IF YOUR inner wizard, trainer, or game master has been longing for a quest, your adventure begins at Mr Brix, Tamborine Mountain’s newest haven for toys, card games, and tabletop treasures.
Tucked among the shops of Gallery Walk, Mr Brix isn’t just a retail store.
It’s a community hub where Pokémon battles are waged, Dungeons and Dragons campaigns unfold, and Rubik’s Cubes get twisted into submission, all without a screen in sight.
Owner Marty Wernekinck, who grew up on the mountain, said opening Mr Brix felt like fulfilling a childhood dream.
“All my 13-year-old self-wanted was a place like this,” Marty said.
“Somewhere to come Friday or Saturday nights, play Dungeons and Dragons, card games, or just hang out and learn new things.”
After years running a high-paced store in Surfers Paradise, Marty decided it was time to slow things down and reconnect with his roots.
And the mountain community has embraced him in return.
“The local response has been amazing,” he said.
“We’ve started hosting Learn to Play events for D&D, Pokémon, Magic and we’ve even become an official Pokémon League. Kids can come in, win prizes, and learn the actual game behind the cards.”
It’s not just kids showing up – Mr Brix events often feature parents playing alongside their children, adding a dash of light-hearted competition and shared nostalgia.
“That’s what I really love,” Marty said.
“It’s a chance to connect with one another.”
With shelves stacked full of model kits, puzzles, strategy games, and collectibles, Mr Brix caters to curious minds of all ages.
And while screens dominate much of today’s youth entertainment, Marty is proud to keep things hands-on.
“We don’t do iPads or video games here,” he said.
“It’s all about classic entertainment such as problem solving, reading, kinesthetic learning. Just good old-fashioned fun.”
Whether you’re cracking a Pokémon booster pack or trying to conquer a Rubik’s Cube, Mr Brix is a place to pause, play, and rediscover imagination.
“Just come in and have a play,” Marty said.
“We’ve got giveaways, we’ve got games, and who knows, you might just find your next obsession.”
