Jordan Gokey, left, and Joseph Baker, right, attend Fall Fest at Northern Michigan University Monday. The two co-owners of Iron Golem Games gave away prizes to attendees and provided information on events held at their game store. (Journal photo by Antonio Anderson)

MARQUETTE – Nearly 50 businesses attended Fall Fest at Northern Michigan University Monday. Prizes were offered, handouts given and there was even an inflatable slide. One of the most important parts for some of the businesses who attended were the connections they made there. Like those at Iron Golem Games, a local hobby and game store.

“I think community is just a really important part of gaming,” Iron Golem Games co-owner Jordan Gokey said. “As a business we want to entrench ourselves in the Marquette community as a whole. So anything campus related or even local libraries.”

Iron Golem Games has been a large supporter of the Peter White Public Library in Marquette, volunteering to run Dungeons and Dragons games for kids and donating supplies to operate those games. Iron Golem Games is also a large supporter of NMU clubs like Magicats, NMU’s Magic the Gathering club and Dungeons and Wildcats, NMU’s Dungeons and Dragons club. Iron Golem Games is often donating gift cards, dice, trading card packs and more to these student organizations.

“Joeseph and I are alumni, too,” said Gokey. “So anyway to give back to NMU is something we want to do.”

The support Iron Golem Games gives to the NMU community can be seen with its various events and the many who go there to play, which usually starts with Iron Golem Games meeting prospective gamers at Fall Fest.

“It is just a great way to get us engaged with the NMU community specifically,” said Gokey. “There are always new gamers and being on the other side of town, they might not have the best way to know we exist so this is a great way for them to find us and us to find them.”

Antonio Anderson can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. His email address is aanderson@miningjournal.net.