SOLITUDE: DISCOVERING SOLO PLAY IN AN EMPTY GAME CAFÉ

In a time of isolation, like the lockdowns of 2020, the modern board game hobby has a weird identity.

- Kevin Hadley

On one hand, families are desperately looking for activities for their kids to engage in beyond video streaming and digital media; on the other hand, gamers may be left with either no one to play with or restricted to simpler “family-friendly” games. As I sat by myself in front of my board game library, I decided to find solace in the back of the rulebook; the place where the rules for solo mode are typically found.

Spreading the Love of Gaming

As a board game café owner, my family and I were hit especially hard due to the lockdowns. We opened The Meeple’s Café in Gilbert, Arizona, during the summer of 2019 with an unstoppable motivation to bring a hobby we loved to others. Our mission from conception was to provide fun, food, and fellowship. Unfortunately, all three became extremely difficult to fulfill in 2020.