Retail Games—Roundup of New Cafes and Game Stores

Cafe Mahjong in Moscow, Russia offers selections from a variety of Asian cuisines, as well as Mahjong sets to play at the table and even lessons for those new to the game.

Epic Nerd Camp is a summer camp for adults in the Pocono Mountains. Among the many activities it offers to campers is gaming—lots of gaming.

The owners of two laser-tag and mini-golf centers in Cincinnati are getting in to board games, opening The Rook board game bar in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Borrowing one of their 800 games is free as long as you’re drinking.

Tiki Tiki Board Games of Woodbury, New Jersey is relocating to the historic Polsky’s building. The new space’s 5,800 square feet (Tiki Tiki’s current store in 1,400) will be shared with Luke & Cade’s Toy Chest.

Two friends who met online are opening the first board game cafe in Bristol, U.K., Chance & Counters. They’re getting custom made gaming tables with out-of-the-way storage space for boxes and other bits.

Fellow Pawn, Robert, is blessed with two new game shops near his home in Connecticut, Games In Real Life and Silver Eagle Games.

Club Sosay in Paddington, near Brisbane, is a board game cafe that took over space from a wine bar. The chef’s specialties include South American empanadas. A second location for the cafe is already in the works.

Eastern-Mediterranean restaurant, Tawla, recently opened in the Mission neighborhood of San Francisco, offers patrons Backgammon sets to play while they wait for their food to appear.

Soon to open in Lafayette, Indiana is board game cafe, Merlin’s Beard.

Amazon’s new Handmade marketplace includes a Games section, where you can find such things as a Bubinga wood Cribbage board and hand painted 25 mm fantasy miniatures.

A brother and sister pair, 10 year-old Liam and 8 year-old Claire Goodowens, have set up three Game Exchange Boxes around Winter Park, Florida. The repurposed newspaper boxes are stocked with board games free for the taking, though leaving one of your favorites for the next person to enjoy is the general idea.

The general manager of Kimpton’s new Mason & Rook Hotel in Washington, D.C. holds weekly game nights with guests.