By J. Kathleen Thompson
Justin Hines, a well-known Canadian musician, and his wife Savanna moved from Toronto to Grand Forks last summer to fulfill two dreams: 1) live in Savanna’s small and welcoming hometown, and 2) open and operate a board games cafe.
The first dream is unfolding beyond expectation, the second dream officially became reality on Wednesday when The Board Room Cafe, at 353 Market Ave. in Grand Forks, opened its doors.
A phenomenon that has grown wildly in popularity in places like Toronto and Vancouver (and Paris) board game cafes aim to give their food and beverage customers the value-added option of indulging in a new or favourite board game while relaxing in the cafe.
With that model in mind, The Board Room Cafe features specialty coffees and drinks and artisan-quality food in a comfortable cafe setting with a twist of fun – boardgames – hundreds of them – to use for a standard $5 cover charge. The degree to which the board games become central to the cafe’s operation, in terms of special events like tournaments, the hosting of club activities, etc. will have everything to do with the interest shown by the local community and clientele. There is no question that the owners come to the job fully committed.
“Justin and I are passionate about board games,” said Savanna. “No, maybe I should say obsessive. Our personal collection alone numbers 300 board games. We are into the whole gamut of games; from the traditional ones like Backgammon, Monopoly, etc., to the more current games like Ticket to Ride and Settlers of Catan. People will see a wide variety of board games on offer in our cafe; we’re hoping it becomes known as a family-friendly space and also a place where people want to put their phones down and talk, and mingle with each other. Remember those days?”
As well, the Hines hope that the Board Room Cafe complements what is already ‘on tap’ downtown, and helps to contribute to the vibrancy of the city core, and community at large.
“We noticed on one of our visits here in the past,” Savanna continued, “that the city rolls up its sidewalks by 6 p.m., and there is very little going on in the evening downtown. We are planning to stay open until 9 or 10 p.m. so that we are helping to fill that gap in choices for residents and visitors.”
In addition to games-oriented events, and the offering of their ‘board room’ to meetings and consultation circles, the Hines hope to host live music events.
Coming from 20 years in the business (which he has had to step back from due to health issues), Justin continues to write songs and stay connected to an industry that supported him for the first chapter of his working life. He is keen to help support the local live music scene, and certainly we have much to learn from him considering his career, highlights of which included performing in a tribute to Ron Sexsmith at Massey Hall in Toronto, performing at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, and reaching the Top 30 Billboard Charts with two of his songs: Say What You Will, and Tell Me I’m Wrong. Oh, and of course, playing for sold-out audiences here in Grand Forks no less than three times.
And when one door closes, the other opens . . . to rural living (Justin insists that he is a country boy at heart) and to the opportunity to enter into a major project with his wife.
“We are finally working on something totally together – I love that element,” Justin beamed. “Savanna comes with twenty years in the hospitality industry, with her last job managing a popular restaurant chain in the Toronto area, and I come with social media and branding savvy, so I suspect we will make a good team.”
And they are excited about having Savanna’s father, Alf Him — who has a wealth of building and contracting experience – as a business partner. Having been contracted in 1990 to construct the building for the previous owners (Bill and Sandy Wilby), Him has taken pleasure in returning to it 27 years later and unfolding the blueprints needed to convert it into The Board Room Cafe.
With the finishing touches completed, a roster of enthusiastic staff hired and primed, The Board Room Cafe is now open for business. The owners are well aware of the business credo — “a business is yours until you open it” and after many months of preparation, are ready to ‘hand it over’ to the community.
If it takes a village to raise an adult (Savanna’s version of the familiar adage), then similarly, it takes a village to make a business. Chess, anyone?