Michael S. rolls a die during a game of “Dungeons & Dragons” at Astral Games in Medford last Wednesday. The shop hosts a variety of tabletop and card game sessions regularly.

Brimming with comic books, figurines, tabletop games and the murmur of “Dungeons & Dragons” players mid-campaign Wednesday afternoon, downtown Medford’s Astral Games has been an enthusiast’s focal point for more than 15 years.

The shop, located at 125 S. Central Ave. No. 110, hosts numerous roleplaying and gaming events throughout the week — from battle nights Saturdays with Warhammer 40,000 and other tabletop miniatures to the multi-table D&D Adventures League on Wednesdays.

“What we carry is a lot of tabletop, so that’s going to be card games, board games, collectibles, comics and we also have statues and figures,” said Tyler Hill, co-owner and partner with Astral Games. “Across the board, we offer a good range of experiences for anyone that’s looking to kill some time and just enjoy their hobbies; that’s what we aim to do.”

Other games played at the store include “Lorcana,” “Magic: The Gathering” and the “Pokémon” trading card game.

One of Astral Games’ more popular events is the monthly board game nights at the Medford library, which allows attendees to bring their own board games or to come and play something new.

“One of the best parts about it is they can actually bring their own board games and sometimes other people will jump into their game, so they’re teaching us games as much as we’re teaching them games,” Hill said. “It’s actually really cool to see all the different varieties of what people enjoy playing from resource management to straight up player-versus-player.”

Board game nights have been a staple of the store’s ongoing events for years, but after the pandemic organizers noticed a renewed interest in the program.

“We not only are fans and avid players of board games, but it’s just a fantastic community,” Hill said.

“There’s been lots of times where the community has come to our aid,” he added.

Continuing to grow and foster that community was part of the reason the Medford library offered their space to Astral Games.

“The space was one of the main reasons, and working with the library, they wanted to grow the community as well and so we reached out to them,” Hill said.

The board game night event typically occurs on the third Friday of every month, though it sometimes is hosted on the second Friday of the month.

For details on upcoming board game nights, visit facebook.com/AstralGamesMedford/events.

Hill joined the store after being a longtime customer buying cards at the shop. He started sharing the experience of being a fan as well as a facilitator for Astral Games and its numerous programs and events.

“I was a customer probably about 10 or so years ago; I came in buying ‘Magic’ cards and all that … I spent a lot of time down here and I participated in tons and tons of events,” Hill said.

For Hill, continuing to build and grow that community is what he likes most about the job.

“It’s the community — from our customer base to the people that come in every single week and play — that’s actually one of the most rewarding parts of this job across the board,” he said, adding, “You get to hear their experiences and their joy from it when someone opens a pack and they hit the big card or send (a photo of it) to us on Facebook or freak out in the store; it’s those moments that make it worthwhile.”

Looking to the long term, Hill and his coworkers intend to remain an integral part of Medford’s collectible card gaming, comic and board game scene while also expanding in the future.

“At this point, we are just going with the flow; we do plan on being around for many, many years to come,” Hill said.

“And we’re hoping for some level of expansion, as far as expanding up on our game space and our retail space; there’s always room for growth.”

The business will continue to offer activities for locals to join in on, with a modern format “Magic: The Gathering” event planned for 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 15; a tabletop miniatures Battle Night at 5 p.m. Saturday, March 16; and draft play for “Star Wars Unlimited” scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday, March 17.

Astral Games’ full event schedule can be located at astralgamesonline.com near the bottom of the homepage.

For daily and weekly updates, check the store’s Facebook page at facebook.com/AstralGamesMedford or call 541-776-7888.