Unable to pay staff living wage, Ottawa board game café calling it quits

The owner of Ottawa's first board game café says he's decided to close because he can't pay his employees more than minimum wage and also turn a profit.

David Narbaitz opened Monopolatte on Somerset Street West in the city's Chinatown neighbourhood in 2013, and says he'll be shutting the gaming lounge for good at the end of September.

"We had lofty goals. We wanted to make sure all our employees had a living wage. We wanted to give them benefits," Narbaitz told CBC's All In A Day earlier this week.

"We wanted to make sure it was more than a McJob."

For a $5 cover charge, Monopolatte customers are able to choose from approximately 900 games and play for as long as they want. The café also serves snacks, sandwiches and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

Narbaitz said his staff understand the decision to close.

"They know they're overqualified for the positions that they keep. Some of them know 700 board games by memory," said Narbaitz.

'Alternative fun'

After the café announced on Facebook on Sept. 19 that it would be closing, dozens of people shared their memories — including one online commenter who thanked Monopolatte for "paving the way for more geeky businesses" in the capital.

Narbaitz doesn't dispute that his cafe was at the forefront of a wave of — as he puts it — "alternative" entertainment.

"We have dodgeball archery. We have escape rooms up the wazoo. We have axe throwing. We have board game cafés and video game cafés," Narbaitz told All In A Day.

"Ottawa has accepted the 'alternative fun' idea that we used to not be known for at all. We used to be the boring city. And we're fighting back against that title."

Monopolatte's final day in business will be Sept. 30.