Скачать или смотреть Board game stores petition for permission to reopen as COVID wanes

The board game industry is pleading for relief from COVID rules. A new petition launched by board game stores is pushing for permission to welcome customers back to play in store in person. Many shops are on the brink of collapse after harsh rules shut down their business in May. Now that eating in at restaurants is allowed again in most places, board game experts say: They missed their turn.

A hopeful call comes in. Sadly, the cafe owner has to say he’s only open to sell products. You can’t come and play. This games cafe is quiet and the workers are nowhere to be seen. The owner cuts costs by tidying the premises alone.

Member of public
If you go to a board game cafe, you normally play the games there. You don’t really buy them.

Member of public
They can teach you how to play and create an atmosphere. If you just want to buy a board game, you can do that online, you don’t have to go to a cafe. So actually I think it doesn’t help to let them sell games. They’re selling an experience.

Most board game stores bank on offering an experience, not on product sales. At this board game cafe, customers come in to eat and drink while they play. That’s 90% of profits. They once had upward of 20 groups come in daily. Now they only have products sales left – nowhere near enough to cover rent, utilities and payroll. The owner can barely pay himself a salary.

Wang Hao-yu
Board game cafe owner
When you’ve got less than 10% left, forget the rent – I might not even be able to pay one person’s salary, my own salary. The vast majority of the time I’m just sitting here waiting for the phone to ring.

This board game expert thinks that public health rules are illogical. If you can go to a restaurant, take your mask off, and eat around strangers, then why can’t you go to a board game store with a mask on, wear gloves to play a game, or handle cards in plastic coverings?

Wang Hao-yu
Board game cafe owner
Even now there’s been no development in the government advice. All we can do is get together as stores, or go to publishers, and try to make a petition together, and see if there’s some way we can also get back to business.

Board games stores have launched an official petition, asking the government to ease restrictions on their industry. Otherwise, they say, they could become a casualty of COVID.