A pair of gaming heroines rolled the dice and opened a hobby shop together this week in Brookhaven.

Ashlee Case and Hunter Love celebrated the grand opening of Monsters & Mulligans Saturday with cake, cookies, and lots of gamers who came ready to play.

The store is located.at 119 W. Monticello St. and will be open three evenings a week – Fridays 6 p.m. to midnight, Saturdays noon to midnight, and Sundays noon to 10 p.m.

Case and Love met five years ago at a game store. Case was a pet groomer at another salon and the two chit-chatted about gaming and dogs and hit it off. Case eventually joined Love’s business, Barkhaven Doggie Day Spaw, as a groomer. Now the two have joined forces to open Monsters & Mulligans in the space next door.

The dynamic duo hope to fill a need that Covid created when it became unacceptable to gather in public for social entertaining in 2020. Prior to Covid, Hero’s Haven, a comic book shop and gaming store that is now closed, was packed most evenings.

“The community was fractured by Covid,” Love said. “We want to rebuild the community.”

They stated their goal for the business on their Facebook page: “Our goal is simple – to rebuild what was lost over the years and create a space where everyone feels welcome, supported, and excited to roll dice, shuffle decks, and share great memories.”

The owner of Hero’s Haven recently closed the brick and mortar shop to concentrate on traveling to gaming shows and tournaments, Case said. They were able to purchase some of the fixtures, the glass-topped front counter and the cash register from him.

Graphic designer Jason Reeves, who is also one of the store’s resident Dungeon Masters, created their logo and the store’s mascot, a mimic named Molly.

“A mimic is a monster that will pretend to be something else, like a treasure chest, and you have to roll the dice to see what it really is,” Case said.

Their store front is painted to look like Molly, with glowing yellow eyes and gnarly teeth, which make it stand out among the other businesses on West Monticello Street.

The name, Monsters & Mulligans, came from an inside joke in their Dungeons and Dragons group that had been meeting in Barkhaven on weekend nights. They started calling it Mutts and Mulligans, then changed it to Monsters & Mulligans.

A mulligan, they explain, is a second chance among gamers. It allows a gamer to reshuffle a hand they don’t like.

Gamers can come in during business hours for casual play at any of the open tables. Case and Love let new gamers use the store’s decks and will even teach the basics of games. If they don’t know how to play, they’ll find someone who does.

They offer snacks and beverages for sale, and also stock accessories and playing pieces for Pokémon, Magic the Gathering, Dungeons and Dragons, Tarkir, Jumpstart, and other trading card games and role playing games. Several handmade works made by gaming crafters are for sale as well.

Upcoming events are promoted in the store and on the store’s Facebook page. Case said they charge for entrance into gaming events because cash prizes are awarded.

Gamers can also rent the Dungeons and Dragons room for private games. It comes equipped with seating for up to eight players in a themed-tavern decor. There’s a digital map display and sound bar for full immersion and soundproof walls. There are adjustable player tables for scrolls, potions and snacks. Players renting the D&D room have access to all store-owned terrain pieces, maps and miniatures.

Reeves and John “Ford” Ford can be booked for private sessions in the D&D Room to set up characters, scenes and plots for Dungeons and Dragons games. Ford will also be running the store’s campaigns on Sundays.

Case and Love agree they could not be on this new adventure if it weren’t for their husbands. Dalton Case works for the United States Postal Service and Jacob Love is self-employed.

“They have been keeping our houses afloat,” Ashlee Case said.

Besides Barkhaven and Monsters & Mulligans, the two women stay busy being moms. Love’s two daughters recently started gaming. Emma Love will turn 14 next week and Ava Love will be 12 in June.

Case is mom to 16-month-old Ollie Case.

To rent the D&D Room, book Reeves or Ford, or register for an event, call or text 601-227-7875. Gamers can also message Case and Love through the Monsters & Mulligans’ Facebook page.