I moved out of my parents’ house when I was 19 years old. I had dreams of independence, which were met with bills and responsibilities. Thankfully, I had a roommate I got along well with who was (and is) one of the most fiscally responsible humans I know. As 20-somethings with real-world jobs and even more real rent, the two of us would often go to a nearby coffee shop (with free coffee refills) and play one of my favorite board games: Guess Who? If you argue with me that Guess Who? isn’t a board game, I won’t dispute it, but I do not have a better way to classify it. These days, I still play Guess Who? with my kids and my husband, always trying to come up with the most creative question to whittle my candidates down to the last.
Tabletop games have always been popular, and I have seen increasing interest in them in recent years. Perhaps it’s my social circles, perhaps it’s my age, or maybe people are looking for ways to connect in an increasingly connected but lonely world where we are separated by screens. I don’t know the cause, but I appreciate the effect.
In this modern world, where even our kids and teens spend their days “plugged in,” finding ways to connect IRL (“in real life,” for anyone not fluent in texting shorthand) is even more important, and tabletop games can help facilitate those connections. Some games, like my beloved Guess Who? or Hungry Hungry Hippos, provide lighthearted fun with limited strategy. Card games like Skip-Bo or Skyjo rely on some basic strategy and a lot of luck. Still, other games like Magic: The Gathering and Settlers of Catan teach resource management and planning while requiring players to negotiate with one another, and Dungeons & Dragons takes that one step further to creative cooperative storytelling.
Finding a hobby in gaming is fun and all, but unless you have a roommate who also enjoys copious amounts of coffee and you are playing a two-player game, it can be challenging to find the space and players to engage in gameplay, and thus we have seen an increase in gaming cafés.
Carlito’s Café in Thunder Bay and The Loch Café and Games in Duluth are two such cafés. Patrons are welcome to visit on their own or in groups to simply eat legitimately good food, work, or play a game together, but these cafés also host periodic events where lovers of Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, and other card-based games come together for tournaments. I reached out to Carlito’s Café and The Loch Café and Games to find out why these folks opened their businesses and what they want you to know about them.
Carlito’s Café, Thunder Bay
Carlito’s Café is owned by Chris Talarico, whose own history with gaming inspired him to open Carlito’s in the first place.
“I’ve always been captivated with how tabletop gaming brings people together, whether it᾽s over some friendly competition with trading card games and miniature games, a good social gathering with a simple board game, or even getting together to tell a good story with a role-playing game,” said Talarico. “Carlito’s exists to create more opportunities for those get-togethers. Naturally, every good evening out needs some food, so we’ve been working on expanding our menu. We recently did a kitchen renovation and added pizza to the mix, and we have much more to come in that department. We’re also looking forward to expanding our space this year, so there’s a lot of excitement around here these days.”
Talarico invites his patrons to “Game. Shop. Chill.” They stock items for gameplay, like League of Legends and Magic: The Gathering cards, as well as tabletop board games like Ticket to Ride and Betrayal at House on the Hill. For food, you’ll find paninis and pizza, as well as desserts, coffee, and more. It’s a great space to challenge a friend to a game of Scrabble or participate in a Pokémon League Challenge.
The Loch Café and Games, Duluth
The Loch Café and Games is located in the Endion neighborhood of Duluth. Emily and Matt Glasner are the proprietors of this establishment.
“My husband Matt and I started The Loch because of our passion for community, tabletop gaming, coffee, and food,” said Emily. “After the pandemic, we noticed a void in our gaming community and, as quickly as we could, got things in order to introduce this gaming café hybrid to the Northland. Our mission is to create a safe and welcoming space for all where they can come connect over a tabletop game or cup of coffee.”
Emily has more than 15 years of experience as a pastry chef and cake decorator, so many of the menu items are family recipes or ones she has developed herself. You’ll find an ever-changing menu at The Loch, with unexpected—but delicious—flavor combinations.
“There are many things that make our space unique,” Emily said, “but the biggest of all is our pathfinding. We are one of four tabletop gaming cafés in Minnesota (that I know of), and we strive to continue to bring new, unique experiences to the Northland. A prime example is our Afternoon Teas, which we host April through October on Saturdays at 2 p.m. Last year was our first year offering this service, and it went spectacularly. The community loves it and has been extremely supportive. We have heard from many of our attendees that they are on par with, if not superior to, High Teas they have experienced abroad in Oxford, England, and Scotland. Our quality food and innovative baked goods are another example that sets us apart from other cafés and game stores alike. We make almost everything in-house and rarely outsource items. Many of our recipes are family recipes or of my own creation, and I take tremendous pride in the happiness and joy they bring to our community.”
Matt and Emily “hope to break down social and financial barriers that exist for people looking to get into gaming,” as “many find it extremely intimidating to start a new hobby—especially if the community is well-established and ‘cliquey.’ At The Loch, we acknowledge this and have several systems in place to help people overcome these barriers.”
Of course, being a “gamer” is not a requirement to enjoy the space (or the food), but they do invite you to “UnLoch Yer Nerd” at The Loch.
Whether you’re a bona fide gamer or not, these gaming cafés seek to provide space for community, for friends—old and new—to gather together and engage face-to-face. Find a friend for a hot game of Cribbage, or meet a new one over a snack and a game of Commander. No matter what, it’s a great opportunity to Game. Shop. Chill. and to UnLoch that Nerd.
