AFK Elixirs & Eatery​ closes forever this Sunday.
The owners of the building have sold it, the new owners aren’t renewing the lease. This is sudden, and nothing could have avoided it.
I alluded to this earlier in the week. This is the massive blow to my equilibrium, the loss of something that has really come to define who I am as a Seattle resident.
I  cannot overstate how crucial the AFK E&E has been for me. When I moved, I was floundering. I don’t adjust well to new social situations, I’m an introvert, a depressive, and I suffer social anxiety. I was leaving my family and friends, gaming groups that have run for 30 years, and support networks I hadn’t realized were propping me up and keeping me sane.
The E&E replaced all of that. It gave me a save sanctuary, where I was never judged, always welcome, and never felt out-of-place.
A safe place, for geeks and gamers, just like it said on the sign
It has been the center of my social life. My living room, clubhouse, office, and therapists couch. I spend holidays and birthdays there, and many of my best new friends are owners and staff.
And now, it has just two days left before it is gone for good.
I’ll be there this evening, and again tomorrow night. I’ll play games, hoist glasses, and shed tears.
My eternal thanks to the owners and staff, who are impacted in ways much more serious than my psychological loss. You all made me feel like a king, in a world where I am often treated like a leper.
I love you all.