TYLER — As a former professor in the University of Texas at Tyler’s Department of Communication, Matt Gayetsky learned there was one thing that could quickly bring even his most gifted students to silence.
Its small bright screen helped them avoid eye contact, and its texting capabilities and apps meant they never had to look up and speak to be entertained.
In moments when he wasn’t teaching, he found he sometimes needed to be creative when convincing students to turn from their cell phones and connect with one another.
“When we would have the debaters over for a Christmas party… people would just kind of pop alive around a game,” he said. “I think that the reason for that is it gives a way to mediate a social interaction because there’s something there.
“There are a set of parameters that define the sorts of conversations that are supposed to occur, and it gives people that are increasingly uncomfortable just talking with each other a way to do this,” he added.
Pairing these observations with his love of food and interest in the gamification of education — which centers on using gaming principles as a way to increase student motivation and learning opportunities — Gayetsky and his wife, Brittany, opened Boards and Bites earlier this month.
The board game café, at 1851 Troup Highway, offers customers the chance to play Candy Land over coffee and Topple over tea.
Gayetsky said there are about 600 different titles currently on the shelves at the café, ranging from familiar classics like Operation and Connect 4 to games that may take hours to complete that appeal more toward hobbyist gamers.
So far, Gayetsky said many of the classics have been the most popular, but that he and staff at the café regularly give recommendations.
“…When we see people playing (Jenga), what we might do is point them to a game that’s on the bottom shelf there that’s called Junk Art,” he said. “You’re each building your own like weird sculpture but they’re all like the sort of pieces you would expect to see at a crafts store.”
Ghost Blitz, a dexterity and reaction game that requires players to use pattern, shape and color recognition, is another popular selection and can be learned in around two minutes, Gayetsky said.
The fee to use the gaming library is $5 per person. Costs can vary based on the size of a group, and some tables at the café can be reserved for $15 and not require each participant to pay an individual $5 fee.
As for the food, the café features a range of sandwiches inspired by places the Gayetskys have lived.
The Youngstowner is the café’s take on an Arby’s roast beef sandwich and features roast beef, cheddar, mozzarella, Italian bread, caramelized red onions, sautéed peppers and mustard.
Another sandwich offering, the Clevelander, features corned beef with Muenster cheese on rye bread and is served with Russian dressing. There is also a variety of coffee and teas available.
Gayetsky said he hopes those who come to Boards and Bites leave having learned something new and having enjoyed face-to-face interactions.
“I want people to come here and laugh and enjoy themselves and actually be able to bond with the people that they’re with, other than just kind of muddling through text messages day after day,” he said.
