Everyone complains about the bar scene, but no one provides a better alternative. Now bars (and coffee bars) are adding games. From “Game Nights” Gaining Popularity in Bars:
Some cozy up at coffee houses to challenge friends to a game of Monopoly or, perhaps, Battleship. Others gather in pubs for a rowdy night of trivia, with prizes ranging from bragging rights to baseball tickets.“Game night” has become the rage in many U.S. cities, as people search for new ways to socialize beyond the traditional bar scene.
There are some numbers to back this up:
The fad seems to be having an impact on sales of “adult” board games.They were up 5 percent in 2003, compared with the previous year, according to The NPD Group, a research firm that tracks toy and game sales. That’s a notable increase, say those in the industry, since overall toy sales fell about 3 percent during the same period.