A new gaming store opened Friday, June 26, in Greece.
LingStar Games is in Stoneridge Plaza, 1520 W. Ridge Road, in a space formerly occupied by Painting with a Twist and next door to bowling equipment store Begin’rs to Pro’s.
A tabletop gaming company, LingStar specializes in board games, Trading Card Games, miniature wargames, role-playing games, including Dungeons and Dragons, and custom 3D-printed terrain and accessories.
Greece native John Ling, 57, launched the business in 2020 as an online venture.
In late 2025, he moved it to a 650-square-foot storefront on West Ridge Road in Spencerport but quickly realized he needed more space. The new Stoneridge store measures 2,640 square feet.
“So, we went from a closet to a house,” he said.
Half of the new space is devoted to retail, and the other half is a room where customers can play games.
The room seats 32 people comfortably, Ling said. (The town fire code allows for 50.)
The entry fee is $5 per person for the day, “although most people play a couple of hours,” he said.
After graduating from Greece Arcadia High School in 1986, Ling served six years in the U.S. Army.
Before starting LingStar Games, he was an IT billing specialist.
In 2018, his wife, Cindy, died. And four months later, he lost his job, which led to the decision to become an entrepreneur.
Friends and family have helped him along the way. Right now, he’s the store’s sole employee.
Opening hours on June 26 are 3 to 9:30 p.m. Going forward, the store will be open from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
“Eventually, we’ll end up having seven days a week,” Ling said.
His goal is to grow the business in size, too.
“Five years from now, I hope to get big enough that I grow out of this place and move into another place,” he said.
Reporter Marcia Greenwood covers the grocery business and consumer-focused grocery news, as well as retail development, openings and closings. Send story tips to mgreenwo@rocheste.gannett.com. Follow her on X @MarciaGreenwood.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: New gaming store opens in Greece
Reporting by Marcia Greenwood, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Marcia Greenwood, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | USA TODAY Network
