An Ipswich board game café has celebrated its first year in business with a weekend full of fun and games.
The café's owners, husband and wife Rob Harden and Sharon Lockhart, prepared several events to celebrate the anniversary on October 22 and 23, including a Pokemon birthday party and a Rocky Horror Drag Show.
Ms Lockhart said: “There will be lots of games with prizes, so we invite everybody to come and play with us.
“We’ll be having, among others, a mini-con cosplay gathering where people come dressed up as their favourite characters from movies and comic books. Anyone who dresses up will get 10% off food and drink.
“As a surprise, we even have actors coming from Star Wars. You will have a chance to meet a Wookie and Stormtrooper!”
The owners said that their first year in business was “incredible”.
Ms Lockhart added: “This year has just been surprising. We didn't know what to expect because just after we opened lockdown came back again.
“We've had all the challenges, but we're still doing OK.”
The owners say they cannot praise enough the “amazing and vibrant community” that has sprung up around the business.
Ms Lockhart said: “The people who visit us just care about each other. Even if I’m having a down day, my customers will come and ask if I’m good.
“Anybody who visits us leaves feeling happy. Total strangers come and they leave as friends.
“We gather people of every age, even babies. We also have an 86-year-old who comes in almost every day.”
Geek Retreat supports a range of charities and community projects, including warm spaces for Suffolk residents this winter.
The owner of the café said: “There are things that we never thought our little café-slash-game-shop would become to people. It's become their second home.”
Geek Retreat’s plans for the future is “keep going from strength to strength” and continue helping the local community.
Ms Lockhart said: “We’ll be doing a lot of work with Suffolk Mind about mental health over the coming years.
“We are just a happy place and want to share this environment around Ipswich.”
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