Gamers unite! Got Item! Games going strong in its new location
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Do you like retro video games? How about video game accessories, collectibles, trading cards and board games? If this sounds like your jam, then Amherst has just the store for you. We’re talking about Got Item! Games, located in the Amherst Centre Mall since January of this year.
Not long ago, Deputy Mayor Davidson and Councillors Ripley, McManaman, and Furlong stopped by to congratulate the store owners and staff on their move from the original downtown location to their new space at the mall.
“The store’s roots date back over four years now to when a previous owner and I bought a business’s inventory and started up Got Item! Games,” explained store co-owner James Gaudet. “The roots of the Got Item! name go way back to when I was in high school – the name actually comes from a Mario Party reference on N64. It used to be when you got an item, it was a ‘Got Item!’ I was just like, that’s crazy enough to work.”
Gaudet shared that he and his colleagues tend to have people thanking them every day because they’ll come into the store and find products that they haven’t seen for a long time, or in other cases, products that are completely new to them.
“We specialize in retro video games, trading cards and collectables, and we strive to bring back a little bit of nostalgia,” said Gaudet.
Deputy Mayor Hal Davidson presented Got Item! Games co-owner James Gaudet with a new business certificate from the Town of Amherst, celebrating the business's new location at Amherst Centre Mall. Also pictured (left to right) are: Zac Mackinnon (volunteering in the community), store employee Kyle Estabrooks, Mann Forbes (representing his wife and store co-owner Jaclyn Forbes), Councillor Dwayne Ripley, Councillor Terry McManaman, store employee Elyse Bussiere, and Councillor Nic Furlong.
2025 Volunteer Appreciation Reception
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Earlier this week, a very special group of citizens gathered at the CCUBIC for the 2025 Volunteer Appreciation Reception.
Every year we ask the community to nominate individuals who give back by volunteering for initiatives that help make our town a better place for all.
A number of nominees were unable to attend the ceremony, but we will be sure to present them with their certificates very soon.
One such nominee was Dale Fawthrop - Amherst's Volunteer of the Year.
Amherst proclaims May as Gaelic Nova Scotia Month
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Did you know that Gaelic language and culture are integral components of the identity of Nova Scotia, and that Gaels represent one of the earliest non-Indigenous cultural groups to settle in Mi’kma’ki?
This year marks the 29th anniversary of Gaelic Nova Scotia Month, which is a time to embrace, honour and celebrate the language, culture, history, contributions, and achievements of Gaels across the province.
In order to support new generations of language learners and cultural champions continuing to build upon the legacy of Gaelic Nova Scotia’s tradition bearers, May has been proclaimed as Gaelic Nova Scotia Month in the Town of Amherst.
May proclaimed Lyme Disease Awareness Month in Amherst
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Did you know that Lyme Disease is a serious illness caused by the bite of a blacklegged tick infected with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi? Blacklegged ticks carrying a variety of diseases or illnesses can now be found in all parts of Nova Scotia.
May has been proclaimed as Lyme Disease Awareness Month in Amherst and everyone is encouraged to learn about the dangers posed by ticks and how to take preventative measures.
Let's all enjoy being outside in our beautiful province, now and through the seasons ahead, while also being mindful of these risks.
Find some helpful information here from the Nova Scotia Health Tick Service.
Community Support Grants Presented April 9, 2025
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Mayor Rob Small was joined this morning by members of Council to present five community support grant cheques. This group of recipients includes the Cumberland African Nova Scotian Association, the YMCA of Cumberland, The Terry Fox Run - Amherst, the Cumberland Chamber of Commerce, and a youth who plays as goalie on a local hockey team.
Unable to join on April 9, Chris Johanneson received a community support grant on April 14 on behalf of the Chignecto Arts Council, in support of their upcoming Artist & Artisan Social event on May 29.
An annual budget is allocated to support community events, festivals, and participation in tournaments at the provincial, national, and international level, by awarding grants.
Please visit our Community Grants page for more information about this program.
Follow your dreams and explore Amherst’s newest alternative style and décor store: Once Again
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Tucked away down an alley off Victoria Street East is a little gem of a shop offering up alternative fashion and accessories, pop culture merchandise, incense, crystals, and mystical treasures. Just follow the signs and pop in the door to Once Again.
Mayor Small and members of Council popped in recently to meet store owner Amaury Van Weehaege and present him with a new business certificate, officially welcoming him to downtown Amherst since opening at the end of November last year.
We asked Van Weehaege (who likes to shorten his last name to VW) the best way to describe the types of items he’s curated for sale in his store.
“A lot of people say gothic, emo or witchy, but I feel like alternative kind of puts all that in that same category,” shared VW.
Do you like black apparel items like band t-shirts and spiky jewelry? How about browsing a huge variety of incense, candles, books and journals? That’s just scraping the surface of what you’ll find waiting for you at Once Again.
March 26, 2025 proclaimed as Purple Day in the town of Amherst
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Today is Purple Day! All in support of epilepsy awareness. It is estimated that more than 50 million people worldwide are affected by this neurological disorder that can cause recurrent seizures.
Members of Amherst Town Council donned purple ribbons to show their support for the cause and celebrate that March 26 has been officially proclaimed as Purple Day for Epilepsy Awareness in the town of Amherst.
For more information please visit the official Purple Day website.
