Buying Equipment / in North America

Table of contents Canada Montreal, Quebec Ottawa, Ontario Toronto, Ontario United States Internet Austin, Texas Cambridge, Massachusetts Melbourne, Florida Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania San Francisco Bay Area, California New York City, New York Syracuse, New York

Canada

• Calendar Club: They have seasonal stores throughout Canada opened from September to January. Check their website and look for stores that sell games. They occasionally sell the Go flat pack in a plain white rectangular box for $25 and Deluxe Go in a yellow square box for $35. Deluxe Go is a small thin chipwood board with small plastic stones and the Go flat pack is a large folding cardstock board with the same small plastic stones. They also occasionally sell the better looking but more expensive Pente with a roll-up board and fewer stones. (2009 March)
• Chapters: They have an online store and stores throughout Canada, but they only have a limited collection of Go books for sale. (2011 April)
• The Glowing Stone: They sell high quality Go equipment for clubs at wholesale and ship in Canada while Ontario residents are encouraged to arrange for pick up. They also have an ebay store that ships in Canada and to the US. (Incidentally, they get their stock from the online Chinese Go wholesaler JWEBSHOP.) (BOTH RECOMMENDED) (2011 June)
• Mind Games Express: They have stores located in Ontario and British Columbia, and also ship items in Canada, to the US and worldwide. They sell a limited selection of Go sets at high prices. They also have an ebay store that occasionally sells the Go flat pack and Deluxe Go. (2011 November)
• Strategy Games: They have stores in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto and also ship in Canada, to the US and worldwide. They sell a surprisingly large selection of Go sets at competitive prices including tiny magnetic Go sets and Kiseido Go books. (RECOMMENDED) (as of 2012 April)
• T&T Supermarket: With stores throughout Canada, they sell Go stones in straw baskets with cheap plastic Go sheets and Go problem books in Chinese. (RECOMMENDED) (2011 November)

Montreal, Quebec

• Strategy Games: They sell a large selection of Go set at competitive prices and even sell Kiseido Go books. (2009 March)
• Le Valet d'Coeur: This store has a nice selection of Go equipment. (2012 November)

Ottawa, Ontario

• Strategy Games: Currently, they have no or very limited Go books or equipment for sale. (2012 August)

Toronto, Ontario

English vendors

• Game and Hobby Zone: Located at 2 Bloor Street West (in the lower level of Cumberland Terrace accessible from Bloor Subway Station through the Hudson Bay Centre), Game and Hobby Zone has a limited selection of Go sets at higher prices. (2013 April}
• Game Trek: Located at 100 Front Street East (under the Royal York Hotel and accessible from Union Subway Station through the PATH), Game Trek has a limited selection of Go sets at higher prices. (2013 April)
• Hairy Tarantula Comics & Games: The downtown location at 354 Yonge Street, 2nd floor (north of Dundas Street) and the North York location at 6979 Yonge Street, basement (south of Steeles Avenue), sells a small Go set for $25. (You may need to ask them to dig it out of storage.) (2013 March)
• Mind Games: With a store in the Atrium on Bay, they have a limited selection of Go sets for sale at higher prices. (2013 April)
• The ROM Museum Store in the Royal Ontario Museum sells Deluxe Go for $25. (RECOMMENDED) (2012 September)
• Strategy Games: Located at 701 Mount Pleasant Road (east of Yonge Street and south of Eglinton Avenue East), Strategy Games sells a surprisingly large selection of Go sets at competitive prices such as a vinyl roll-up Go set for $18 and travel magnetic 13x13 and 19x19 Go sets for $7 and $13 respectively. They even sell Kiseido Go books starting at $24 and chess clocks. They also ship items in Canada, to the US and worldwide. (RECOMMENDED) (2012 April)

Non-English vendors (Chinatown)

• Canlish Chinese Crafts & Arts: Located in the Village by the Grange at 275 Dundas Street West with both a mall entrance and street entrance, Canlish sells thin large Go stones with vinyl Go sheets in straw baskets for $25. (2012 February)
• Chan Sheung Kee Book Company: Located in the heart of Chinatown at 457 Dundas Street West, Chan Sheung Kee sells fat small and medium Go stones in oblong containers with cheap plastic Go sheets for $8.95 and $11.50. They also sell dark thin and thick Go boards with Chinese chess for $19 and $27. (RECOMMENDED) (2012 September)
• J&L Department Store: Located across the street from Chinatown Centre at 251 Spadina Avenue, J&L sells fat medium Go stones with cheap plastic Go sheets in oblong containers for $10. (RECOMMENDED) (2012 September)
• Sun Wa Book Store: Located in Dragon City at 280 Spadina Avenue with both a mall entrance and street entrance, Sun Wa sells fat medium Go stones in boxes with paper Go sheets for $31. (2012 September)

Non-English vendors (Scarborough)

• Dollar Cool: Located near the up escalator on the second floor of Market Village behind Pacific Mall at 4390 Steeles Avenue East (at the northeast corner of Steeles Avenue East and Kennedy Road), Dollar Cool sells fat medium Go stones with a cheap plastic Go sheet in oblong containers at $10. (2012 August)
• Easy Kids: Located in the food court of Market Village behind Pacific Mall at 4390 Steeles Avenue East (at the northeast corner of Steeles Avenue East and Kennedy Road), Easy Kids sells fat medium Go stones with a cheap plastic Go sheet in oblong containers at $8. (2012 August)
• Far East Arts Co.: Located near the east side entrance of Market Village behind Pacific Mall at 4390 Steeles Avenue East (at the northeast corner of Steeles Avenue East and Kennedy Road), Far East sells fat large Go stones in oblong containers for $13 and thin large Go stones in straw baskets for $28. The stones come with a cheap plastic Go sheet. They also a small folding magnetic Go set for $16. (RECOMMENDED) (2012 August)
• Grand East Books: Located in Metro Square at 3636 Steeles Avenue East and found nowhere else, Grand East occasionally sells unique thin large plastic Go stones with a paper Go sheet in boxes inside a display case for $9 and thin Go boards with Chinese chess near the display case for $5. (2012 August)
• Sup Book Store: Located in the International Gourmet Street plaza behind the No Frills Supermarket at 633 Silver Star Boulevard (at the southwest corner of Steeles Avenue East and Midland Avenue), Sup sells fat large Go stones in oblong containers for $18 and thin large Go stones in straw baskets for $28. The stones come with a cheap plastic Go sheet. They also sell thin or thick Go boards with Chinese chess or 13x13 for $7 and $15 respectively and a small folding magnetic Go set for $20. (RECOMMENDED) (2012 August)
• T&T Supermarket: With stores throughout Canada, their Toronto store at 222 Cherry Street, south of Commissionners Street, and their Warden store in the New Horizon Centre in Markham at 7070 Warden Avenue, northeast corner of Steeles Avenue East and Warden Avenue, sell Go stones in straw baskets with cheap plastic Go sheets for $29 and also sell Go problem books in Chinese from $8 to $16. (RECOMMENDED) (2011 November)
• Wen Hua 99 cent store: Located in Scarboro Village Mall, unit 14 at 3280 Midland Avenue, Wen Hua sells fat medium Go stones with a cheap plastic Go sheet in oblong containers for $9. (2012 August)

Non-English vendors (Other)

• Galleria Supermarket: With a location at 7040 Yonge Street (just north of Steeles Avenue), Galleria sells medium-sized folding Go boards with Korean chess on the other side and Go stones in the housewares section. Go boards cost $16 and Go stones cost $12. (2013 March)
• P.A.T.: With locations in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area, the downtown (Toronto) branch at 675 Bloor Street in Koreatown and the Thornhill branch at 7289 Yonge Street (north of Steeles Avenue) at Glen Cameron Road both sell medium-sized folding Go boards with Korean chess on the other side and Go stones in the housewares aisle. Go boards cost $23 and Go stones cost $20. (RECOMMENDED) (2012 September)
• Sanko Trading: Located at 730 Queen Street West, Sanko sells genuine Japanese-made Go stones and Go boards at higher prices. Items are hidden behind the counter so you will have to ask the cashier to see them. (2011 April)

United States

Internet

• AddAll.com will search all major online book retailers for availability and the lowest price on Go books if you can provide the name, author or, preferably, the ISBN. A total price per book (including estimated shipping and handling) is provided with the search results. If you specify your state, the site will also add any applicable state taxes.
• Algorithmic Artisan: Exotic go stones.
• Amazon.com - Now a good source of go equipments and books.
• Amazon.com Japan - buying directly from Japan seems to be the most economic way to buy Japanese books at the moment. (Note that only shipping to USA by air is available)
• Art of Go at CafePress features shirts, mugs, hats, and other items with 3D ray traced Go artwork.
• ChessNGames.com sells beginner and affordable Go equipment, along with exclusive Korean products.
• GameKeeper.com carries a large selection of Go equipment from Korea and China.
• Jzool.com have a very nice range and do a lot of other Japanese items as well.
• Kiseido
• Kurokigoishi - Japanese seller who has English website version and ships to N.A.
• Mingzhou Oriental Imports
• Samarkand sells both equipment and books (SL page:Samarkand). This online store is owned by Janice Kim. (Only wholesale now)
• Shogun's Gallery offers a limited selection selection of antique, Japanese Go equipment.
• Toy and Game Warehouse carries some Go sets.
• Yellow Mountain Imports sells Go equipment and slate and shell from Ogawa Goishi. Their best deals are their auctions on eBay.
• Yunnan Arts sells high-end Chinese Go Equipment. Clicking on the "products" link is currently the best way to see the equipment available.
• Yutopian sells Ing boards and stones as well as regular equipment, books, and software.

• Many game stores will carry one or more Go sets. (Game stores as in board games; often found in malls. Such as Wizards of the Coast)

Austin, Texas

• Great Hall Games Decent selection of both go books and go equipment, as well as materials for many other games.

Cambridge, Massachusetts

• Games People Play Decent selection of both go books and go equipment, as well as materials for many other games.

Melbourne, Florida

• There was Japan Go Imports, (www.japangoimports.com), but its website seems to have gone for now.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Games Unlimited

San Francisco Bay Area, California

• Fun & Games (Milpitas, Great Mall of The Bay Area) sells small (estimated at 14x14 inches) wooden gobans complete with glass semi-convex stones for $19. They also carry portable sets with vinyl boards. No website. Call 408-945-5745 for more info.
• Game-a-lot in Santa Cruz carries a basic non-folding board and small stones which are flat on one side. Apparently makers of the cheaper korean glass stones have not been shipping here or to Games of Berkeley for a while.
• Games of Berkeley has a considerable selection of books and gear. Their book selection vastly exceeds that of Kinokuniya Bookstore in San Francisco and includes titles from Yutopian and Slate & Shell.
• Kinokuniya Bookstores is a good place to get Japanese and English Go books; mostly from Kiseido Press. Prices are at regular retail plus CA sales tax. They infrequently stock small magnetic sets. Directions to their San Francisco and San Jose branches are provided on the Kinokuniya US map page.
• Milpitas Square (South Bay/Silicon Valley) has two Chinese bookstores which carry a small inventory of portable magnetic sets, plywood gobans, and stones. Yunzi stones are sometimes sold in the bookstore on the north wing of the mall. Ask for weiqi as the retailers do not refer to the game as Go.
• San Francisco Chinatown stores carry portable magnetic and non-magnetic Go sets ranging from about $20 to $40. You can also find sets of functional single-convex glass Go stones for $4 instead of the regular $20 (about 120 irregular stones of each color - so buy two sets). Inventory and availability varies by shop. Check the stores deeper down the main street to find the best prices on everything.
• San Francisco Japantown antique stores will sometimes carry used gobans in the range of about $500.
• San Jose Japantown has two shops which carry basic Go equipment (full-sized folding boards, plastic Go stones and goke). Check Nichi Bei Bussan and Kogura's (No website, call (408)294-3184).

New York City, New York

Kinokuniya Bookstore on 6th Ave. between 41st and 42nd Sts. stocks magnetic travel sets and a large selection of Go books.

Syracuse, New York

• Seven Rays Bookstore provides a selection of Go books for beginning and intermediate players