Eureka! Puzzles & Games

Eureka! is a game and puzzle store located in Coolidge Corner, offering a variety of strategy, board, and card games. The store also has a wealth of construction sets ranging from wooden models, to magnet builds.

Daniel McCarthy (he/him) and Katie Neinest (she/her), retail workers:

What are the COVID-19 protocols that you have been following?

McCarthy:
Things that we probably did before, but do more intentionally now, are just cleaning everything like wiping everything down when you open and close. There’s hand sanitizer right inside the door that everybody’s asked to use upon entering.

Outside of that, there is a limit to how many people are allowed inside. Anytime there’s nine people in here, including the two people working, then whoever looks to come in we just ask them to be patient, [and] wait outside until somebody checks out and leaves. We even have a room in the back that is essentially like a tiny hallway that has all the puzzles in it, but it’s a very confined space.

We’ve definitely changed the way we’ve done things. Before, there was a big table full of demos that people could touch and play with and try to solve the puzzles. And some people even came in here for that reason, just to kind of kill time; that obviously doesn’t exist anymore. [We’re] trying to limit as much as possible things that people are touching.

Nienest:
The staff is also taking temperature and writing down symptoms. We come in every morning or when are we checking so we can track anything like that.

If you could say one thing to potential shoppers, what would it be? What would you ask them?

McCarthy:
Be conscious of what you’re touching and follow all the procedures that we ask of you. If you’re touching something, just make sure you’re touching it because you’re interested in it. Other than that, anybody’s welcome to come in.