THE NEIGHBORHOOD: Ballard
THE PLACE: Mox Boarding House is a board game store and cafe founded in 2011 by two brothers. They have locations in Bellevue, Ballard and plan to open in Portland soon. Mox offers more than 600 games for people to play in the store.
THE STORY: When you meet Michael Tessier, the first thing you notice is his great voice. In fact, in his free time, he’s a sportscaster. What sport, you ask? Magic: The Gathering, a strategy card game. Every Monday night Mox hosts a tournament where gamers of all levels gather for camaraderie and competition. Tessier and his fellow commentator call the play-by-play on some of the evening’s best matches as they are broadcast live for viewers around the globe.
QUOTABLE: “Did I ever think I would be an announcer for Magic: The Gathering? I never in a million years thought that this was possible.”
FUN FACT: When he was in college, Tessier was the official voice of Villanova basketball.
CHECK IT OUT: Tessier says that Mox is one of the most welcoming places he’s played Magic. And if you’ve never played Magic before, Mox offers a weekly beginners meetup on Saturdays at 1 p.m.