Board game lovers will soon be able to nerd out at a new store and may even get the chance to play a few rounds inside a former bank vault.
Tabletop XP – a two-story board game store in a 5,600-square-foot, former LCNB National Bank – is slated to open in Florence in early September.
Matthew Doeding, 38, said he was among the roughly 30,000 IRS workers who lost their jobs due to DOGE cuts after President Donald Trump took office last year. He'd worked as a technical assistant in the Large Business and International division for years.
But he'd always wanted to start a business.
He, his wife Charlena, and their four kids are all avid board gamers, so it made sense to turn their hobby into his first business venture.
The global board game market has
been on the upswing since 2020, when people looked for new entertainment and hobbies during the COVID-19 pandemic. It's expected to grow 12.5% in 2026, making it a $20.37 billion industry, according toGlobal Growth Insights, a market research firm.
In nearby Indianapolis, the annual gaming convention GenCon has had record-breaking attendance for the past two years with about 74,000 attendees and more than 800 vendors in 2026, according to its website.
"We think it'll be a big hit," Doeding said. "There's definitely a market here."
Gathering space for a gaming community
Tabletop XP will feature a retail store on its first floor, with two rentable gaming rooms, free-play areas, and a 1,200-board-game library open to the public.
One of the rentable rooms is the bank vault, which still has its six-ton door and reinforced concrete walls.
Doeding also plans to host events like speed puzzling and pre-release card game experiences.
"We wanted to focus more on actually having a community," he said.
The second floor will be reserved for "premium tables" people can pay to reserve. Otherwise it's first come, first served.
"It's really nice because it's just a place where you can come and just unplug," he said about his hopes for the store. "You get to just enjoy the game and you get to enjoy the social interaction with your friends."
When is it opening?
Doeding said the space still needs to go through final inspections before it opens. But he expects to be up and running by early September, likely Labor Day weekend.
More information about the store and its grand opening is available on the Tabletop XP Facebook page.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: New board game store, gathering space to open
