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The Control Lab - Video Games, Toys & Repair in Goleta

4.8 (87) Back of the building, 5860 Hollister Ave suite c, Goleta, CA 93117, United States

The Control Lab - Video Games, Toys & Repair image

Location on the map

Goleta, Santa Barbara County, California, US

Phone: +1 805-394-8257
Site: https://the-control-lab.square.s...

Opening hours

Monday:Closed
Tuesday:11 AM–6:50 PM
Wednesday:11 AM–6:50 PM
Thursday:11 AM–6:50 PM
Friday:11 AM–7:50 PM
Saturday:11 AM–8 PM
Sunday:Closed

Edit info

Total reviews rating 4.8

87 Reviews for The Control Lab - Video Games, Toys & Repair 2024:

Review №1

2024-06-04 18:59:17

My name is Romeo and I myself own a video game store in Los Angeles, CA called LA Video Games and I must say as a collector and store owner that this video game store is best in the local area!! It’s like a treasure chest that you need to dig through and you will find a lot of good stuff. The owners (husband and wife) are so kind and nice. They welcome you the second you walk in. If there is a particular video game you are looking for they can search it up on their system to see if they have it. When I walked in, there was a big video game lot that was just traded in so you can tell that they get new inventory in and the store is well stocked. Thank you for everything The Control Lab team!! Much love from LA Video Games!!!

Review №2

2024-04-23 20:24:59

Friendly and helpful owner, great selection! My go-to game store whenever I’m in the area

Review №3

2024-01-24 17:50:48

Absolutely awesome. very thankful we have a fantastic gaming store that isnt a gamestop

Review №4

2024-02-18 23:36:36

The Only place in Santa Barbara/ Goleta Area for any gaming needs/ best selections and very reasonable pricing across all age of consoles

Review №5

2024-01-24 05:28:22

Man i went to trade in a $300 new wiiU for some money and they said 20 +store credit honestly i dont care i sill have my wiiU.Also if you need to go somewhere to buy stuff GO HERE help the guy he has a small buisnis help him out also like this co0mment if you like

Review №6

2023-10-06 03:01:09

I love this place so much. All these games I wish I had as a child. I could now afford it at a reasonable price. Games work great they include the manuals and orginal box art and bonuses. I wish I knew about this place sooner. Would love to work here!!

Review №7

2023-05-25 22:50:01

Ive been to many different retro video game stores in Santa Barbara county Ventura county and in San Luis Obispo county. This place has the best prices. Hands down whenever I drive through Goleta I have to stop by this place just to even look around. Store owner is a great person and I recommend this place 100%

Review №8

2023-06-18 23:47:37

Small homely shop with a friendly owner and his kids.

Review №9

2022-08-20 16:11:13

My sons and I are big anime and video game fans. For fun on family vacations we like to visit local shops and check them out for goodies. Well Control Lab and its owner did not disappoint! They had a fun selection of anime and video games. My son ended up with some great old games and I got some great old anime. We actually left the store and could not find one of the games we purchased. We contacted the owner and someone turned it in to him. The owner sent us the game via mail. :D AWESOME store and owner! Highly recommended!!!

Review №10

2022-11-16 10:15:24

Great place to buy and sell old video games, the owner is extremely helpful and friendly, he knows every game he has at all times . If you dont see what your looking for just ask him he will tell you if he has it. And even put a hold on it if it comes in. Highly recommend this place to anyone who loves to play classic video games on all the old game systems. 👍👍

Review №11

2023-01-15 06:12:51

I have always been a fan of video games and whatnot. I was looking for somewhere I could get my hands on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. I bought it here and it works and is in good condition. I was mind-blown by the selection of games and console they had here and I definitely recommend it!

Review №12

2022-04-22 17:05:15

Very cool owner and fun store. I have a great time browsing and games are reasonably priced. Owner is very knowledgeable about games and I have fun chatting everytime I go. They also sell a lot of anime figures, plushies, gachapon stuff, etc. so definitely check it out if youre into retro games or anime.

Review №13

2022-04-11 20:52:13

Needed a laptop keyboard repaired - got quoted some ridiculous prices until I came here. The service was super fast and professional, and the gentleman helping me was extremely courteous and knowledgeable! Also has a great selection of video games and other interesting stuff, 10/10 would recommend!

Review №14

2022-06-14 20:46:32

They were able to fix one of my old GameCube games for such a cheap price and I hadnt been able to play this game in years! It restored about 100 hours of gameplay and the store itself is amazing with such a variety of games. Anyone that plays video games should come here

Review №15

2023-08-24 01:03:38

Better then gamestop. Let me say that this place is a lifesaver. No where had the game my son really wanted and they did thank guys. 10 stars

Review №16

2018-01-21 22:06:35

George is a great guy who really knows his stuff!Ive been in to the store twice now with no real purchase in mind but have chatted with George about our passion for retro video games.George is highly knowledgeable and best of all just a down to earth guy who loves video games.The prices are great and below the prices you find on eBay which is super convenient and you get to see the person who is selling you it to you, which is great in an age where there are lots of fraudulent copys of yesterdays classics.I purchased a complete in box copy of harvest moon for the n64 and the price was great.Ill definitely be coming back to the control lab on the future!

Review №17

2019-10-07 21:49:16

This place is awesome! Definitely fun to just poke around and see what new arrivals they have. The guy who owns the place is extremely nice and knowledgable. We end up chatting about video games for half an hour each time. I am a huge Nintendo fan and have purchased controllers and AV wires from there - originals I might add!

Review №18

2024-04-12 23:31:49

Nice cool dude. Lots of Nintendo stuff

Review №19

2021-03-10 23:05:05

Went there today to get Pokémon Pearl and it was such a delight. I came from Simi Valley so I drove like 2 hours in total but very worth it. I hope the owner I talked to today reads this review cause I was massively impressed with how he made sure every single product for sale was thoroughly cleaned and saran wrapled. I’m a business owner and collector and I’m very ocd and tedious about many things. That kind of effort, love, care, and pride definitely didn’t go unnoticed. Respect. I’ll probably make another big drive out next week to buy a new ds and some other games. I would go very much out of my way to do business with him again because I can see he puts in the insane amount of pride and effort I’d put in. I looked at all of his prices around the store and everything was perfectly priced. I think anybody who is looking to have their own game shop should take major notes here. Cheers friend. Thank you

Review №20

2017-10-31 23:43:23

George is an amazing owner who is friendly fair and really knows his stuff. They do repairs and trades and offer bunch of services for old electronics, consoles and retro and modern video gaming. The place is very hard to find at first but once you do, it will be your first go to anything old gaming or repairs.

Review №21

2019-11-03 01:44:23

George is a great person and repaired my gamecube controller for a very affordable price. One of the buttons was stuck, so he fixed it and even cleaned it too! You can get all kinds of electronics repaired here.

Review №22

2015-03-23 21:28:16

I had been in there once before just to browse and I was immediately taken back by the awesome selection of vintage games. I came in again today asking if they could help me with a computer emergency, not only did he set me up with exactly what I needed, he gave me a better version for about half the price. I ended up talking a little bit afterward and he offered his expertise to help build a new PC from scratch! He said that his philosophy is to build a community more so than to sell a product. Ill definately be coming back

Review №23

2020-12-16 14:00:52

Really great store. We traveled up from Ventura and was totally worth the trip. Fair prices, enough rummaging to be fun without being totally chaotic, and knowledgeable owner. Seems like they really know their stuff when it comes to repairs and modding too.

Review №24

2019-12-08 20:39:05

They have a wide variety of games to choose from, but Im mostly a huge fan of their stickers. They have so many types of stickers, from gaming to fandoms to space, and theyre super affordable! 10/10 would recommend going here, I swing by a lot

Review №25

2022-07-29 17:03:08

Lots of neat stuff here.It is behind the Barbers shop, enter the small parking lot off of Magnolia Ave.I made a slight change on the map, the windows of the store look out onto their parking lot, I moved the pin to reflect that.

Review №26

2021-04-29 18:50:25

George soldered my psu cord back onto my PS4 pro motherboard after I ripped it off trying to clean out dust that had accumulated over the years. It was definitely looking un-fixable and George had it back to me in 48 hours and it works perfectly! The Control Lab is now my new favorite spot for all my gaming needs and George has a customer for life!

Review №27

2018-08-01 17:33:39

I love this place! Not only is the selection incredible, George and his team are all very nice people and they are all very knowledgeable about consoles, video games, electronic repair, and pretty much all of your gaming needs. They have a huge selection of titles for a bunch of systems like: Ps2, Xbox (original), Nintendo 64, N.E.S, Wii, 3DS, WiiU, Sega Dreamcast, Ps3, Xbox 360, Ps4, Xbox one. They also have a shelf of DVDs, Cds, and manga, along with video game collectibles like figurines, posters, plush dolls, and stickers. The prices are incredibly affordable and they also offer electronic and console repair at a great price.

Review №28

2021-12-22 02:52:02

If you havent been in a while go check out!! Great selection of Pokemon and anime items. Cool shirts and great selection of games and used gaming equipment.

Review №29

2019-01-04 05:32:18

George is a technical wizard who fixed my laptop at a very competitive price. This is the place to go if you have any hardware issues at all. Great work, great service!

Review №30

2021-08-20 01:17:08

Really awesome local video game and retro gaming store. Had a great experience getting my gaming laptop upgraded and serviced. Would hands down recommend in the future.

Review №31

2020-09-13 04:19:28

Its a very cool place that Id highly recommend checking out if youre close to the area. And they have a wide selection of game for some great prices that all have wonderful care, to the point that they look brand new.

Review №32

2020-10-28 00:48:55

Best place for hard to find Anime figures and collectibles

Review №33

2021-03-08 00:53:02

Fantastic place to find everything video game and anime related. George is the man, and prices everything more than fairly and in sells things in great condition. 100/10 would recommend

Review №34

2018-12-06 09:37:52

Best place for retro games. The owner is super great and can answer almost any obscure question you could think off. They have rare, old and new consoles and games and I always leave happy

Review №35

2021-06-13 00:09:40

I love this place! They have a great selection, the owner is super friendly and gives great advice, and its like a time machine to my youth. I stop by every time Im in town, and want to urge everyone else to do the same. Thank you!

Review №36

2021-05-06 17:19:53

Amazing local videogame shop!Great diverse selection of current and retro videogames alike. Perfect stop if you are looking around for a present for that special gamer or anime lover in your life. 🎮🕹🪅

Review №37

2019-12-23 02:14:35

I visit the Control Lab every couple months in search of awesome stickers. Not only am I getting grade A sticks, but the experience has always been comfortable, therapeutic, and friendly!

Review №38

2023-05-20 15:58:36

Got my PS4 serviced. Good price and great service. It runs like the day I bought it.

Review №39

2019-05-02 00:22:15

Came in for battery replacement for my games, was super quick and the man who helped me was super nice! Definitely recommend for gaming needs! Definitely will be coming back

Review №40

2016-07-16 17:00:17

Place is great, found a cursed Saturn game Ive been hunting for. Awesome little trinkets and stuff to, found a majoras mask necklace. Would definitely recommend at least visiting.

Review №41

2021-09-26 20:46:15

Always Pleased on Every Visit. Helps me find lost games, old systems, able to fix broken systems, and help me with my growing collection of Anime & Game Figures!

Review №42

2021-05-26 07:03:24

Bought some games for my do and a PS3! Pretty cool spot to shop at, the owner is a cool person! Fun place to go!

Review №43

2017-10-15 19:19:10

George (owner) is a good guy who knows his stuff. If youre looking for older video games or electronics repair this is the place to go. Just call ahead.

Review №44

2022-10-03 01:02:21

Amazing resource for repairing any video games or other electronics! Full of cool games stickers and collectibles! Cant recommend enough :)

Review №45

2021-12-22 19:27:33

Bought a used Wii controller that turned out to have a bad motion sensor. They swapped it for another one no questions asked. Nice, friendly place.

Review №46

2020-02-10 22:01:14

Great place, owner is very nice and has lots of experience, one of the best places to get retro consoles repaired, he’s very honest with prices and helpful with advice.

Review №47

2019-11-05 03:37:54

After making several attempts to get in contact with this place, left voicemails, online messages I have yet to receive a response. Its has been approximately 3 months since I first tried to make contact to have a simple question answered. Dont know how this business stays open with service like that.

Review №48

2016-07-17 16:58:20

With most shopping that I do, its an in-and-out experience. Get what I want and leave. This place is so different. It has a hangout vibe and the staff are very nice and approachable. Great deals too!

Review №49

2019-10-14 06:48:29

Traded my old games and systems collection in got MORE than fair value cash and some store credit. Guy there is up front and honest, Ive been back twice since.

Review №50

2018-04-18 08:05:05

One of the best video game 🎮 store.. the owner George Is very Knowledge And very helpful!!! It’s a must go... 4 all game Lover!!

Review №51

2020-06-26 03:54:37

Absolutely love this place but I cant contact them so I have no idea if there open during quarentine and I live kinda far so its risky to check my self.

Review №52

2019-06-12 00:55:44

Great local alternative to Game Stop. Good selection and offers in store repair.

Review №53

2023-11-05 16:24:37

My favorite gaming store.

Review №54

2018-05-13 00:58:02

Ive called the store several times over the last three days. No one answers the phone. I dont live locally and making the drive on a gamble that the store may or may not be open, or have what I need, isnt very realistic.

Review №55

2020-08-08 01:41:18

VERY BEST PLACE TO TAKE YOUR CONSOLES,GAMES, COMPUTERS ...... ANYTHING THAT KEEPS YOU HAPPY.. TO GET REPAIR OR EXCHANGED.DONT LET THAT GAME.. COLLECT DUST. GO IN AND SEE

Review №56

2018-09-02 03:58:59

The staff is very friendly and helpful! Excellent service and good collection of games

Review №57

2018-01-20 22:28:56

Great electric repair! Gives fair value store credit for game trade-ins.

Review №58

2017-04-24 04:38:16

An excellent local video game shop, even if you just need parts.

Review №59

2020-02-22 19:14:09

This place is a gem. Forget geek squad, George is so much better.

Review №60

2018-07-08 02:09:45

Theyre great people and have a lot of cool stock too!

Review №61

2019-04-12 05:31:25

Super cool guy that runs it, good stuff at the store, all around great place

Review №62

2017-12-02 00:14:09

Great costumer service. Quick N64 ultra HDMI mod!

Review №63

2017-05-08 23:40:38

The owner is absolutely amazing and he has so many good things available.

Review №64

2016-01-06 16:15:13

It is the best video game store in old town goleta.

Review №65

2018-02-24 17:26:27

Fixed my laptop for a affordable price nice guy cool little shop too

Review №66

2021-01-14 03:18:58

Was great, service. They fixed my computer very satisfied with the service.

Review №67

2019-12-07 20:59:13

An amazing place with a ton of cool stuff for gamers and anime fans

Review №68

2016-05-19 21:35:56

If he knows games, he certainly doesnt know how to take care of them.

Review №69

2023-03-05 23:23:36

Great place to visit. Will be going back.

Review №70

2019-05-24 22:15:08

Very organized and wonderful shop owner very welcoming and knowledgeable 10/10

Review №71

2020-02-05 23:17:11

Very friendly shop extremely knowledgeable, and great customer. 👍

Review №72

2019-12-11 01:37:24

Super helpful and grate customer service my visit to control lab wont be the last

Review №73

2024-06-11 00:34:37

Love this place

Review №74

2017-04-26 21:10:45

Nice selection of games and great customer service

Review №75

2021-06-11 01:56:46

Great place to buy games and action figures

Review №76

2021-01-23 01:52:17

If youre a gamer, I truly recommend it😎🤙

Review №77

2019-05-22 22:09:22

Awesome selection of vintage video gaming products

Review №78

2020-03-15 23:29:41

Sold me a ps2 contorller that does not work

Review №79

2021-07-14 16:25:39

Best video game/electronic repair in sb

Review №80

2016-08-29 18:45:29

Great choice of games, awesome staff...

Review №81

2023-07-14 21:26:39

Its pretty good

Review №82

2017-01-13 23:52:18

Great atmosphere, friendly customer service

Review №83

2019-03-19 00:36:49

Its a very welcoming vibe

Review №84

2020-02-20 22:39:56

I find my old videos games to play

Review №85

2022-12-11 00:34:32

Very helpful and knowledgeable

Review №86

2019-03-30 16:48:10

Plenty of this and that for gaming systems past and present, mostly past.

Review №87

2021-04-01 15:23:27

Great experience, great prices