The Weekly Grind - July 20th, 2026 Newsletter
- Critical Grind Gaming
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
LAST WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS:
Not a lot of photos this week. Feel free to send in your favorite Critical Grind moments in our discord channel # photo-drop.
Check out our favorite Lemonade flavors for the summer, or make your own!
Bring in new, unwrapped toys for the annual Christmas in July Toy Drive with the Shorewood Kiwanis.
Friday was crazy busy! We had the Lorcana Prerelease, 2 Pathfinder Society tables, 3 RPG reservations, a big creator group, some Magic players, and we had the honor of hosting a new bride and her bridesmaids while they bonded over some crafts!
Dana was at Plainfield Cruise Night on Tuesday! If you missed her, find her 1 last time on August 18th!
Dana was also at Plainfield Fest on Saturday and Sunday. Thank you to everyone who stopped by!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
We are excited to announce that we are a part of the Southside Perks Passport this summer!
There are 15 local coffeeshops involved. It's a great way to support local this summer. A lot of businesses are struggling right now and this is an ideal opportunity to show your support.
Bean N Breek, Blissful Brew, Book Bar, Critical Grind, Electric Drip, The Emerald Cup, Espresso Palette, Folklore, Gost, Grounded, Grove, Iversen's, Krema, The Scoop, Social Butterfly, Strange Brew, Sumerce', Short & Sweet Tasty Treats, & The Living Room.
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:
LGBTQ+ MEETUP: QUEER COLORING - MONDAY - 6PM
BORED GAME NIGHT - TUESDAY - 6PM
SIP & STITCH - WEDNESDAY - 9AM
MINI PAINTING DROP-IN - THURSDAY - 3PM
LORCANA PACK RUSH - FRIDAY - 6PM
INKWELLS & ESPRESSO - SATURDAY - 10AM
TABLE HOGS - SATURDAY - 5PM
BLOOD ON THE CLOCKTOWER - SATURDAY - 6PM
This Week's Events Flyers/Details
This Month's Calendar & Specials
July Specials
Flavor of the Month - White Mocha + Vanilla (try as a Latte, Cold Brew, Chai, or Matcha)
Patch Perfect - Watermelon Cucumber Mint Refresher with Ginger Lemongrass Iced Tea
Amaretto Stone Sour Mocktail - Amaretto, Blue Curacao, Lemonade
What's Up, Doc? Toast - Veggie Cream Cheese, Shredded Carrots, Ranch, & Dill
Fruity Petals - Cream Cheese, Strawberries, Fruity Pebbles, & Honey
More Special Events
We are so grateful and honored that Critical Grind will be one of the stops on Grant Lyon's Board Game Comedy Tour. Join us on Wednesday, October 7th at 7pm for an evening of comedy, board games, and community. Tickets are available on EventBrite. Reserve your seat now. Seats are very limited. Doors at 6pm. Show starts at 7pm. After the show, Grant will be hanging out and playing board games with attendees.
RPG Event Updates!
--> KIDS RPG NIGHT - is canceled for this week. Unfortunately we don't have the Game Masters available.
How it normally works: I email the parents directly, hopefully on the Monday 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 takes place the 2nd and 4th Fridays, GMs permitting.
--> Paizo Society Games
Pathfinder Society is played at the cafe every 1st and 3rd Friday.
Starfinder Society is played here every 2nd and 4th Sunday.
Find both those games on Warhorn or in our Discord
--> Discord Looking For Party
Join our Discord and find your next gaming group.
We play RPGs every Tuesday and Thursday, but people will plan meet-ups outside those times as well. Join our Discord and see what games are being played.
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!
More July Event Info coming up soon. - Thank you for your patience
Monthly Mini Painting Contest
Whether you're participating in our contests or just looking for a space to hang out and paint, stop by any Tuesday or Thursday 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.
Pick up your July Mini Contest mini now!
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!
"Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck where you do not belong." - N.R. Narayana