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- Our History -
The Citadel was first opened on July 31, 1977 by Pat Flory.
Flory, an avid gamer, was in his final months of service in the U.S. Navy. While he spent his days working at a desk, his nights and weekends were spent gathering stock, visiting conventions, and preparing a unique gaming and retail space to serve his community.
The Citadel went on to become more than just a gaming store. It became a gathering space for players, a testing ground for game developers, and an icon of Groton, Connecticut.
Pat was ahead of his time, chartering busses to take locals to comic cons, and interviewing game publishers to share their processes.
It was during this time that Larry Harris, a talented game designer, began play testing a series of games at the Citadel that would go on to grow far beyond Groton, CT..
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Axis & Allies, a now beloved World War II Strategy Board Game, originally titled "1942" was prototyped, and play tested in The Citadel.
In 1981, Larry Harris partnered with the store to publish the first version of the game, but with it's now famous title, named by Pat Flory.
In 1984, Harris sold the game to Milton Bradley as part of the Gamemaster Series where it went on to become one of the best selling games in the genre of all time.
The Citadel moved from its small 500 square foot location a few times before finding a home in a space in the basement of a local property- thus becoming the Citadel Game Cellar. A place where all can adventure and game in their own way.
Pat passed in June of 2022, and the business is now owned and operated by some of his best friends with the expressed goal of honoring his legacy, and carving out more space for community, fun, and gaming.
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Dedicated to our friend,
Pat Flory
12/15/1948 - 06/04/2022
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