State College Teen Turns Ardour for Card Games Into New Downtown State College Enterprise

Just over a 12 months after graduating from State College Area High School, a 19-year-old entrepreneur is getting ready to open a brand new buying and selling card, tabletop and retro gaming retailer in downtown State College. 

Crown Lotus Games will formally open on Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 206 E. Calder Way, providing gaming merchandise and a free area for folks to play. 

The retailer is owned by Avery Taricani, a lifelong State College resident and 2025 State High graduate who says the concept for Crown Lotus grew out of his expertise working at one other native card retailer. 

“I started to really love interacting with people who share a similar interest with me,” Taricani stated. “I eventually decided, with the resources and materials and experience that I have, that I wanted to start my own place.” 

Taricani stated he has been working to open the shop since April, a course of that has concerned every little thing from portray and furnishing the downtown area to buying stock and navigating the authorized necessities of beginning a enterprise. 

He discovered a location inside strolling distance of his condo and stated opening a enterprise locally the place he has spent practically his whole life made sense for him. 

“I found myself a very good deal to sell in the middle of downtown, which you know has a few downs and a lot of ups,” he stated. 

Crown Lotus will initially carry merchandise for Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering, together with equipment equivalent to play mats, cube and card sleeves. Taricani stated he plans to proceed increasing the shop’s stock to incorporate Dungeons & Dragons, Riftbound, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Flesh and Blood and Warhammer, to call just a few. 

The store can even purchase merchandise from prospects, together with sealed buying and selling card merchandise, particular person playing cards and retro video video games. 

Taricani stated he’ll usually supply 65% of market worth in money or 75% in retailer credit score, although he could also be extra selective with some merchandise, together with non-English and graded playing cards. He stated he has heard that costs for some merchandise within the State College space will be excessive and needs to maintain Crown Lotus as inexpensive as doable. 

Another part of the shop will deal with retro gaming, an space Taricani is personally excited for. He plans to permit prospects to play a rising assortment of consoles, together with a Wii, Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, GameDice, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Xbox Series S. 

“Every home console you can think of is going to be here and available to use,” he stated.

Taricani plans to finally add extra Xbox and PlayStation techniques. The retro gaming part can even embrace shopping for and promoting video video games, which Taricani stated he expects to be one of many retailer’s main methods of buying stock. 

While Crown Lotus will promote video games and collectibles, Taricani stated one in all his major objectives is to create a spot the place folks can collect across the pursuits they share. 

The retailer’s play area shall be free, permitting prospects to sit down down and play Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon and different card or tabletop video games with out paying to make use of a desk. 

“People will tell you a lot that it’s difficult to get into, and I have to respectfully disagree,” Taricani stated. “If you find the right person or the right people that you can get into the game with, you really don’t need a lot to get into it…If someone comes in and asks me, ‘Hey, I don’t have a deck, but I want to play,’ I’ll happily let them borrow a deck, I’ll happily teach them how to play. It’s a really great experience, and I want to make that easier for people.” 

Taricani hopes finally to carry common informal tournaments for various card video games, in addition to online game tournaments. He additionally desires to host watch events for main gaming occasions equivalent to Summer Game Fest, Gamescom and The Game Awards and finally turn into formally sponsored to host extra tournaments and occasions.

“Everything that I’m passionate about, I want to spread to the community,” he stated.

Taricani desires Crown Lotus to enchantment to skilled gamers whereas additionally offering an entry level for people who find themselves interested in video games however could not know tips on how to start. 

For newcomers, he stated, the shop will supply a possibility to borrow a deck, be taught the fundamentals and play alongside somebody prepared to assist. 

“In my experience with card games, a lot of the people are not as young as I’d expect. There’s a lot more of an adult audience, and I’d love to see more people my age,” he stated. “I’m only 19. I’d love to see more people my age coming to the store…I know it’s a bit of a jump from going out of high school straight into owning a business, but let me tell you, it certainly is something. But it’s a transition that I’ve been taking pretty well.” 

Taricani has lived in State College since shortly after he was born and stated he by no means anticipated to be opening a enterprise so quickly after graduating from highschool. 

“I love it here in State College,” he stated. “I love the atmosphere and everything like that, and I never really expected to be opening a business until relatively recently, but here we are.” 

After graduating from State High in 2025, Taricani selected to not instantly pursue school. However, he stated that call may change relying on the way forward for Crown Lotus. 

“Don’t get me wrong, college is great, and I’ve lived in a college town my whole life; I’m basically destined to think that college is a good opportunity, but you know, it’s not for everyone,” he stated. “And, a lot of people might tell you that you need to go to college to be successful, but I mean, as of right now, I’m pretty much living proof that that’s not necessarily true…For the time being, I will not be interested in college, but maybe in the future depending on how the store does, really.” 

As opening day approaches, Taricani stated he’s trying ahead to seeing how the neighborhood embraces the area he and his associates have spent months constructing. 

“I’m happy with how far I’ve come, and I’d love for more people to show up and share my interest with me,” he stated. 

The retailer shall be open from midday to 10 p.m. Monday by way of Friday and from midday to midnight Saturday and Sunday. Playing area shall be free and open to anybody who desires to cease in. 

Once the shop formally opens, players and prospects can observe Crown Lotus on Instagram for brand new arrivals, restocks, occasions and different retailer updates.