Discover a world of games at Chaos Cards in Folkestone
Discover weekly games and tournaments for Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Magic: The Gathering, Lorcana, One Piece, Dungeons & Dragons, Warhammer, Star Wars Legion and more
On the corner of an unassuming street in Folkestone stands Chaos Cards Tabletop Gaming Centre - a 3,000 sq ft retail and gaming space with a passion for community.
The store is the flagship High Street presence of Chaos Cards, one of the leading online retailers for board games, trading cards, hobby items, and collectables.
Chaos is spearheaded by brothers Tony and Tim Skinner, who set up the business as an eBay account just over 14 years ago. Since then, the company has gone from strength to strength and is now spread across three sites in Folkestone - a warehouse processing online orders, a studio office space, and the High Street store, all supported by a team of 26 full-time staff.
“Opening the store was a real achievement for us. We started online but always wanted to have the resources to support a gaming store. The High Street can be a tricky place, so we knew we’d need a bit of financial backing to help a store survive whilst it was finding its feet,” says Tim, Director of Operations. “The store has now been in Folkestone for almost eight years, so it has a thriving community of regulars who come into the store to both buy and play games.”
The first thing you notice as you come through the door is the strikingly high ceilings and how light and bright everything feels. For a gaming store, this one feels unusually spacious.
“We consciously went with something a bit different. We didn’t want to lean into the typical gaming store vibe—we wanted it to be a light and bright retail space. Our customers love it too, there’s plenty of room to spread out, and we can easily host more than one game or tournament at once—we can seat up to 80 people comfortably.”
So what exactly happens here? “Well, we’re a typical shop, but we also have space specifically set up for gaming and other community focused events! There’s also our Board Games Library up on our mezzanine floor where we have over 200 games available to borrow to play in-store,” says Jack, Store Manager.
“There’s also our really busy programme of weekly events. Each week, we hold games and tournaments for Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Magic: The Gathering, Lorcana, One Piece, Dungeons & Dragons, Warhammer, Star Wars Legion and more. The shop is open until 10pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and each of those evenings has its own atmosphere and audience—some nights are more energetic, and others are more relaxed.”
It’s not just for gamers either. Every school holiday, and on the odd weekend, Chaos Cards also runs events that are great for younger players and their families. “We regularly hold Pokémon crafting workshops where children can make something inspired by a Pokémon. Each workshop is different, but over the past few months, we’ve been making clay pots, pom-poms, Christmas and bedroom decorations, spooky Halloween houses, and the next one is fuzzy-covered folders for school!” Jack explains. “The workshops are brilliant and perfect for children who like the Pokémon brand but aren’t quite at a level where they are ready to play the game. It’s also lovely to be able to show families the store—quite a few of the workshop attendees now come in at the weekend to use the board game library. All the details are shared on our Facebook page or website www.chaoscards.co.uk/folkestone.”
The shop also hosts a huge party on National Pokémon Day in February and their shop birthday in April. “Those are always fun days to come and find out more about what we do, take a chance at winning prizes, and also eat some cake!”
Open seven days a week, there is always an opportunity to pop in and make a purchase - or even play a game at the store. I can’t quite get over how many games there are on the shelves. “It can be unbelievable how many games there are these days,” Jack enthuses. “The tabletop gaming industry has had such a huge resurgence over recent years. We think it’s because people are looking for a new way to socialise—something where you’re not reliant on alcohol or dancing, somewhere you can chat, eat snacks, and challenge your friends to something competitive! We have games for almost every mood or interest—silly party games and really fast speed round games, right through to strategic games that can take hours to complete.”
I ask Jack if he means Risk, and he laughs. “Sure, Risk and Scrabble, but they’re quite old-school now. There are much more exciting and fun ideas available, like games where you can explore a haunted house, games that work like Escape Rooms, games where you establish and manage a street of artisanal shops featuring adorable tiny dragons; and even games you can play by yourself.”
Solo board gaming seems appealing - sometimes it can be hard to coordinate diaries with friends, or maybe my friends aren’t that competitive. “Many of our community have come through the doors alone, but they join the weekly events and end up meeting lots of new people with shared interests. There’s no expectation that you have to come with a table full of people - we just want to meet people who want to learn and play more,” adds Jack. “We welcome complete beginners through to die-hard gamers too, and the community is really inclusive—so no one is chastised for not knowing the best move or all the rules. If anyone really doesn’t know where to start, we also run ‘Demo Sundays’ where a member of staff can run through any trading card game with you. Demonstrations are free - you just need to let us know you’re coming. Pop us a message through our Facebook page or give us a call.
I notice a poster about an upcoming tournament - so it’s not all just friendly playing? “No, it can get certainly get competitive at times!” laughs Jack. “But it’s a good atmosphere. All our tournaments are optional—you can always just play in a friendly way, but most people end up giving the more competitive side a go eventually!”
“We’re also a WPN Premium store, which means we are seen within our industry as one of the top stores. It’s an exclusive title, and it means we are able to hold special events often with giveaways. We’re really proud to hold this title and work hard to maintain it!”
Whether you're a seasoned player, a complete beginner, or just looking for a new way to spend time with family and friends, Chaos Cards offers something for everyone. With its welcoming atmosphere, thriving community, and endless shelves of games, it’s more than just a shop - it’s a hub for creativity, competition, and connection. So whether you're popping in to browse, joining a tournament, or just curious to see what all the excitement is about, there's always a space for you at the table.
Chaos Cards Tabletop Gaming Centre, 100 Sandgate Road, Folkestone, CT20 2BW
www.facebook.com/@ChaosCardsGamingCentre
www.chaoscards.co.uk/folkestone
01303 255522
