Red Raccoon Games begins move to new downtown Bloomington location

Volunteers and staff members pass merchandise along a relay line from Red Raccoon Games at 309 N. Main St., Bloomington, to what will be the store's new location at 301 N. Main, on Tuesday evening, June 6, 2023. Owner Jamie Mathy said plans are to reopen at the new location at 5 p.m. Friday,…

BLOOMINGTON — Red Raccoon Games was moving its merchandise Tuesday evening, but not from checkout counter to customer. In this case, the store's games and puzzles were moving along a human relay line from 309 N. Main St. up the sidewalk to its new next-door location at 301 N. Main.

Red Raccoon owner Jamie Mathy said 52 volunteers and 10 store employees were beginning the move into the Main Plaza Building (a former Woolworth store), at the corner of North Main and East Jefferson streets.

If all goes well, Mathy said, the new location will open at 5 p.m. Friday. While the move is being made, the store will be closed to sales.

Volunteers and staff form a relay line Tuesday evening outside Red Raccoon Games, 309 N. Main St. in Bloomington, that extends to what will be Red Raccoon's new store at 301 N. Main St. People were taking stock off the shelves from the original store and moving it to the new location, which owner Jamie Mathy plans to open at 5 p.m. Friday.

Red Raccoon's retail space will grow from about 2,000 square feet to 3,200, and the in-store game play area is to go from 1,200 square feet to 3,500. But the entire space will not be open right away.

Mathy said ongoing supply chain issues will keep portions of the building remodel closed.

Volunteers and staff form a relay line that makes its turn into what will be the new facility for Red Raccoon Games at 301 N. Main St., Bloomington.

Mathy said previously the Main Plaza Building has been empty for more than a decade and hasn't had significant renovation for longer than that.

In addition to the gaming store, a café will be opening as part of Red Raccoon's expansion.

Mathy said the hope is that Zeta Coffee, owned by Joel Aper, can open right along with his store on Friday. But the supply chain issues have delayed material for the café as well, so its opening may be delayed.

Zeta Coffee's offerings are expected to be coffees, teas, boba teas and crafted sodas.

Volunteers and staff form a line into what will be the new facility for Red Raccoon Games at 301 N. Main St., Bloomington. Store owner Jamie Mathy can be seen at far left helping with the move.

Aper told The Pantagraph previously that he plans for the café to keep the same hours as Red Raccoon. He said a pass-through window could be open on some nights to serve coffee to customers on the sidewalk.

Mathy was upbeat about downtown as a whole on Tuesday evening. He said three new store openings are in the works over the next month or so.

Bloomington-Normal Rotary members march in the Memorial Day parade on Monday in Bloomington.

Rick Parker of the Marine Corps League detachment 988 in Bloomington rides down Lee Street to Miller Park in Bloomington on Monday.

A young helper joins Normal Mayor Chris Koos, front, and town council members Chemberly Harris (waving), Karyn Smith and Kevin McCarthy in the Memorial Day parade through downtown Bloomington on Monday.

State Sen. Tom Bennett, R-Gibson City, talks to parade attendees on Monday in downtown Bloomington. Bennett represents the 53rd District, Bureau, Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, LaSalle, Livingston, Marshall, McLean, Peoria, Putnam, Tazewell, Will, and Woodford counties.

A 1953 B-57 Canberra is featured during the Memorial Day parade on Monday.

The 2023 Memorial Day Parade on Monday in Bloomington headed down Lee Street to Miller Park.

The Bloomington High School Marching Band played the Battle Hymn of the Republic during the 2023 Memorial Day Parade on Monday in Bloomington.

Members of the local Scouts BSA and the Cub Scouts march with American flags in the 2023 Memorial Day parade on Monday near Miller Park in Bloomington.

The Bloomington High School Marching Band performed the Battle Hymn of the Republic in the 2023 Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 29 near Miller Park in Bloomington.

The Bloomington High School Marching Band performed the Battle Hymn of the Republic in the 2023 Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 29 near Miller Park in Bloomington

State Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, and Matt Strupp of IBEW #197 attend the Memorial Day parade and ceremony on Monday.

The Prairie Aviation Museum brought a Hughes TH-55A Helicopter to the 2023 Memorial Day parade on Monday in Bloomington. The TH-55A was flown by the U.S. Army from 1964 - 1967.

A truck for Altitude Trampoline Park is followed closely by one from That Kid Place spraying bubbles and foam at onlookers during the 2023 Memorial Day parade on Monday near Miller Park in Bloomington.

Onlookers are sprayed with foam and bubbles by That Kid Place during the 2023 Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 29 near Miller Park in Bloomington.

Onlookers are sprayed with foam and bubbles by That Kid Place during the 2023 Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 29 near Miller Park in Bloomington

9-year-old Griffin Underwood of Bloomington plays in bubbles sprayed at him from That Kid Place during the 2023 Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 29 at Miller Park in Bloomington.

Lt. Col. Kraig M. Kline, department chair of ROTC at Illinois State University, delivers remarks at a Memorial Day ceremony in Miller Park to honor military members who died in service to the country.

Lt. Col. Kraig M. Kline, department chair of ROTC at Illinois State University, addresses attendees at a Memorial Day ceremony in Bloomington's Miller Park on Monday.

Audience members take in the Memorial Day ceremony Monday in Miller Park.

American Legion Honor Guard member David Brown is among those who attended the Memorial Day ceremony Monday at Miller Park.

Contact Dan McNeile at (309) 820-3261. Follow Dan McNeile on Twitter: @dmcneile

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