Friendly Local Game Store Spotlight: Weekend Anime

Weekend Anime & Games is a small mom and pop hobby shop located in Westbrook, Maine. The store has been open since July 2003, and during that time has tried to foster a community of supportive and inclusive anime and gaming fans.

Weekend Anime & Games owners, Julie and Ryan York have always believed in a community approach to business and life. The store has hosted several events geared towards helping The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital and Extra Life, including a yearly Family Board Game Festival known as LevelUpMaine co-run with PortConMaine. The events and get togethers all work towards the same goal: celebrating and supporting the community around the shop.

Fundraising with Extra Life for The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital just makes sense: it helps families in Maine. Julie and Ryan both experienced the hospital first hand with the early arrival of their son, Griffin. Griffin is not the only child in the Weekend Anime & Games community who has benefited from the amazing efforts of the BBCH.

“We like to help others,” Ryan York, partner, admits. “And The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital is a great way to help others locally. Plus: we’re all gamers here. Having ExtraLife events just makes sense. We’re already gaming, let’s put that to good use!”

“Games are about being together,” Julie York, partner, comments. “It’s about getting together with your friends and family and having a good time. There’s something magical about sitting around a table and playing an old favorite. ExtraLife, gaming for good, it just makes sense and is a fun way to get involved and to give back.”