Feature Friday: The Cozy Gull

(At Plant Powered Meeples, I only recommend games and ingredients that have earned a permanent spot at my table. As an Amazon Associate and affiliate of other sites I link to, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to use the links in my reviews, it helps support the snacks and strategies I share here at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting this community!)

Today we’re highlighting the Cozy Gull in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia!

Here’s how they describe themselves: “We’re two lifelong board gamers who fell in love with Mahone Bay and the welcoming spirit of the South Shore. After spending years gathering around tables with friends, learning new games, and sharing great conversations, we had a simple idea: what if there was a place here where anyone could come together to do the same? Our goal is to create a cozy, inclusive space where people of all backgrounds and experience levels can gather around a table and play. We believe games are one of the best ways to bring people together. They spark conversation, create laughter, build friendships, and sometimes even a little friendly rivalry. More than anything, we want this café to be a community space. A place to meet friends, make new ones, share a drink, and enjoy the simple joy of shared experience. We’re proud to be part of the Mahone Bay community, and we can’t wait to welcome you to the table.” What a delightful goal! I would love to do the same, and am so pleased when I see others who have managed to pull it off. Creating the cozy community vibe is what we all want, right?

I love the different events they have, their pricing model, their game list and labeling, and that they even have a membership where you can pay $30/month to come as much as you want! Man I wish I lived in Mahone Bay!

They had a couple vegan baked goods, delightful coffee, and other tasty treats for non-vegans. The retail space was small but respectable, but the real gems were the community spaces. There was a tiny little arcade/video game nook, and then a super well curated library! They had a great variety, but you could tell they knew how to lean into that cozy game vibe. I was impressed they had some super new stuff (we tried out Forage, from Flatout Games/AEG, which has just been delivered to kickstarter backers). They even have little carts around the place with coloring books and other crafty things. They just opened in May, and I wish them all the luck in the world! If you’re in Nova Scotia, it’s worth it to go to Mahone Bay just for them! (and all the other touristy things haha).