After years of playing supporting roles in other game shops, Toby Wright has stepped into the role of main character, opening Azure Dragon Games in Fulton, leveling up from employee to owner.

Azure Dragon Games offers a mix of trading card games, board games, tabletop role-playing games and more. A gaming enthusiast since he was “knee high to a grasshopper,” Wright said he had been holding the idea of turning his hobby and passion into a business close to his heart for years.

“A couple of years ago, we decided we were kind of done with the 9-to-5s, done with making other people rich,” Wright said. “We figured we’ve been running stores, we’ve been running businesses. We’ve got the know-how and the passion, so why not give it a shot?”

The shop’s big three trading card games are Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon, and Yu-Gi-Oh! But Wright said they also stock lesser-known titles such as Flesh and Blood, the new Gundam card game, and Weiss Schwarz. Hobby gamers will also find Warhammer and Dungeons & Dragons products, along with a growing collection of board games like Splendor, Catan, Monopoly and Risk.

“A lot of these littler games don’t get the publicity… but they’re just as fun, if not more fun,” Wright said.

Azure Dragon Games hosts weekly tournaments and game nights, with a schedule that shifts based on community interest. Magic tournaments currently run on Sunday nights, Gundam play on Wednesdays and Dungeons & Dragons on Thursdays. Wright said players should check the store’s Facebook page for updates.

“I’ll run an event for anything with as few people as required,” Wright said. “If the game needs four people, we’ll find four people. I’ll sit in and play. Whatever people are excited about playing… I know the rules for most of them, so I’ll figure it out.”

The store includes a second-story mezzanine with room for 50 players, which Wright plans to use for larger events in the future. Azure Dragon Games has also joined several organized play programs, allowing them to host tournaments with special prize support, promo cards and early-release products.

Wright said the shop is planning a grand opening for late September to coincide with the release of a special Magic: The Gathering Spider-Man set.

Azure Dragon Games, located at 1108 Fourth St. in Fulton, is open every day except Monday, from 1-9 p.m. For more information, call 563-272-8671.