The Table is a locally owned board game lounge which opened January of 2020. The new business is owned and operated by 2013 Tech graduate, Nathaniel Jones. It is located at 18 W. Spring Street, across the street from Broast.
There are handmade tables and over 300 board games lining the walls. Jones welcomes people of any age with all day passes to hang out, drink coffee, work on homework and play both classic and modern board games.
Patrons come in usually in groups of two to five, and Jones assists them in finding the perfect game to suit their group.
Jones has been playing games since college, socializing through weekly game nights and it was his inspiration for the niche audience. He built the tables, created a business plan, and figured out the accounting side.
He advised students who want to open their own business to apply what you have learned in school. Another option is to contact people who have already started their own businesses similar to yours, as he did.
“As long as you are passionate about it, you can make it work,” Jones said.
Technology has had an influence on games.
“There are quite a few board games that have app integration,” he explained. “On the positive side, there are games that explain setup.”
He finds that helpful, but said some games rely too much on technology, which he finds a negative, because it draws the eyes away from other players and onto screens. He said it takes away from the full experience of tactile, in-person games.
“Overall, technology has helped the gaming world,” Jones concluded.
Jones’ favorite game at The Table is Pandemic. It is a cooperative game, where players try to beat the game and is fitting for the 2020 battle with coronavirus. In the game everyone wins or loses together, bringing players together for a common goal.
The Table is open Thursday through Saturday from 3 – 11 p.m.
