Laura & Ian from Diversions Puzzles & Games
Granite Game Summit has the best community, that includes some amazing sponsors. One sponsor has been supporting us since the very first event. Laura Keith and Ian Hall from Diversions Puzzles & Games have played a key role in making Granite Game Summit what it is today. They run a most wonderful hobby store in Portsmouth, NH (with another location in Portland, ME). Let us find out what makes these two tick.
Questions by Kevin Craine (KC), answers by Laura Keith (LK) and Ian Hall (IH).
Three Sponsorship Related questions:
KC: Why do you support Granite Game Summit?
LK: I have been going to Granite Game Summit as a player since the very first year, and I absolutely love the feel of this convention! It’s the perfect size – small enough to find your way around and to know many of the people attending, but big enough for great sponsorships and support. It’s very well organized and managed, down to the little details – free ice water, comfortable temperature, plenty of play space, tons of raffles, and fun activities (the board game flea market is a mad house in the best possible way). We know that the players who attend G2s will have an amazing time, and we want to support a convention that is focused on the player experience.
IH: Granite Game Summit provides an excellent opportunity for people from across the state and region to get together and enjoy our favorite hobby! It’s perfect for those who may not have regular meetup groups or game stores to play at. G2S is very professionally organized and managed and an event that provides a high caliber experience deserves all the support it can get!
KC: What is something unique about your company people may not be aware of?
LK: We exist thanks to a game of Catan at a family lake vacation. My brother-in-law brought this “brand new” game to our annual summer trip and we all loved it! The next year it was Dominion, and the year after that we were opening the first store in Portsmouth. The experience of sitting around a table, interacting, enjoying each other’s company, and spending that quality time together made us realize that others are also probably lacking that. And so a family of non-gamers put together a store that we’re pretty proud of and pretty thrilled to be working at.
IH: While we are a game store, we also carry and sell a lot of jigsaw puzzles for kids and adults ranging from 12-piece to 40,000-piece puzzles!
KC: What does your company do that you are most proud of?
LK: We have a very strong focus on community outreach and inclusivity. We run events at schools, libraries, breweries, condo associations, and more, all in the name of expanding the board game hobby and bringing fun to the community. We want our game space to be very comfortable and welcoming for everyone, no matter your gaming experience!
IH: I’m really proud of the community that orbits around our locations and the friendships that are created from it. Many friend groups which are borne out of Diversions carry on in parts of others’ lives.
Three question JUST FOR FUN:
KC: What is your favorite game?
LK: My answer changes fairly frequently and I can’t narrow it down to just one. My top games are Heaven & Ale, Wingspan, Terraforming Mars, and Caverna. I’ve also been really enjoying Coloma, Bargain Quest, and Great Western Trail.
IH: My “desert island” game is Agricola, but recently I’ve been playing a lot of Just One.
KC: What is your board gaming guilty pleasure?
LK: Pit. There is almost no strategy and it’s pure chaos, but perfect for something light and fun.
IH: I don’t feel guilty about anything I enjoy! Own your joys and you’ll enjoy more things.
KC: Who is the most famous person you have met?
LK: Charlie Cox – I saw him and Tom Hiddleston in a play last year. I really wanted to meet Tom Hiddleston and although I didn’t get that lucky (I missed him by about 10 people), who can complain about meeting Daredevil??? Oh, and Barack Obama. I guess he’s more famous =)
IH: I ran into John Oliver while he was on the street producing a segment for The Daily Show during election season in Manchester, NH.
If you want to know more about Diversions Puzzles & Games, you can check them out in the following places:
