Geek Retreat: The purple and yellow shop where nobody plays alone

That purple and yellow shop on Upper Brook Street

If you’ve ever been on Upper Brook Street in the morning, you might have wondered why a queue of people snaked down the street, eagerly waiting for a purple and yellow shop to open its doors.

Not many places can demand such devotion and create such anticipation. But Geek Retreat Ipswich is a truly special place that inspires loyalty, builds community, and fosters a sense of inclusion that few other businesses can.

What is Geek Retreat Ipswich?

It is hard to define Geek Retreat Ipswich in a few words. It's like trying to explain the magic of a morning sunrise. This is not a sentence anyone would usually associate with what is essentially a shop. But it’s not. It is so much more. It's a community centre, a cafe, a support service, a wedding venue, a collectors haven, a gaming hub, a lifeline, and a sanctuary.

How it started

Geek Retreat was formed in April 2021 and opened its Upper Brook Street premises in October 2021. The decision to take on the Ipswich franchise came about after the owners—Sharon and Rob—saw a BBC article about Geek Retreat. They both loved the concept and thought their kids would enjoy a place like this, so they decided to make it happen.

Despite being a national franchise, the Ipswich shop feels like an independent, family-run passion project, and that’s because it is!

An unexpected addition to Ipswich's night time economy

Little did they know the impact they would have on Ipswich's nightlife. With the seemingly simple intention of opening a shop for people with shared interests in geek culture, they have created a vibrant community, an extended family, and the only alcohol-free premises open in Ipswich town centre until 10pm.

Community support

Whether you are an experienced collector or just have a passing interest in learning a new game. Within minutes of walking through their doors, you’ll find a uniquely welcoming atmosphere, knowledgeable and helpful staff, and a community of people who will offer informal advice on gameplay.

It has inspired such loyalty that even the customers pitch in to help with the hoovering. Seriously, show me another shop where the customers help with the clean-up, and I’ll eat my imaginary hat.

All staff are trained in autism awareness and mental health support. Though not a primary service, they are skilled in signposting people who may benefit from specialist services. At least one customer has explicitly stated that they wouldn’t be alive today if it weren’t for Geek Retreat.

Trading card games

One of the main activities for the shop is trading card games (TCG’s). Covering a variety of fandoms, including Pokémon, Lorcana, Magic the Gathering, One Piece, and Star Wars, TCGs are both highly collectable and loads of fun to play.

If you’ve not encountered this world before, think of it as a modern version of a traditional card game: strategic, themed, and highly sought after. Geek Retreat Ipswich hosts hugely popular competitive events, casual games, learn-to-play sessions for beginners, product launches for the uber collectors, and swap meets for those looking to expand their deck or find a specific new card to help their gameplay.

Community connections

Along with their core programme of trading card events, competitions, and board games, they also run a diverse range of community activities. This includes their ever-popular weekly crochet club and seasonal craft and collectors fairs, which are brimming with independent stallholders selling fabulous handmade wares and collectors rehoming surplus geek memorabilia. These fairs are great for bargains and unique gift purchases.

Always keen to offer their space out, they welcome a lots of different community groups to the site including Suffolk Pride’s B*tch & Stitch event on the last Thursday of the month.

Embracing friendly competition

Geek Retreat Ipswich is known for its store tournaments and hugely popular TCG competitions, which customers pay to enter. Every participant gets a prize pack of cards for entering, and extra-special prizes are available for the winners.

Players register through an app. On the day, they are paired up and compete until one person emerges victorious. These hugely competitive games welcome newbies and seasoned players alike while retaining a sense of fun and entertainment.

Tables are available for group gameplay throughout the shop, operating on a ‘fair use’ basis. Customers bring their own games—including the very popular Dungeons & Dragons—or they can borrow a fabulous selection of board games for free.

They only ask that you purchase drinks and food from their cafe. This is hardly an imposition, as the drinks are affordable, and their range of food is fantastic, with vegan and vegetarian options, too.

Like many businesses in this climate, costs are rising, but they are always looking at ways to minimise any increase. For example, recently, they switched from glass-bottled drinks to cans to charge people less. If you download the app, customers also get 20% back on all purchases.

Geek Retreat has had a 5-star food hygiene rating since opening its doors. It values its customers' loyalty, so consultation with its community is deeply embedded in its way of operating. When it considers changing the cafe menu, customers' opinions are welcomed and actively encouraged. This dynamic and responsive way of working made it a Finalist in the Suffolk Business Awards 2024 category of Customer Excellence.

Quirky, cool and kind

Every day is different at Geek Retreat. From World Championship qualifiers one day to special events like weddings and birthdays (with full packages available to purchase, including themed entertainment, food, and drink).

When I popped in to interview Sharon and one of the newest members of staff, Baz, I was welcomed by a friendly bearded dragon called Dexter. His owners kindly let me pet him and agreed to having his photo published here, too. What a handsome chap! They are a dog-friendly venue and told me tales of the various animals they have welcomed, including parrots and the occasional visit from the reptile zoo.

From retail to romance and community collaboration, Geek Retreat Ipswich is truly a one-of-a-kind place that far defies one simple explanation. They have built an inclusive, kind, and warm community of people who celebrate and embrace differences.

Both my neurodivergent kids found their home here, instantly feeling safe and welcome. We are so very lucky to have this magical place in Ipswich, and it's a testament to Sharon, Rob, the staff, and the customers that it's simply one of the best places in town.

Long may they prosper.