The Weekly Grind - July 21st, 2025 Newsletter

Critical Grind Gaming
Jul 21
5 min read

According to my countdown app, there are only 9 days left until Gen Con. Don't worry, the cafe will be open during Gen Con for those of you hanging back, but it will be at half-staff so please be patient. If you're going to be at Gen Con, we are hosting a pre-Gen Con meetup at the cafe on Wednesday the 23rd from 5:30 - 8:30pm. Feel free to stop by and chat with us. We're gonna be discussing schedules, upcoming games we're excited about, favorite food trucks, tips & tricks, etc. Also! If you're at Gen Con, keep an eye out for Dana, Ash, & Rudy. Find one of us and we'll give you a Critical Grind badge ribbon! Check in on the gencon-general channel on our Discord to see where we're at.

NEW ITEMS & RESTOCKS

With assistance from our friends at Sensory Play, we've restocked our tumblers. Come pick out your favorite color before it's gone. Each tumbler is $30, comes with a metal straw and straw cleaner, and you'll get 10% off any cafe beverage you get anytime you bring it back.

We've restocked our Magic the Gathering: Final Fantasy Commanders. We still have some Tarkir Bundles, Bloomburrow Commanders, and some starter commander decks.

Love those puzzle boxes?? We've got more!

RPG Event Updates!

--> KIDS RPG NIGHT

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.

This Friday is supposed to be Kid's RPG Night. As of the time I'm writing this newsletter (3pm Monday 7/21), I do not have any GMs available for this Friday. I'm asking around and trying to find a couple GMs. I will send the parents email as soon as I have Game Masters or Wednesday at the lastest if I need to cancel. I hope it doesn't come to that.

--> 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, Pathfinder, Call of Cthulhu, Daggerheart, Aliens, 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!

What is Magic & Mayhem? Magic & Mayhem: a Sealed Magic even 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 — **What is Magic & Mayhem?** Magic & Mayhem: a Sealed Magic even 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

Edge of Eternities prerelease is THIS FRIDAY and there are still some seats available. — **Edge of Eternities** prerelease is THIS FRIDAY and there are still some seats available.

Board Game Event Updates!

--> Learn to Play

This month's learn to play event is the game Meadow.

Meadow is an engaging set collection game with over two hundred unique cards containing hand-painted watercolor illustrations. In the game, players take the role of explorers competing for the title of the most skilled nature observer. To win, they collect cards with the most valuable species, landscapes, and discoveries. Their journey is led by passion, a curiosity of the world, an inquiring mind, and a desire to discover the mysteries of nature. The competition continues at the bonfire where the players race to fulfill the goals of their adventures.

Table Hogs <--

This Saturday is our monthly Table Hogs event. It's when people who like to play those really big, complex, and time-consuming games bring those in and play!

We have tables reserved starting at 5pm but if they're available before then, early set-up is welcome.

Wanna know what people are thinking of bringing? Check in on the discord channel!

July's Miniature Painting Contest is Closed. It's time for voting!

This is the most participants we've had yet! Thank you to all of our creative painters for their submissions. Voting starts today and goes until Sunday, July 27th.

To vote go to the posts on our Facebook, Instagram, or Bluesky.

Winner will be announced and notified Monday, July 28th and receive a Critical Grind Gift Card, Mini Trophy, and an exclusive Free RPG Day d20 from Dispel Dice.

Still figuring out our August mini. Please stay tuned.

Critical Community Podcast

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

I didn't have a guest last week. I've been digging out from under a lot of back-logged work. But you can listen to previous episodes.

It's probable the next episode will be after Gen Con. Thank you for your patience.

Available on Spotify, Podbean, and Apple Podcasts.

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

Did You Know!?

We're currently looking for vendors & bakers for August, October, November, & December.

If you're interested in doing a Sunday pop-up with us, please email dana@criticalgrind.com with your business information, what you sell, and what months you'd be interested in coming out. Please keep in mind that only cottage kitchens recognized by the health department are accepted for bakery pop-ups.

This Month's Calendar & Specials

JULY SPECIALS --

Melted Coffee Mint Chip: Tuxedo Mocha Cold Brew with Creme de Menthe Cold Foam. It tastes like melted coffee ice cream and melted mint chip ice cream, mixed together.

Pink Cloud Summer Refresher: Peach Mango Refresher with Pineapple Syrup and Cherry Cold Foam A sweet, light, and fruity drink.

Our Take on Cake Smoothie: Pineapple Smoothie with Brown Sugar and Maraschino Cherries. If a Pineapple Upsidedown Cake could be liquified, it would be this smoothie.

Right Brain Toast: Avocado, Strawberry, Balsamic Glaze, and Basil You may have heard of the Left Brain toast. This is the same, but different.

Qozy Quizzard Toast: Peanut Butter, Raspberries, White Chocolate Sauce, and Ground Espresso.

Inspired by our Qozy Quizzard secret menu drink.

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've expanded our evening hot food options. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays after 5pm we have late-night hot snacks!

This Week's Event Highlights

Sign up now to participate in our Presentation Night tomorrow night! Give a 3-5 minute presentation using Canva, Google Slides, or Power Point about your favorite foods, hyperfixation, hot takes, teaching us something new, or whatever strikes your fancy.

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