We normally try to keep things positive, but we wanted to be honest with everyone about where things stand.

As many of you know, we opened less than a year ago with the goal of creating a welcoming community space for board games, events, and meeting new people in Gothenburg. Since then, we’ve hosted dozens of events, built friendships, worked with organizers, and watched a wonderful community begin to grow.

Unfortunately, this summer has been much tougher than we expected.

Like many new businesses, we planned for a gradual build-up over time.

When we opened last year, we were able to cover our costs and continue expanding during the winter. However, we didn’t have enough time to build a financial buffer before entering the slower summer season. Over the last couple of months, we have been covering rent and operating expenses out of our own pockets just to keep the doors open.

We’re still fighting for the cafe. We’re exploring partnerships, venue rentals, new revenue streams, and potential buyers or investors who can help carry the business forward. We don’t usually ask for help like this — we’re not the type to look for handouts. We’re doing everything we can to make this work.

At the same time, many people have asked how they can help.

So we’re launching a community support campaign.

Our goal is to raise 50,000 kr to help us cover rent and operating costs through the summer. If we reach our goal, we’ll celebrate by hosting one week of free community board gaming (no 55 kr entry) as a thank-you to everyone who helped keep Offline Cafe going.

If Offline Cafe has ever given you a fun evening, introduced you to new friends, helped you discover a new hobby, or simply given you a place to relax, we’d be incredibly grateful for your support. Any amount helps, whether it’s 20, 50, 100 kr or more — it all really makes a difference.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far. It means more than you know ❤️