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The Weekly Grind - August 25th, 2025 Newsletter

  • Writer: Critical Grind Gaming
    Critical Grind Gaming
  • Aug 25, 2025
  • 6 min read

Did you know August is National Coffee Month? I didn't until the Herald did a great write up on a lot of the great local coffee shops in the area. We're very grateful to be included in that list.


Welcome our newest member to the team: Rubix!

Ruby/Rubix' pronouns are she/they. Their favorite color is Sage Green, Her favorite game right now is Lorcana or Cards Against Humanity, and their go-to drink right now is a Dragonfruit Lychee Refresher with Sparkling Water.
Ruby/Rubix' pronouns are she/they. Their favorite color is Sage Green, Her favorite game right now is Lorcana or Cards Against Humanity, and their go-to drink right now is a Dragonfruit Lychee Refresher with Sparkling Water.

NEW ITEMS & RESTOCKS for retail

NEW board games from The Op, Grand Gamers Guild, and Smirk and Dagger

Gnome Hollow ($49.99) and the upgraded components ($24.99) by The Op is a tile placement and worker placement game where you're creating paths and collecting flowers and mushrooms to gain end game points.

Tea Witches ($59.99) and the upgraded components ($24.99) by The Op is from the designer and artist of Flamecraft. Tea Witches is a cozy-themed light strategy game about going to market, creating and serving the best teas to customers at the Teaquinox Faire.


Fountains ($39.99) by The Op is a simple and beautifully artistic game of placing fountain tiles and reaching objectives to score based on lily pads, coins, fish, and other features.

Holiday Hijinks ($9.99 each) by Grand Gamers Guild is micro escape room deck. With various holiday or life event themes, and now endangered animal rescues, this is a fun problem solving game to take with you on the go and play anywhere. [also pictured is the tin box games from Alley Cat Games, Tinderblox, TicTacTrek, and Barbecubes]


A Place For All My Books Standard Edition ($44.99) AND Deluxe Editions ($74.99) is a cozy book collecting and sorting game. The standard retail edition is everything you need to play, but the deluxe version includes upgraded components, a beautiful box under the dust jacket, and a set of 4 bookmarks because we backed it on Kickstarter.



NEW Dungeons & Dragons Books from Wizards of the Coast

Dungeon Delves ($49.99) is a new Dungeons and Dragons book. This is an Adventure Anthology. Every chapter into the history of a different one of the 10 dragon types, including beautiful artistic renderings of these dragons over the years, and a one-shot adventure featuring the dragon of note. This is also exciting because it's the first Dungeons and Dragons book, that I know of, that highlights compatibility for 5e or 2024e.


NEW Magic Cards Wizards of the Coast

Sonic the Hedgehog Secret Lair Drop ($39.99) is a most recent set of secret lair cards from Magic the Gathering. We only have a few left.


SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

We are now offering our Hot Foods Menu every weekday starting at 5pm and weekends starting at 11am.


(Soup is coming soon...)

RPG Event Updates!

--> KIDS RPG NIGHT

Kid's RPG Night was cancelled last week and rescheduled to this week. We have already filled the seats with the parent email that went out last week.

I will be emailing the parents directly every week a few days before Kid's RPG Night with the link for sign-ups and session descriptions. So if you are a Kid's RPG Night parent, please fill out this form .(if you haven't already)


Please remember Kid's RPG Night is only the 2nd and 4th Fridays.



--> Discord Looking For Party Highlights

These are some RPGs being mentioned in our Discord that people are looking to get together and play.

Dungeons & Dragons, Paranoia, Starfinder, Daggerheart, and probably some others. Join the discord and don't miss the tables.


Tip: When you join, go to Rules to get verified. Then, VERY IMPORTANTLY: go to Roles-and-Info to select your interests. This is what will unlock the channels.




TCG Event Updates!

Our Magic the Gathering League starts on Monday, August 18th. This will be 4 weeks per round. Played in timed pods with points awarded for place at the end of the game, and various play goals which will rotate every 4 weeks. Promos and Packs will be given as prizes each week.
Our Magic the Gathering League starts on Monday, August 18th. This will be 4 weeks per round. Played in timed pods with points awarded for place at the end of the game, and various play goals which will rotate every 4 weeks. Promos and Packs will be given as prizes each week.
What is Magic & Mayhem? Magic & Mayhem: a Sealed Magic event with 3 boosters. Not a draft, just sealed. The format, or chaos effect, of the sealed even changes every week (thus mayhem). Lands provided by Critical Grind. What is Chocobo Racing? Chocobo Racing is a Magic and Mayhem event where players can earn points to get Limited Final Fantasy prizes like art Prints and the very limited AR Pins. Sign Up Now
What is Magic & Mayhem? Magic & Mayhem: a Sealed Magic event with 3 boosters. Not a draft, just sealed. The format, or chaos effect, of the sealed even changes every week (thus mayhem). Lands provided by Critical Grind. What is Chocobo Racing? Chocobo Racing is a Magic and Mayhem event where players can earn points to get Limited Final Fantasy prizes like art Prints and the very limited AR Pins. Sign Up Now

What is Pack Rush? Pack Rush is a very simple format, each player will open packs and just play with those packs as if they were a deck. You ignore color identity rule and use every card from the packs. It's fun, super casual, and you don't need anything but the packs you'll get there. Prizing will be Organized Play Promos & Packs based on attendance. Sign up now to reserve your spot.
What is Pack Rush? Pack Rush is a very simple format, each player will open packs and just play with those packs as if they were a deck. You ignore color identity rule and use every card from the packs. It's fun, super casual, and you don't need anything but the packs you'll get there. Prizing will be Organized Play Promos & Packs based on attendance. Sign up now to reserve your spot.



We've officially started accepting Pre-Orders for the next Lorcana Set, Fabled.


We're also going to be making some changes to how Lorcana Organized Play is run here at Critical Grind. Please stay tuned for those announcements.

Board Game Event Updates!

--> Post Gen Con Games Day

Every year after Gen Con, we host a Post Gen Con Games Day! Save the date for Saturday, August 30th to join us for a day of board gaming. We'll be introducing players to some of our favorite titles we brought home from Gen Con this year!

Special shout-outs will be going to those wonderfully supportive publishers who donated copies to our library this year.





Wednesday Open Play <--

We are currently offering Free Play on Wednesdays. Stop by anytime on a Wednesday and play any of the games in our library. (*this doesn't include any special events or tournaments*)

August's Mini Painting Contest!


VOTING IS NOEW OPEN ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM

August mini: Morgan, Young Apprentice.


Whether you're participating in our contests or just looking for a space to hang out and paint, stop by any Tuesday or Wednesday for our Mini-Painting drop-in between 3pm & 8pm. $5 for all you can paint, access to our brushes, and paints, and a free figure to practice on. Or pick up additional figures for only $5 each.


Critical Podcast

Click the image or HERE to find us on Podbean! Or search for us on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Click the image or HERE to find us on Podbean! Or search for us on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Let's just say the podcast is on a bit of a hiatus. I haven't given up on this but I need to pace myself.


Thank you all for understanding.


Catch up now on Spotify, Podbean, and Apple Podcasts.


Are you interested in being a guest on the podcast? Fill out this form.



On a related note, I was recently a guest on "From Scratch" and I'm excited for the release of that episode. Looks like it's going to come out in a couple months.


Pop-Up Events!

Critical Grind will be at SoundGrowler Brewing this Saturday from 12pm - 5pm. We'll have used board games for sale from our Game Library! Stop by for first dibs on our library games clean-up sale and check out all the other amazing vendors!
Critical Grind will be at SoundGrowler Brewing this Saturday from 12pm - 5pm. We'll have used board games for sale from our Game Library! Stop by for first dibs on our library games clean-up sale and check out all the other amazing vendors!

Did You Know!?

Critical Grind offers "seasonal flavors" all year round.

You can get Pumpkin Spice in June, Mint in August, and Lavender in January.


Anytime is a good time for your favorite flavors.

This Month's Calendar & Specials

AUGUST SPECIALS --

Flavor of the Month: Raspberry Pistachio. The versitility of this flavor combination is great in so many options. Cold Brew w/ Cold Foam (picture number 1), Chai (picture number 2), Cafe Latte, Matcha, or Italian Soda.

Bomb Pop: Cherry Lemonade w/Sparkling Water and Blueberry Cold Foam.

Lemonberry Smoothie: Mixed Berry & Lemonade Smoothie

Hot Toast Summer: Jalepeno Cream Cheese, Strawberries, Hot Honey, Red Pepper Flakes, and Garlic Powder

Extra Smalls Toast: Mashmallow Fluff with Mini Marshmallows, Mini Chocolate Chips, Chocolate Drizzle, and Graham Crackers


Get through that mid-week drab with some gaming! Every Wednesday is a FREE Open Gaming at Critical Grind. Cafe Purchase Required. This doesn't include any special events or tournaments. Only Open Play.
Get through that mid-week drab with some gaming! Every Wednesday is a FREE Open Gaming at Critical Grind. Cafe Purchase Required. This doesn't include any special events or tournaments. Only Open Play.
WE NOW OFFER HOT FOODS MONDAY - FRIDAY AFTER 5PM AND ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS AFTER 11AM!
WE NOW OFFER HOT FOODS MONDAY - FRIDAY AFTER 5PM AND ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS AFTER 11AM!


This Week's Event Highlights

This is a quick look at this week's events. And of course any day is Game Day at Critical Grind. Just stop in anytime and find your next favorite game.


Follow our newsletter and socials to never miss an event!


Every link you need to follow us is right here:


SPECIAL EVENTS OF NOTE THIS WEEK:

  • FABULOUS BINGO BENEFITTING SHOREWOOD HUGS - MONDAY - 7PM

  • MAGIC LEAGUE - MONDAY - 6PM

  • MAGIC & MAYHEM - WEDNESDAY - 7PM

  • HOMESCHOOL GAMING MEETUP - THURSDAY - 11AM

  • LORCANA FABLED PRERELEASE PACK RUSH - FRIDAY - 6PM

  • POST GEN CON GAMES DAY - SATURDAY - 11AM





This Week's Events Flyers/Details



Save the Date! Critical Grind will be closed on Labor Day.

What started as a family tradition to spend Labor Day at the Bristol Renaissance Faire, has become a Critical Grind Tradition. The cafe closes for the day and staff & patrons are encouraged to spend the day galivanting about the faire.

Signing Off


Thanks so much for taking the time to read this week's Weekly Grind. If there's anything specific you want to hear about at the cafe, let me know!


"I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own." — Audre Lorde

 
 
 

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