Snohomish County game stores offer more than just games

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, March 11, 2026

EVERETT — Game stores in Snohomish County are serving up more than just fun and competition; they’re serving food, drinks and community.

“That’s really what we do,” said Matt Zaremba, owner of Zulu’s Board Game Cafe in Bothell. “We facilitate human interaction.”

Zulu’s will celebrate its 10th anniversary in April. Zaremba, whose college nickname was Zulu, has also opened an event space a block away from the main location. The Lynnwood Zulu’s is independently owned.

Tim Morgan owns Around the Table Game Pub in Lynnwood, which is celebrating 13 years in business this year. Board games create easy ways for people to interact with anyone seeking community, Morgan said, especially those who might struggle with the usual small talk.

“There’s a lot of socially awkward people, and they often don’t have a place to go to talk to people,” he said. “When there’s a game in between them that they can really be focusing on, the social aspect can kind of come naturally, organically, in and around the game.”

These aren’t just gaming stores, they are gaming cafes.

Not only do they sell games and accessories, but they fill their spaces with tables and regular customers.

“I’d say 90% of people here have been here before,” Zaremba said. “We’re a community hub, right? So, the one thing that you’re never going to be able to buy off Amazon is community, right?”

Online shopping has forced many brick-and-mortar retailers to adapt.

“In the same way that bookstores bring coffee in, we bring in food,” Morgan said. “If you don’t have to run across the street to McDonald’s then you’re here longer, and you can be looking at games and playing the games.”

Around the Table focuses mostly on drinks — a variety of beer, cider and even mead — and ice cream, with 12 rotating flavors and four vegan options. Fries, bratwurst and other food options are available.

“It’s just human nature to bond over food and drink,” Morgan said. “To have a beer and loosen up your tongue a little bit and just have fun and companionship in the company of others, right? That’s what life is really about.”

Zaremba doubled the size of Zulu’s full kitchen during the COVID-19 pandemic and has a chef on staff who built a full menu.

The menu is fully themed, named after references from “Dungeons & Dragons” and “The Lord of the Rings,” like the Rings of Power (onion rings) with Nazgul sauce. The cafe’s decor is the same, making you feel like you’ve stepped into a fantasy world.

“One of my passions is, you know, the vibe,” Zaremba said. “It’s warm and inviting.”

Both Zaremba and Morgan are conscious of how expensive things can be, which is why they both offer free games to play while in store, with no food purchase necessary.

“Our game library is free to use, our tables are free to use. And so, a lot of people that don’t have a lot of disposable income can come in and they can find inexpensive ways to support us,” Morgan said.

Zaremba offers cheaper food options and doesn’t turn tables.

“It’s possible that you could come in here and just meet friends, play games, drink water and take off after four hours,” he said. “If everyone did that, we would go out of business, right? But I have years of data that that’s not a thing.”

Both businesses host regular weekly events, including general board game nights, Magic: The Gathering league play, and Pokémon meetups.

The Zulu’s event space also hosts weekly events for games that utilize miniature figurines, including Warhammer and Star Wars Miniatures.

Around the Table hosts a weekly makerspace meetup and a silent game night for deaf gamers.

In a way, gaming cafes are like sports bars for nerds, Morgan said. They are also safe spaces for neurodivergent folks and LGBTQ+ people.

“They don’t have as many places to feel welcomed and warm,” he said. “That’s what keeps me going, is knowing that we’ve got a place for all these people.”

Contact Herald writer Taylor Scott Richmond at 425-339-3046; taylor.richmond@heraldnet.com; X: @BTayOkay.

IF YOU GO

Zulu’s Board Game Cafes

Bothell: 10234 Main St.

Event Center: 10131b Main St., Bothell

Lynnwood: 5116 196th St. SW, Suite 203

Around the Table Game Pub

7600 196th St. SW, Suite 300, Lynnwood

Taylor Scott Richmond: 425-339-3046; taylor.richmond@heraldnet.com; X: @BTayOkay

This story originally appeared in Sound & Summit magazine, The Daily Herald’s quarterly publication. Explore Snohomish and Island counties with each issue. Subscribe and receive four issues for $18. Call 425-339-3200 or go to soundsummitmagazine.com