Owning a small business is a labour of love, and we love our small business owners! We asked the businesses of Moss End Garden Village to share a short story of why they decided to start their business, what they love about owning a business at Moss End, or just something entertaining about themselves… 

This week we’re introducing Cryptic Cabin, a hub for Board Games, Wargames and excellent coffee!

Initially Russell, one of the co-owners of Cryptic Cabin, had a cabin, hence the name, which was used as a photography studio. But when Covid hit, in-person shoots couldn’t be carried out. So, this encouraged them to think outside the box for ways they could bring their cabin back to life.

Created by friends Spencer, Ben, Russell and Miles, all self-confessed game nerds; they wanted to form a business from something they loved, which was of course everything to do with board games, Pokemon, Warhammer and Dungeons and Dragons.

So they started selling games from the cabin, and hosting live play, welcoming people post-covid to a friendly space where they could enjoy playing the games they love with other people. After 12-months they had out-grown the cabin and so moved to Moss End Garden Village, bringing some much needed space to the business.

The team plays a ton of games alongside their amazing customer base. They’ve said it’s incredible to see everyone getting so into their games and having a blast, everyday is like they're reliving their childhood.

Spencer commented "Our customers get to meet new people and form friendships. In fact, we had a group who first met here, and now they're all attending each other's weddings!”

The team at Cryptic Cabin are passionate about teaching the next generation to play the games they love. They don’t consider visitors to just be customers, but also their friends.

They love being part of the Moss End Garden Village Community, working with different businesses to support each other. They recently collaborated with fellow Moss End business, Moneyrow Beans. They created a new blend of coffee which they now serve and sell at Cryptic Cabin.

It's interesting to note that Ben used to visit Moss End Garden Village as a child. Now, being able to own a shop on site is nothing short of amazing for him.

All four owners admit to having their own quirks, although they did share that Ben eats a lasagne every single day of the year! Now that really is a quirk! 😊

With more than 44 independent retailers at Moss End Garden Village, this is just a small snapshot of some of the familiar faces you’ll see when you visit.   Come and visit to explore and discover a new shop you’ve never been to, and don’t forget to say hello to the owner! To find a list of all businesses that call Moss End Garden Village home, click here.