Starting next week, November 12th, the [toggle Gaming] community will be meeting on a new night (Wednesdays) at a new location (Lutheran Church of the Cross in Arlington Heights). We’re excited to introduce you to the new space as we start this new era for our community.
NEW LOCATION: 2025 S. Goebbert Rd, Arlington Heights (Lutheran Church of the Cross)
NEW DAY & TIME: Wednesday Nights from 6pm-11pm
Why move? Why now?
We have loved our time at Durty Nellie’s in Palatine. The community formed there and grew dramatically over our 12 years at the location. We are sad to go. They have been very generous partners for the club.
Since the pandemic, our weekly meetup attendance has been pretty steady at 25-30 members on any given week. Sometimes we have 40, sometimes we have 15. While Nellie’s has always been accommodating, they have shared that they hoped for more revenue from our group, or from Tuesday nights, generally. (Before the pandemic, we regularly had 100 people at the club, and 60 was a slow night.)
Because of the recent concert series, we moved downstairs to the pub space, which was not as conducive to board games. With the upcoming busy season at Nellie’s (in which we might have multiple game nights canceled), we felt it was time to look for a new venue. After inquiring with a variety of businesses and community partners, the Lutheran Church of the Cross stood out as an excellent option to partner with — they are excited to have us there, willing to host us for free (allowing us to keep our meetup as welcoming as possible), and gave us space to store our library. Most importantly, they share our values.
Questions and Answers
Will I be welcome at this church?
YES. [toggle]’s organizers were VERY careful in considering that our new space would be welcoming to all our members. We’re pleased to say that Lutheran Church of the Cross actively welcomes members of the LGBTQIA+ community, is committed to diversity, social justice, and has no restrictions or expectations that our members be religious or interested at all. They are happy to welcome us to the space as long as we clean up after ourselves.
We are very cognizant that some people are hesitant to meet in a church, for a variety of reasons. We hope you’ll give it a chance, if that describes you. (We also considered that some people–both individuals we know and others who might be considering our community–are hesitant to meet in a bar, also.
What is the space like?
NICE. We will meet in the community room, a large space with bright lights and lots of tables. We can play music and show movies as we always have. The bathrooms are pleasant, close by, and clean. Our library is easier to access and put away, too.
What about food and drink?
MOSTLY BRING YOUR OWN. This will be the biggest change — there is no restaurant or bar at the church. That said, we can bring in whatever food and drinks we want, including alcohol. Some weeks, you can pick up food on your way to the meetup. Some weeks, we may have a potluck, or do a shared delivery order. Some weeks, we may have a ‘shop and share’ partnership at a local restaurant. There are many eateries within a short drive. We also have plans to get a modest supply of snacks and sodas for members to buy — with costs going to pay for the snacks and help support the church.
We are eager to hear your ideas about how to make the refreshments as good as we can!
What transportation options do I have?
CAR OR BUS. The church is in a car-focused community, so the easiest way to get there is to drive. The 208 bus drops off about 3/10 of a mile from the church. If transportation is a challenge, please reach out to us — we would be happy to see if a carpool or shared transportation option is possible.
How can I help?
Most directly — get the word out. Please reach out to people you know who attend toggle, and let them know about the change. We’d love to have your help and your ideas as we settle into the new space. And be sure to join us as often as you can!