 4 are purchased)
Steamship Games
711 W Lake St.
Minneapolis, MN 55408 (Map Link)
(612) 844-1011
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
- 10% off everything in the store
- Free sleeves with purchases over $60
- Yu-Gi-Oh and Digimon sales
Bookstores
What would an ultimate geek shopping guide be without bookstores? Sorely lacking, that’s what. The stores below are participating in the Twin Cities Geek Holiday Toy & Book Drive, but we have an entire separate guide for all of the independent bookstores throughout Minnesota—and it is huge! Click here to check out the Black Friday/Small Business Saturday bookstore guide.
Cream & Amber
1605 Mainstreet
Hopkins, MN 55343 (Map Link)
(952) 595-5640
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
- 25% off when you purchase a book using the coupon available in the store’s winter catalog (in stores now)
- Get a free 12-ounce drip coffee all day with any book, merchandise, food, or beverage purchase on Small Business Saturday
Red Balloon Bookshop
891 Grand Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55105 (Map Link)
Specials on Small Business Saturday:
- Small treats for customers
- Use the store’s button maker to make your own free buttons
Other Local Purveyors
You can’t go wrong with these local geek-owned-and-operated establishments!
Blue Sun Soda Shop
1625 County Hwy. 10
Spring Lake Park, MN 55432 (Map Link)
(763) 432-0704
Specials and Events on Small Business Saturday:
- Whistler Soda sale: $1 for a bottle or $20 for a case of 24 (bottle deposit extra)
- Special anniversary items available at the soda fountain
- Free tours at 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. (limited space available)
- Several sodas open for free tastings
- Premade, gift-ready 6-packs of root beer and white elephant sodas for gifting all under $20
- New toys and puzzles
Blue Sun Soda Shop
9801 Nicollet Ave.
Bloomington, MN 55420 (Map Link)
Specials on Small Business Saturday:
- Whistler Soda sale: $1 for a bottle or $20 for a case of 24 (bottle deposit extra)
- Several sodas open for free tastings
- Premade, gift-ready 6-packs of root beer and white elephant sodas for gifting all under $20
- New toys and puzzles
Blue Sun Soda Shop
126 Main St. S
Stillwater, MN 55082 (Map Link)
(651) 342-0941
Specials on Small Business Saturday:
- Several sodas open for free tastings
- Premade, gift-ready 6-packs of root beer and white elephant sodas for gifting all under $20
- New toys and puzzles
Boom Island Brewing
5959 Baker Rd.
Minnetonka, MN (Map Link)
(612) 227-9635
Specials on Black Friday:
- The brewery is unveiling a range of limited-edition black beers, exclusively on tap for the Boom Island Black Friday event
- For $10, get a pint beer plus a special glass to keep
- Donate to the Twin Cities Geek Holiday Toy & Book Drive at Boom Island and get $1 off your first beer or nonalcoholic beverage of choice
Duck Duck Coffee
1830 E 38th St.
Minneapolis, MN 55407 (Map Link)
Special Event on Small Business Saturday:
- Cool Trash will be hanging out in the store from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Electric Fetus
2000 4th Ave. S
Minneapolis, MN 55404 (Map Link)
(612) 870-9300
Specials on Black Friday:
Specials on Small Business Saturday:
- 20% off almost everything in the store*
- Get a January savings punch card free with every purchase November 24–December 31
- CD/vinyl signing with Sharon L. Nelson and NRG Mike at 3:00 p.m. (receive a special T-shirt with purchase at the event while supplies last)
*Discount does not apply to gift cards, vinyl on the collectibles wall, electronics, or any product already sale priced, including Black Friday exclusives
Free Geek Twin Cities
2537 25th Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55406 (Map Link)
(612) 223-5967
Specials on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
- 50% off all non-HDMI computer monitors
Sunshine Pet Grooming
205 Lewis St S Ste 107
Shakopee, MN 55379 (Map Link)
(833) 662-0010
Specials on Small Business Saturday:
- Free Shop Small reusable tote with purchase
Don’t Forget the Holiday Drive!
As mentioned above, all of the stores on this page are hosting donation boxes for the 2023 Twin Cities Geek Holiday Toy & Book Drive. Curious what kinds of items we are collecting or what organizations we’re collecting for? Click here to find out!
And if you do add a little something to a donation box, snap a selfie and share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram with the hashtag #GiveTCG to spread the word!