Well Played Board Game Café
Cortland Mercer
828-367-7121
[email protected]
wellplayedasheville.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 21, 2016
Well Played: Asheville’s First Board Game Café to Open in 2017
Fun, Socially-Driven Entertainment and Café Concept Coming to Wall Street
Asheville, NC—Today, Well Played announced the opening of Asheville’s first board game café
at 58 Wall Street. Growing in popularity nationally, board game cafés provide a comfortable and
fun atmosphere for friends and family to connect and play board games while enjoying food and
beverages. Well Played will offer an impressive selection of more than 500 games, ranging from
old classics like Sorry, Guess Who, and Battleship, to modern favorites including Catan,
Pandemic, and Ticket to Ride. Employee “Gamemasters” will guide newcomers and experienced
gamers alike through this entertainment and cafe experience. The Gamemasters will help
customers choose and learn new games, or even remind them the rules of their favorite classics.
Well Played will also offer a wide variety of locally-sourced comfort snack foods, desserts, and
beverages including craft beer, wine, and a full coffee program. The property is currently under
construction with plans to open in early 2017.
“Asheville is a place where innovative ideas find success, and we are thrilled to bring our passion
for board games to the vibrant city we call home,” co-founder Cortland Mercer said of the opening.
“At its heart,” he continued, “Well Played is a community gathering space perfect for friends,
family, or a first date, and is dedicated to delivering meaningful face-to-face interaction in an
increasingly digital world.” Co-founder and noted Asheville historian Kevan Frazier adds “We see
the café as a well-rounded complement to our downtown restaurant and bar scene. You can bring
the kids in the afternoon, stop by after dinner for dessert, or start an evening out on the town with
a game and a pint.”
The rise of board games and board game cafés:
 Board game cafés first opened overseas in the late 1990s and quickly spread across both
Europe and Asia. The first café in North America arrived in 2010 in Toronto, CA. Today,
Canada and the United States each have some two-dozen.
 Not your parents’ board games. Since the late 1990s, there has been a significant and
sustained resurgence in the board game industry. European strategy games like Catan
(formerly Settlers of Catan) and Carcassonne spurred what The Guardian has called
“Board Games’ Golden Age.”
About Well Played: Well Played is Asheville’s first board game café, opening its doors on 58
Wall Street in early 2017. Well Played will offer more than 500 gaming titles, as well as a robust
selection of locally-sourced comfort food, desserts, beer, wine, and coffee.