2025 Wrapped
What. A. Year.
Our first full year of being open was wonderful, and we couldn't have done it without all of you!
• We had the privilege to host hundreds of events and gatherings that brought people together: tournaments, mystery parties, private events, school events, work events, political events, puzzle contests, classes, open mic nights, D&D date nights, bar games, and so much more!
• We started a banned books book club, which quickly became a bit of a support group!
• We hosted two vendor markets that gave the spotlight to dozens of our local artists, creators, crafters, and small business owners. Both events had an amazing reception from our local community.
• We held a donation drive for our local food pantry, and we were able to collect and donate over 200 lbs of food and some generous cash right before the holidays.
• We made so many great partnerships with other great companies and community leaders!
• We were an "Inspiring Stories" feature in a local magazine, VoyageMinnesota! You can read the article here.
• We closed the store during the summer to honor and appreciate our loyalty members and regulars with an old-fashioned cookout, and it was a beautiful day! (The picture below shows our group photo.)
With greatest gratitude, we thank all of you for being a part of our year.
And on a more serious note.
We hear about the "Loneliness Epidemic" quite a bit now. We, as a society, have never been more digitally connected and more socially isolated at the same time, and unfortunately, it has a deep impact. Nearly half of U.S. adults feel disconnected, according to the latest studies, and the health implications are comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day! This is heartbreaking in more than one way.
We believe that the antidote to disconnection is connection. The answer to isolation is community. This can feel very vulnerable at first, especially if you're socially anxious, and that is exactly why we frame so many of our events in the form of play and easy engagement. We're proud to brag about all the friendships we have made, whether it's us connecting with our regulars or our regulars bonding with each other. We also make great efforts to make our environment welcoming, the opposite of intimidating. Our space is spacious for a reason; we want the sensory experience to start with spaciousness and then be filled with curiosity and belonging. We also want to be as inclusive as possible, so we have wide walkways to accommodate all walks (and wheelchairs) of life! All are welcome here.
Our retail products are an invitation to geekdom, not the end of the journey. We do not specialize in anything quite intentionally, because we want to be the catalyst to your discovery. Although we are gaining quite the Magic: the Gathering crowd with our organized offerings. We want you to find some hobbies that delight you, but more importantly, we want you to come and play with other people and us.
It is no small feat to come together with strangers these days. We think it's crucial in life, and we're dedicated to creating a safe and inclusive environment for it to flourish. Connecting with strangers is vital; we must recognize our shared humanity and the common ground we share, which is easily accessed through interactions and play. We hope to continue to be the playground for more shared joy and a home for curious minds.
Thank you for being a part of our growing community, our 'murder' of curious crows.
We're wishing you all a very happy New Year!