Hello and welcome to the Games And Merriment Emporium, aka GAME Santa Cruz. My name is Wes, and GAME Santa Cruz is my passion project. I’ve been playing games like Talisman, Mousetrap, and even Dungeons and Dragons since I was a child. As a local tabletop enthusiast, I’ve been running a weekly game group since 2014 that originated at the world-famous Café Pergolesi. Now I’d like to move forward in sharing my passion for board games and coffee with you all.

GAME Santa Cruz is set to be a community-focused space that is also a culturally diverse and inclusive gaming café. What is a game café? It’s a place where, for a small fee, you can have a tasty beverage or snack, play a beloved board game from the extensive library on offer, and possibly find a new favorite. I plan on hosting a variety of in-café events such as free game days, how-to-play days, role-playing game days, and hopefully even miniature paint days.

Currently, I’m looking for a location - primarily Downtown Santa Cruz - that is close to parking, easy to walk to, and near the bus line. I’d like to be up and running by Fall 2023. 100% of the proceeds will be used toward obtaining a location, fixtures, furniture, equipment, and site improvements.

Since I’m starting from scratch, I understand it won’t be easy. Once the crowd-sourcing is finished, I’ll be able to approach the bank for a Small Business Loan to get started on the right foot. I’ve been under the guidance of the Santa Cruz Small Business Development Center since 2020, slowly building a business plan.

As a longtime Santa Cruz resident, I believe the community would be wonderfully served by having a fun, safe space that fosters community growth, allowing new gamers to experience the joys of board games, and offering a lively social hub for those who already enjoy tabletop gaming. Thank you for taking the time to read this far, I hope to see you soon at GAME Santa Cruz