A place to get your game on: Fett’s Hutt offers games for all ages and genres
Published 7:01 am Tuesday, December 18, 2018
- Kyle and Anastasiya Fett have opend Fett’s Hutt on Main Street for both gamers and tea enthusiasts. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Sitting on Main Street between El Mariachi Mexican Restaurant and Rydjor Bike Shop, in the space previously occupied by ViDeyo Arts, is Fett’s Hutt.
Star Wars fans will see it as a reference to bounty hunter Boba Fett and a play on the word “hut,” for Jabba the Hutt. While they are correct about the latter, the former references husband and wife owners Kyle and Anastasiya Fett, who opened the game and comic book shop on Oct. 14.
“I originally had (a game store) in St. Paul,” Kyle said. “We moved away and I moved back for a golf job in the summer. A lot of the guys I know in town invited me to play Magic (The Gathering) a few times. We played here and there and I saw a window of opportunity for people to have a place to play, whether it’s board games, Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh!, or Pokémon.
Darien Schroeder, her brother Damian Schroeder and Nick Thompson play a game of Magic: The Gathering at Fett’s Hutt Thursday night.
“This spot was coming available about the time we thought we’d be able to do something, so we just jumped into it and used my experience and (Anastasiya’s) organizational skills to get it operational.”
The Fetts have a love of board games, ranging from basic to complex games that take several hours. Those games can be found at the shop, along with card games, comic books, action figures and movie/TV memorabilia.
“Our biggest seller is Magic: The Gathering,” Kyle said, referring to the trading card game made by Wizards of the Coast. “That seems to be the hottest thing right now. We just brought in a line of games called Warhammer, which is going to cater to a whole different demographic of people because it involves miniatures you do battle with and you get to paint them. It caters more to the hobby gamer than just the board gamer. We also do a lot of Pokémon board games.”
“I wanted to diversify it more and gear it towards kids, so we offer family-friendly games and board games,” Anastasiya added.
Kyle Fett stands in the main sales area of Fett’s Hutt Thursday evening where gamers can pick up games, gaming supplies and a host of other items.
Unlike shops that offer similar items, Fett’s Hutt also sells tea, which speaks to Anastasiya’s culture.
“I’m from Ukraine originally and I grew up drinking tea,” she said, adding her mother operated a tea shop in Ukraine.
She also introduced Kyle to the drink.
“I really enjoy sharing tea and I wanted to introduce this here because I noticed when we drove around, when you stop and ask for hot tea people look at you weirdly.”
The love of the refreshment has spread, said Kyle.
“We get people who come and will spend their whole day sitting here and drinking tea,” he added.
The layout of the building was also a factor in their decision to offer tea.
“We also had this (front lobby) area that wasn’t suitable for people to play, so I thought it would be a nice lounge area for people to have tea or a snack and relax,” Anastasiya said.
Anastasiya Fett sits in the Tea Hut toward the front of Fett’s Hutt where people can enjoy nice cup of tea.
The layout also helps in offering privacy for individuals wanting to play games uninterrupted.
“The cool thing with the store layout is it’s a little bizarre, but if people want to be left alone during the game they’re playing, we offer a door with a room and you can close it to be left alone,” Kyle said, referring to several rooms down a side hallway that runs along the main store. “A lot of these people get very into the campaign they’re doing and don’t want to be interrupted by somebody walking by.”
The Fetts allow for anyone who wants to bring a game to play in any of the rooms. They also offer games for rent, which can be played at the store or at home.
For gamers interested in playing against others, Fett’s Hutt hosts several gaming events.
“I post events weekly on our Facebook page,” Kyle said. “We have groups on there for each card game we do tournaments for. We run three tournaments for Magic a week; one Wednesday, one Friday, and one Saturday. All three days are usually three different groups of people because of work schedules. We could probably have add a fourth day and have a whole new group of people. When a new set comes out, it’s pandemonium. We’ve got a pretty good crew of Dungeons and Dragons guys and girls that come. I’m hoping to start up a Pokémon tournament to target our younger players.”
Games and gaming supplies are all available at Fett’s Hutt on Main Street North.
“We don’t charge for the rooms,” he added. “If people want to come and hang out or learn a new game, we offer the space for free. The only thing we ask is that food and beverage be bought here.”
The Fetts encourage anyone who wants to learn a new game to come by and welcome anyone who wants to play.
“We want to provide a place for people to hang out and meet new people,” Kyle said. “It’s a good climate and a good community of people.”
