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Griffin & Gargoyle Tavern

An entrepreneur named Daniel Colwell is creating a new restaurant and game center.  The operation will be another of a chain of such places opening across the USA, but this one will be special.  It’s to be called Griffin & Gargoyle Tavern and is set to be built on land not far north of Emagine Theater on the northernmost edge of Lake Geneva.  Its location and size are what make it so huge.  The structure is set to be about half the size of the Riviera complex built in the center of the city’s downtown and located on piers set up on the shore of Geneva Lake.

That this establishment will be located near the very place where the game of Dungeons and Dragons was invented makes this a very special undertaking and one that has already attracted thousands of contributions from local, national, and even international parties.  The loyalty of players of this game is much larger than some people think, and it’s gone all over the world.

In keeping with this, preparations for the Dungeons & Dragons (D & D) exhibit at the Geneva Lake Museum are well underway. The exhibit has turned into a much bigger project than expected, with interest from all over the United States and internationally, as well. What started as a small limited-time exhibit has turned into an international phenomenon. The museum board is involving some of the best D & D players and historians in creating the exhibit, as hundreds, possibly thousands, of donations have poured in from all over the world. Dungeons and Dragons has a vast loyal following that brings all types of people together; from role-playing gamers, celebrities, athletes, kids and adults.

With the exhibit gaining momentum the museum is dedicating sixty percent of its space to the D & D game, and its creator Gary Gygax. Gygax’s wife has donated a TSR sign (the name of Gary’s company when he created the game) from Gary’s original business where the game was created. To complement the exhibit, the Geneva Lake Museum Board is looking at a way to incorporate gaming during the event. Originally, the museum was going to host it at the museum but now that space is limited, they are looking at other options. A great suggestion was made to work with the Dungeon Hobby Shop on Williams Street, which is home to the original location of Dungeons & Dragons.  There, at his home, Gygax set up his headquarters for TSR and his hobby store where his dreams came true although it is doubtful that he understood that he would be inventing one of the world’s greatest role-playing wonders. The hobby shop has the space, and all necessary pieces to play Dungeons and Dragons, which should help draw people to both the museum exhibit and the hobby shop.

Hopefully, this spring will be the soft opening of the D & D exhibit at the museum. with an international grand opening set for a later date.  Anticipation is high and many look forward to being a part of this new and potentially ‘game-changing’ experience.  The potential for the Griffin and Gargoyle Tavern complex to be built was reported on earlier by the Geneva Shore Report, but at that time, only a few months ago, the idea was only that.  No more.  The money pours in and the likelihood that this will become a reality is closing in on a hundred percent.

Lake Geneva has gambled on the old downtown theater to be converted to a modern entertainment center, and so the city council went ahead and approved the Dungeons and Dragons Museum, which is working in concert with the Lake Geneva Museum.  Now the Griffin and Gargoyle Tavern is coming.  Young people are being attracted to Lake Geneva by these very deft, intelligent, and far-thinking moves.