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Bring Out Your Inner Nerd at Sioux Falls' New Game Store!

Are you someone who enjoys playing tabletop games? Having trouble finding that perfect place that caters to your hobby? Turbulent Games is looking to be the newest hangout in Sioux Falls for tabletop nerds.

Keegan Batson and Russell Carlson, originally from the Chicago area, opened Turbulent Games in 2019 in Parker, South Dakota, as a hobby. I recently sat down with Keegan and Russell to get the scoop on their expanding business, from the tiny town of Parker to the biggest city in South Dakota!

From Humble Beginnings…Literally!

Hanna: How did you get the name Turbulent Games?

Keegan: When I was in college, me and a few of my buddies wanted to come up with our own board game company and we had to come up with a name, obviously. The first game we were trying to develop was a skirmish-based tabletop warfare game. It was set in a dystopian future where everything was extremely “turbulent” and I kind of ran with that. I never knew what theme the store would have, but I had this idea of dogfighting with spaceships or airplanes or starfighters or something going on with these ships flying around in the turbulent skies.

Hanna: How did you and Keegan become business partners?

Russell: We had always wanted to start some sort of business together ever since we were in high school. I had decided to move up here to South Dakota because Keegan had just started a family. I knew the business wasn’t going to start as soon as I moved up here, so we had to wait for the right time. As we were waiting for the right time to come, I was thinking about moving back home. I asked Keegan if he was ready to go forward with the plans and he agreed. Without the business there was no point in me staying because I had no wife and children, like Keegan did. But around the time we decided to move forward and open the business, I met and started dating my wife. Four years later, we got married and had our first child. Staying here was one of the best decisions I made.

Hanna: What kind of tabletop games do you offer?

Russell: We sell almost every tabletop game you can think of. We have miniatures which include Warhammer 30k and 40k, Age of Sigmar, BattleTech, Star Wars, and World of Tanks to name a few. There is a large selection of card games like Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon, Digimon, and Flesh and Blood. We also have a variety of RPG books, such as Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder, and Starfinder. We encourage everyone to bring in their own tabletop games to play, as we provide tables for you to play on!

Hanna: Can you tell me the history of Turbulent Games?

Keegan: We opened our first location in Parker, South Dakota on February 4th. 2019 in a tiny 200-square-foot shop on Main Street. After six months of operation, we had to expand our business because of how well we were doing. So, Russell and I went to the bank for a loan to build a 900-square-foot facility, and instead they offered to sell their 1,200 square foot building. In less than three years, we outgrew our building in Parker. Russell and I knew it was the time to pull the trigger and move to Sioux Falls. We always wanted to be in Sioux Falls, but we never knew it was going to be this soon.

Hanna: What makes Turbulent Games so unique?

Russell: Keegan and I are a two-man operation. We don’t have any employees, so we each made it a point to introduce ourselves to every new customer that walks into our door. We like to get to know our customers on a personal level. We try to be inviting and approachable with any questions or concerns an individual has.

Hanna: What is your target demographic?

Keegan: Anyone who loves games. You could be someone who’s been playing tabletop games for years or someone who wants to see what we are all about! If you’re someone who wants to come in and ask how to play Magic or Digimon, Russell or I will gladly sit down and teach you! We want to include everyone. 

Hanna: Are there any special events that your business does?

Russell: On Tuesday nights we have hobby night, where people bring in all of their miniatures to paint or build them. We also have a little bit of BattleTech games going on as well. On Wednesday nights we have commander, a format from the card game Magic: The Gathering. On Fridays, we have casual Flesh and Blood gameplay. On Saturdays, we will have casual Digimon night. We still are working out a few other events, but everyone is still welcome to come to the store and hang out during the events!

Turbulent Games is located at 5008 S. Marion Rd, Sioux Falls.

The Ultimate Sioux Falls Visitor's Guide: A to Z

Sioux Falls has lots to explore; fun stuff for the whole family, food of every kind, educational opportunities, and more! If you have out-of-town guests visiting, show them around our city. Eat at places they've never eaten. Take them to places they'd never go. Take some great photos to post on social media (and don't forget the hashtag #HiFromSiouxFalls). We've even listed some cool hotels where they can stay if you don't have the room.

Sioux Falls, South Dakota. We call it the 'Sioux Empire.' It's the biggest city in the state with a population of nearly 200,000. We’re known for our namesake, Falls Park, along the Big Sioux River. Sioux Falls has received numerous accolades for its quality of life. We have been named the number one best place to rent in America. We’ve topped the list of Best States to Find a Job. Sioux Falls is the Best City in America for Young Professionals. 

We've appeared on lists such as Most Charming Small CitiesTop 10 Place to Raise Kids, and even ranked 10th in the 2020 Top 100 Best Places to Live. We have an abundance of achievements and you can see them on the Sioux Falls Development Foundation's website.

It's a pretty awesome city and that's why we think you should come and visit. If you're coming on business or pleasure, we've put together a list of places to go and things to see. We know you want to explore the attractions the city is known for like Falls Park, the Arc of Dreams, and the Sculpture Walk, but there's a lot more to see and do than just the touristy (that's really a word) stuff. The best places to go are where the locals go and we have a not your average, ordinary visitor's guide. 

Here's a list of over 100 things to do and places to go in Sioux Falls.

Click HERE for a list of all the places we mention and links to each one. Print it out or save it to your phone and use it as a reference when you're visiting. See you soon!

Road Trip-Worthy Restaurants Within 90 Minutes of Sioux Falls

Veer off the beaten path. Take a road trip and try some favorite small-town eateries. Just by driving a few miles, you could find some delicious hidden gems.

From steaks to seafood, chislic to chicken, these are out-of-the-way unexpected finds that will make your taste buds tingle.

Here's a list of 14 Road Trip-Worthy Restaurants within 90 minutes of Sioux Falls.

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