Warp 2 Comics and Games

While I was attending High School in Edmonton, Alberta I decided that work experience would be valuable for me. I had done a paper route in my elementary days, but knew that more would be needed to develop my understanding of the work force. But work needed to be fun as well, so I looked for a job that could be interesting, and earn me a few credits in school. Warp 2 Comics and Games had been a destination for my comic and dungeons and dragons needs for a few years. My brother and I would often do half hour bike rides to get to the store and see what new stuff was available to distract us from life.
I worked at the store as a work experience student for just $1 per hour for about 12 hours per week. During that time I met some of the most interesting people I had ever encountered. I learned about many things in that store, but two things have stayed with me ever since.
The first is work ethic, I developed it in that store. My manager would assign me small tasks as ways to help the store and keep me busy. I found ways to work faster and more efficiently then anyone who had worked for him before. From putting out new comics and games, to cleaning, to organizing back issues (and man were there a LOT of those) I proved to be an asset to the store. When my student contract was up I was immediately offered a permanent part time job there after school and on weekends. I was always praised for a job well done, so I just kept working hard to earn that praise and feel good about accomplishing the work.
The second thing that has stuck with me over the years is the game I mentioned below, Magic the Gathering. I learned about the game by working there, and playing there. In that store I learned strategies and concepts that I may never have learned as a casual player. I was taught how tournaments were structured and soon had to run and organize tournament events for the store on a regular basis. It gave me the chance to develop some key leadership skills that would prove valuable later in my retail career, and develop some confidence in which I was lacking at that age. But Magic stuck with me and I believe it always will.
Every fantasy gamer has a comic/game store in their past that they remember fondly, this is mine. Its a small "hole in the wall" of 97th street in Edmonton, but it is a permanent memory of mine that I am glad to have experienced.