Break out your 10-sided die, Chicago! Or your Settlers of Catan terrain tiles. Whatever board game it is you fancy, a new establishment is aiming to let you and your friends play it in a warm, safe, and inviting atmosphere. After a successful Kickstarter campaing, Bonus Round Game Cafe will be the place for you and yours to hang out, munch on goodies, sip rad Dark Matter Coffee and play board games!
The creators have been running Bonus Round as a Meetup group, hosting “pop-up” events on the North side of the city for over a year. Their pop-ups, usually drawing about 20 or so people, were so successful that Andrew (Drew) and Courtney decided to pursue a brick and mortar version of their events.
So what is it? A board game cafe, as stated, is a place for people to go and chill while hanging out with friends and playing tabletop board games. Bonus Round promises an extensive and well-maintained collection to let you explore new games and old favorites. Once funded, they are hoping to snag a storefront in the Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Uptown, or Lincoln Square neighborhoods — which are all close to mass transit and easily accessible. To date, Chicago proper has no dedicated board game cafes — Bonus Round wants to be the first!
The Kickstarter officially launches on August 30th, 2016. Goals (and stretch goals thereafter) will be used to fund the physical location, marketing, obtaining top-notch vendors to satisfy guests, and of course..more games! Both Drew and Courtney come equipped with business savvy that has been helping them work through the arduous permit and sourcing process. However, both are confident that with your help Bonus Round Game Cafe will be a dream come true, and a perfect roll of the dice.
Check out the Kickstarter page here.