Board Games: Which one are you a champ at?

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Gnarly Griffin, a company born out of the “love for all things tech and nerdy” is changing the game - literally.

Started by Ryan Daniels and Juan Miller, the local company’s goal is to bring people of similar interests together and teach others about board games.

“The business idea was to create a company where individuals could easily find products they love and to join a community in which they feel they belong,” their website reads.

The duo are aiming to promote, nurture, and facilitate the growth of nerd culture within South Africa. They currently host events not just for seasoned board gamers, but to educate others on how to play specific board games.

Speaking to East Coast Radio, Miller said:

"Stirring up a passion for all things nerd culture-related is extremely important to us! Our Gnarly events will continue on the 1st Tuesday of every month but with the interest we’ve already had; we have plans to expand to bigger and more exciting adventures! Follow our socials for more information and updates on these. Please show your support and remember to Geek Out!"

They saw a gap in the market in the Pietermaritzburg, Hilton, Howick, and Midlands areas and took the opportunity to create a space where they could introduce people to nerd culture.

Even without a push in marketing, in their first two months they grasped the interest of quite a few people. Gnarly Griffin doesn’t just focus on one game, they have a number of options so fellow board game enthusiasts don’t feel isolated.

"The mission behind the Gnarly Griffin has always been to nurture and facilitate the growth, exposure and inclusiveness of 'nerd' culture. We here at GG (that's shorthand for 'Gnarly Griffin') are avid players of both video games and tabletop games. So, as part of our vision to grow the nerd community in our area and, hopefully soon, the world, we started planning events for monthly tabletop gaming. Our goal is to start a community of tabletop gamers that will spread the love of board games far and wide. Hence, the Gnarly Griffin Board Game Open Nights was born. It's loads of fun for all sorts of folks and families. We encourage you to reach out to us on our socials to find out more information," Daniels told ECR.

Gnarly Griffin is constantly on the look out for venues in order to keep their costs down.

They launched at the Hilton Arts Festival where they had figurines, comic books, and puzzles with their board games, reports The Witness.
23 May 2024 English South Africa Society & Culture · Personal Journals

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