6 minute read
Ayers Hotel
By Juilie Smith Taylor
As the biggest and oldest game store in North County, Pair-A-Dice Games at 2020 Hacienda Drive is a haven for anyone looking for unique board games, creative puzzles or who enjoys competitive gaming. “We have nearly 1,000 different games in our store and feature between five to 10 new games per week,” says Owner Rob North who opened the store in 2003. “We also offer lots of collectable card games like Pokémon and Magic the Gathering, which has millions of players around the world.”
North explains that you won’t find many mainstream board games from makers such as Hasbro or Mattel at Pair-A-Dice. “Our main focus is to offer games that are for hobbyists, unusual, easy to learn, and extremely fun.”
The store also features a large game space where North hosts various tournaments and offers open play every night for games like Dungeons & Dragons. “We’re all about bringing people together and creating a gathering place for those who love to play.” North, who is also a life-long lover of playing games, always dreamed of one day opening a game store in his retirement years. However, a layoff from a job in the tech world almost 20 years ago made his dream come true faster than he ever imagined.
North currently employs nine people with plans to expand. Most of his employees are customers who are passionate about their hobby and already have a strong knowledge base about the product offerings. However, during Covid, North was forced to lay off his entire staff. He survived by taking special orders, offering curbside deliveries and responding to customers’ higher than usual demand for puzzles. “We completely sold out of the 500 puzzles we had in stock and ordered even more during the worst of the pandemic,” he says. The store slowly began to reopen in the summer of 2020. It wasn’t until earlier this spring that the game room finally opened again, bringing back many of his loyal customers and gamers. With sales still recovering, North always looks to the holiday season as a great way to introduce the store to new customers looking for stocking stuffers and gifts. North is passionate about curating games to ensure that his inventory caters to families and younger kids. “My 18 years of experience helps me identify the games that I believe will be best sellers,” he says. “It’s typical that
once people find us, they keep coming back and become long-term fans of the store.”
Some of North’s favorite games are “Euro Style”, meaning games are designed so that everyone participates until the end, like Scrabble. “American Style” games typically include the use of a die where players are eliminated. North particularly enjoys the Euro style game, “Ticket to Ride”, which won the game industry’s coveted Spiel de Jahre Award as the Game of the Year. The goal is to try and create rail routes between cities with cards. Points are scored as you lay down tracks and meet your destinations. Another family favorite of his is “Carcassonne”, which is themed after an ancient city in France. Players lay down pieces like a puzzle. Once you complete something, you win. He says it’s simple to learn and a lot of fun to play. “Even my wife enjoys this game because she feels like she can easily compete without having to be an expert gamer,” says North, whose family includes two grown children who also enjoyed lots of game nights through the years. So much so, that his son now works for a company that designs phone games. North is proud to be a member of the Vista Chamber since he first opened his doors. “We’re part of the community and I believe it’s important to show our support,” he says. “I’m very happy with what I do because not only is it a fun industry to work in, but it also focuses on making special memories with family and friends.” To learn more about Rob North and Pair-A-Dice, visit www.pairadicegames. com or email Rob directly at fun@pairadicegames.com
New Hotel Offers Style and Unique Amenities
By Anne McDonnell
Gone are the days when visitors to the area had few options for where to stay. Now, Vista has a variety of hotels with amenities and accommodations on par with the best around. One of the newest options is Ayres Hotel Vista/Carlsbad, a family-owned and operated, boutique-style hotel that recently opened in Vista. The hotel was designed and built by the Ayres family, and, says Kate Jordan, Director of Sales, “It’s truly a one-of-a-kind hotel that you can’t find anywhere else in the world.” One of its most unique and popular amenities is a full, made-to-order breakfast included with the hotel stay. Says Jordan, “Our guests really love this amenity.” Chefs create custom omelets, and guests can chose from a variety of other breakfast items, including scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage. The hotel also offers a well-equipped fitness center, a heated pool and hot tub, free parking, and free wi-fi. In addition, the hotel is very pet friendly. “We love being able to welcome travelers with their furry friends,” says Jordan. The hotel is getting ready to open its bar and restaurant by the end of 2021 that will feature local brews and offer the community “a fun new place to meet with friends and family,” Jordan says. Ayres opened in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, and Jordan says that “it was an interesting time to open a new hotel, but it has gone very well and we continue to love what we do.” Guest feedback has been great, says Jordan, and “we love interacting with guests and getting to know the community and how we can serve them.” This philosophy starts from the top, and unlike large hotel chains, the owners of Ayres Hotel visit often. “They know the staff by name and make a point to greet everyone. They treat the people who work here like family,” Jordan says, and that hospitality extends to visitors and guests The hotel is located right where Vista meets Carlsbad meets San Marcos, so it’s centrally located to local breweries, restaurants, the beach, and Legoland, which is convenient for guests and also locals who are hosting family and friends. And, notes, Jordan, the hotel is out of the more heavily trafficked areas of North County, “so our guests enjoy a nice secluded stay with us.”
For Jordan, the best part about working in the hotel industry is being a part of people’s lives, often when they are celebrating a special occasion. And, of course, being part of their visit “to one of the best places in the world.”
Ayres Hotel Vista/Carlsbad 2100 Radiance Way, Vista, CA 92081 760.335.0035
