Leikjavík: An Appeal to Geekery

Leikjavík is the “clever” name of a humble establishment tucked between some apartments near the northern end of Barónsstígur. It actually shares the space with an Indian-themed hobby store whose window dressings completely obscure the place from the street, making it a bit hard to find, but in any case, go there, find it, and donate.

Leikjavík is, for lack of a better term, a board game parlour. They have plenty of their own games, including well-worn favourites (Scrabble, Chess, Pictionary) as well as newcomers that should and must be tried out (Blokus, Small World, Risk 2210 A.D.), but if that’s not enough, you can always bring your own. They also have snacks and soft drinks on hand, or again, you could just bring your own. It’s free, but you can donate as much as you want.

And why am I telling you this? First of all, the board game industry has become insanely creative and innovative of late, and bears notice from even the most casual observer; go there to sample it. Second, geekdom is pretty much the height of fashion these days, and it doesn’t get any more geekier than a board game, so at least do it for the street cred. Third, if you’re reading this, chances are you’re foreign, and for some bizarre reason, foreigners tend to congregate there. I don’t know why, but the ratio of foreigners-to-locals there always seems to be at about five to one. Subsequently, Icelanders will be forced to speak English and you might actually get to know some of them. And lastly: if they don’t get a shitload of business this month, they won’t be there anymore next month, as the city will cut off their funding.

So at least try it. The worst that could happen? You get your ass handed to you at Catan by a scrawny 14-year-old in a bad shirt, but everyone needs that experience once in a while. DO IT.

When: Tuesdays – Fridays from 19:00 to 23:00, Saturdays & Sundays from 15:00 to 23:00
Where: Barónsstígur 3, 101 Reykjavík

Update: Unfortunately, this establishment has closed since the publication of this article. However, you can still appeal to your geekery at Nexus or Spilavinir.