Celebrating its two-year anniversary this year, Back Again Board Game Café in Middletown offers precisely what its name suggests: board games and café snacks and drinks. What makes it special, however, is the community that calls that café home.

Jennifer Barone, co-owner of the establishment with her husband, stated that while the initial draw of the Middletown area was the “walkable area along Main Street with so many neat businesses,” the real appeal of the café is “how completely lovely the community in this area is.”

The limitless nature of their board game collection, containing games with age ranges stretching from two to “infinity,” allows for everyone to land in a welcoming environment open to experimentation and exploration. “The concept of a board game café was attractive to me and my husband because it’s a place you can try games before buying them, find like folk, explore, and it isn’t all reliant on sales,” Barone explained.

Unlike ordinary cafés, Back Again and its board game offerings encourage patrons to linger – “Folks don’t just come in, buy something, and go. We can form relationships, laugh, and support each other.” In a time where social spaces and gatherings are still recovering from the COVID pandemic and people are still feeling more isolated than ever, having spaces like Back Again is vital. Barone remains humble about her role in building community – “We just provide a structure,” she said. “We provide a space that we care about, and that care extends to everyone within it.” The real credit, she claimed, lies with the patrons who frequent the café. “It’s the people who come out to us, tell other people about the space, and are brave enough to join complete strangers in games that make us so warm.”

Further cementing the café’s role in Middletown’s community is its partnership with Middletown Pride. It all started with a gaming patron suggesting “gayme” night events for the LGBTQ+ community. “From there,” Barone shared, “we figured out what the Pride March looked like… [and] we just had to get a group in the next time around. Seeing folks come together under our banner in joy and support was one of the best moments we’ve had so far.”

Other touching moments and events have highlighted parts of the community that are often overlooked. “In our first year, we partnered with the Alzheimer’s Association to host a senior game day,” Barone shared. “Folks went back to Battleship and Chutes & Ladders to just be kids again. One fellow thanked us for ‘bringing back his childhood,’ and that will stay with us as long as we’re here.”

Getting involved with Back Again and their wide array of events is as easy as visiting their website. With links to their various social media as well as a calendar and menu, the website is the easiest place to get started. And, if people feel overwhelmed by the amount of choices available to them, FAQ pages and game recommendations are readily available to help ease the pressure. “Our staff knows our games,” Barone said. “We can help you find ones that suit your group, learn them, and answer questions.” Many of the events they host are welcome to drop-ins, and their “ability to keep having specific events relies heavily on continued attendance at them.” If an event looks interesting, there is little harm to joining and trying it out!

March holds an especially significant holiday for geeks, nerds, and gamers alike – Tolkien Reading Day. Held every year on March 25th, Barone plans to highlight the Lord of the Rings games in Back Again’s library, especially the Adventure Book, as well as creating some new coffee and tea concoctions with on-theme names. “For whatever else those works are, they’re a story about light in the darkness, and I think we need that right now,” Barone explained.

At the end of the day, Back Again is “here to connect folks by means of board games. We welcome all those who welcome others.”