About
our Story
our beginning
Who we are
Here at The Missing Piece, we thrive on board gaming, community-building, and coffee. The owners, Alex and Mike, have been avid board gamers starting at an early age and have formed many great friends through the hobby.
The Missing Piece provides an inclusive, inviting space in the community to enjoy your favorite hobbies in a cozy cafe.
Alex had the opportunity to manage a board game cafe for 5 years in West Seattle from 2014-2018 and proudly brings his experience to The Missing Piece. Mike has also worked in multiple game shops. He has spent a lot of time working down at Pike Place Market and brings his experience with picking out the best foods to our cafe.
All of our staff share a similar passion for the hobby as well. We aim to provide to our local community delicious craft coffee and food with ample space to experience their hobbies – above and beyond other coffee shops and hang out spots. Come by, relax, and build some lasting friendships with us at The Missing Piece while enjoying a beverage and a board game!
Want to make sure your table is available for your next get-together at The Missing Piece?
Reserve specific tables right here with just a few clicks! Need even more space? Book one of our private rooms and we'll help to make sure your gathering is as magical as it can be.
Q&A
What is a game cafe?
“Game Cafes” have become a trend internationally in recent years and The Missing Piece is proud to be a part of this new tradition. With the rise in popularity of modern European-style board games like Catan, role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, and cooperative games like Pandemic, the message is clear: board games are back, and they’re not just for kids anymore! The Missing Piece welcomes hobbyists of all ages to gather around a nice big table and enjoy their favorite pastime.
Q&A
How does it work?
Unlike a lot of game cafes, The Missing Piece makes it easy for you. We have no cover fees, and our in-store library is all free-to-play. Our staff will even help you learn how to play certain titles upon request. If you like the sound of this and want to support our business, we humbly suggest a $10 minimum purchase per person from our cafe when using our tables, and ask you to consider buying your board games locally from us rather than online alternatives. Our friendly, community-focused space is kept alive by loyal patrons like you!
Free To Play Games
Our library of free-to-play games is distinguishable from our for-sale games because they are not displayed on slat wall and (obviously) are not in shrink-wrap. You can feel free to borrow games from this section and play them inside our shop on a self serve basis. When you’re finished playing, please give the table and floor around you a quick check for any dropped or overlooked components. (That’s right, look for the missing piece!) Then, place the game in our return area for our staff to file back on the shelf.
Returns and Cancellations
Our return policy for games and gaming accessories is simple. If it is still in shrink and you have your receipt, you can return those items for a full refund within 90 days from purchase unless otherwise noted. However, if you don’t meet all these criteria, check with us anyway and we can probably offer you store credit. Table and private room reservations can be canceled and refunded in-store credit as long as the cancellation is made 24 hours in advance. Special events may require a non-refundable deposit.