Gotta Go Orlando
- Jan 3

Orlando tabletop board gaming bar The Cloak & Blaster closing after 10 years

What is described as Florida's first board gaming tabletop tavern, is closing its doors forever at the end of this month, January 2024.

Popular tabletop board gaming bar The Cloak & Blaster located at 12226 Corporate Blvd, Ste 192, Orlando, near UCF's main campus, has announced that it is permanently closed after almost a decade.

The bar revealed the sad news on social media that the business is to close at the end of January 2024 due to ongoing financial troubles caused by skyrocketing food and beverage costs, debt accrued during the COVID shutdown, and a less than successful move which resulted in a dwindling customer base mainly due to a poorly received new food menu, and changes to the bars gaming policies.

The bar will announce a closing date soon and details on specials in the final days.

Here is the message in full that was posted on social media:

"Well, here at last, dear friends, comes the end of our fellowship. I will not say, “Do not weep,” for not all tears are an evil.

When we opened our doors a decade ago, we couldn’t imagine where we’d be today. The idea of drinking in a tavern while rolling dice was a fantasy left to the fantasy books! Now it seems you can’t go into a bar or brewery without seeing a table of friends casting spells or a special themed beer/game collab. We’re so proud and happy to realize our goals of growing the local geek community. There is nothing more fulfilling than to witness the evolution of a comfortable, accessible, safe, and thriving network of nerds. We’ve laughed, we’ve cried, and we’ve shared a lifetime of memories. But, like all good adventures, there has to come an end, and our final chapter will close at the end of January.

This likely isn’t the first post you’ve read from a small business closing in 2024 and it won’t be the last. Since reopening at our UCF location in 2021, our food and beverage costs have skyrocketed over 300%. When our original lease ended, we were ecstatic to escape a property that had become wholly unsafe for employees and patrons alike.

We found our current location and tried to start anew, but we were forced to adapt to the existing kitchen and an overhaul of our entire menu. This was not received well, and it has been a heartbreaking hurdle for us to overcome without the financial ability to rebuild our kitchen and gas lines.

In an effort to pay our employees a living wage and navigate this economy, we adopted a QR code system and updated our gaming policies to more closely mimic other board game venues. We were happy to unveil our bright, clean, upgraded space after years of complaints that the pub was too dark to see anything. This, unfortunately, was also not received well.

Add in new and random fees on top of the debt we accrued to survive COVID, and it’s been a struggle every day to keep our doors open. While some of these issues can be mitigated with good business, that’s in short supply in our post-pandemic world. Times are tough for everyone, and closing early has become our new normal.

We never wanted this dream to end, but it has become our devastating reality that we are unable to continue The Cloak & Blaster. Soon we’ll announce our closing date and details on specials in the final days. We extend our unending gratitude to each and every one of you who have spoken friend, entered, and enjoyed our hospitality. Thank you to so many incredible staff, volunteers, and patrons who have worked over the years to help us breathe life into Cloak. Thank you for 10 years of unforgettable memories and the honor of a lifetime.

Well, here at last, dear friends, comes the end of our fellowship. I will not say, “Do not weep,” for not all tears are an evil."

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