A cafe without wifi but with board games

I’m a big coffee shop fan. There was a great shop down the street from where I went to college that I frequented, usually for writing purposes. The tables and chairs were arranged in small groups, the drinks were great, and I could grab a meal there if I missed the dining hall hours. The shop had a great mozzarella and tomato sandwich. During NaNo I’d bring my laptop and work on my novel, but most of the time I’d be alone in my paper writing while everyone else tapped away at their laptops.

Now imagine a shop that didn’t allow laptops. This is actually becoming more common thanks to coffee shop owners who are growing frustrated at patrons turning a shop into an office. But some owners want their place of business to be a place of community. Take Snakes and Lattes in Toronto. It just opened, and bringing your laptop is missing the point. Instead, why not play a game–yes, like Chutes and Ladders? Most games weren’t designed for two players (though I too would love to see more board game dates), so players are encouraged to play together when they have an eye on the same game, whether they know each other or not. This is something I can get behind. If I were the owner, my concern would be about the inevitable loss of game pieces. I had a hard time keeping track of pieces for my small game collection. Imagine what the staff will go through for their 1500-game collection.