Toby's Board Games

Toby's Board Games is a board game club and shop at 10805 N Wolfe Rd in Cupertino, near 99 Ranch Market. It runs on a pay-to-play model: players buy table time by the hour, the day or the month, then pick from a library of more than 800 games, with staff on hand to teach the rules or match newcomers with a group. It suits families, birthday parties, team outings and friends who would rather learn a game at the table than buy it blind.

What's on the shelves

The play library covers everything from solo strategy to party games for 20 or more players, and it is updated monthly. Players are also welcome to bring their own games and drinks. For sale are popular board games, gifts, blind boxes, snacks and drinks, along with Magic: The Gathering and other trading card games. Card singles are not the draw here; the store is a game library first and a retailer second.

Weekly play

Thursday is the regular night for organized play. Drop-in game nights run from 7 PM to 11 PM with no RSVP, and the store hosts Magic, other trading card games and Dungeons & Dragons events.

A Dungeons & Dragons night can also be reserved on Fridays from 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM.

Events

The store hosts Magic: The Gathering prereleases for new sets, including a Star Trek prerelease on a Saturday afternoon, November 7. It also takes full-venue private event reservations on weekdays for parties and team events.

Pricing and passes

Play is charged per person. Hourly play is $9, and a day pass is $35 per person, good until 11 PM. Monday through Thursday play is 20% off, holidays excluded. A private room for a group costs an additional $9 per hour, so a group of five playing for an hour on a Friday pays $54 in total.

A monthly membership is $90 and covers unlimited game hours every day until 11 PM, plus a $10 snack and drink credit. Members also get early access to new releases and member-only events and sales, and the card is picked up in store. Prepaid balances work for gameplay, board games, blind boxes, snacks and drinks, and can cover any number of people. Prepaying $300 adds $30, and prepaying $500 adds $100.

Store policies

Eligible items can be returned in store for a full refund within 14 days of purchase. Online sales are final. Shipping is a flat $9.99 on orders under $99 and free above that.

Hours and getting there

The club is in Suite 106 at 10805 N Wolfe Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014, near 99 Ranch Market.

The local scene

Several game and comic stores sit within a few miles. Legends Comic & Games - Boardgames is in Cupertino, 0.8 miles away. Illusive Comics & Games in Santa Clara is 1.4 miles away, and CardArt in Sunnyvale is 1.5 miles away. Champion Comics in Sunnyvale is 1.9 miles away, and Wow Cool® Alternative Comics in Cupertino is 2.1 miles away.