About Us

We invite friends and families back to the table for quality time with games. We cater to the game-curious and welcome patrons from all walks of life through valued products and a variety of engaging social experiences.

We are official tournament host, organized play host and authorized retailer for favorites, such as: Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Lorcana, Star Wars Unlimited, Flesh and Blood, Dungeons & Dragons, Warhammer, Pathfinder, Catan, and so much more!  Join us for weekly special events!

Our Story

"By The Board" - used colloquially for 'finished with', as in thrown overboard, or to be forgotten or not used. 

The board is the side or the decking of a ship. In common with many nautical phrases, ‘go by the board’ dates back to the 17th century. Most of the early references to this phrase relate to masts of sailing ships that had fallen ‘by the board’

In 2016, we began by restoring discarded, incomplete and damaged classic and vintage board games - inspiring the name.  At this time we also adopted the playful Magnus, the Kraken as our mascot.  

The kraken is a Scandinavian mythological creature that struck fear in sailors, but its inspiration - a giant squid - proves to be highly intelligent, mysterious and misunderstood beast that evokes curiosity and adoration to this day.  Thanks to Olaus Magnus, a Swedish cartographer we have the first known depiction of the great Kraken from the Carta Marina first published in 1539 C.E. 

By August 17,2016, By The Board Games & Entertainment LLC was born and we were sharing the love of board games with various groups within the NW Indiana Community by arranging game nights at local cafes and other venues, while offering new products. 

   

Game Nights @ Sip Coffee House, Highland 11/12/2016 & St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, Valparaiso  10/7/2016

In March 2017, we settled on a brick & mortar location at 224 E. Commercial Ave. in Lowell, IN  and began settling in. We held our official Grand Open and Ribbon Cutting ceremony on April 1st, 2017.

 

While we offer plenty of your favorite tabletop game merchandise, our space is specifically designed to accommodate as many players as possible.  Our board game library houses hundreds of titles to try before you buy or just sit and play with friends and family.  Open play quickly becomes popular and even the paid events pack the house.  And, our annual auction becomes one of our greatest hits.

In 2019, we became official partner, retailer and sponsor of ArctiCon and later RegionCon - charity gaming convention.  And, in 2023, began a partnership with LodgeCon as a vendor, and with Schererville Community Center, where we provide support for local Pokémon events.

Eventually, we outgrow 224 E. and with luck, in June of 2024, we find our way into our current location, 410 E. Commercial Ave., with almost 4 times the floor space. Today, we have a larger selection of inventory than ever with space to host up to `100 people comfortably and a private room especially designed for Dungeons & Dragons but can even be rented for parties!

 

   

We welcome you to check us out or join us for our numerous events! 

Before your visit to our game room, please review our House Rules and help us maintain a clean, family-friendly environment that is fun and safe for all!

Have fun and play more games!

Owners,
Adrienne & Dean

 

Address:
By The Board Games & Entertainment
410 E. Commercial Ave.
Lowell, IN 46356
Telephone: (219) 576-7892

Located directly between Interstate 65 and State Route 41 on State Route 2 (Commercial Ave.) 

Email: help@bytheboardgames.com

Hours of Operation: 
Sunday: 1PM-6PM
Monday through Thursday: 1PM-9PM
Friday and Saturday: Noon-11PM

 

Follow us on Social Media for the most up-to-date events, updates and holiday hours!
Facebook: /bytheboardgames
Twitter: @bytheboardgames
Instagram: @bytheboardgames
Discord: https://discord.gg/eWgW6dJE3S