Sitting on each side of the table, Martin and his employees are enjoying a game of Jenga, taking turns removing a block from the tower, using one hand at a time at the Tablespace.
Across from that table, a customer is seen intensely focused on turning their settlements into cities by rolling the dice, while also enjoying a bowl of fries.
While Tablespace seeks to attract tabletop enthusiasts and video gamers alike, for Martin Fung and Michael Fung, the cafe is more than just that, it aims to be a place for community-building and shared experiences.
The Fung brothers envision Tablespace as a third space where customers can gather, enjoy a cup of coffee and engage in their hobbies in a relaxed environment that feels like a living room.
Martin and Michael came up with the idea for Tablespace, as a way of combining their joint passion for coffee, games, art and music.
“When we first opened Tablespace, it was just a melting pot of all of our interests. We are all interested in different things but also share similar ones. This business is very personal to us,” Martin shared.
With Martin’s experience in the food and beverage business and Michael’s knowledge of tabletop and finance, they decided to roll the dice and open up their business at the Setia Kenangan II Complex in Kiulap.
Tablespace: the evolution
Martin and Michael have been avid gamers starting at an early age and for years, they always entertained the idea of a board game business.
From an idea to a reality, when the brothers first opened Tablespace in 2022, their goal was to create a welcoming place where people could stop in to play board games.
According to the brothers, the name of the business is a combination of the words ‘tabletop’ and ‘space’.
“The initial idea for Tablespace was actually my brother’s idea. He came up with the business idea to open a place with very minimal capital — that was to provide a space for tabletop games,” Martin shared.
“At first, It was difficult for us to earn income from the business because, during the early stages, we didn’t charge for our board games because we didn’t believe in charging people to have fun. So our only source of income was through the drinks and the private room,” the 29-year-old added.
“We didn’t earn as much to cover the expenses, that’s why we decided to renovate the space for a kitchen. So, when we found a cook that we trusted, we made a decision to change the whole nature of the business into a proper cafe,” he added.
Tablespace 2.0
Two years after its opening in March 2022, the business levelled up and evolved into a newly renovated space with a full coffee bar and a kitchen.
Stepping inside the newly renovated space, customers will be transported away from the hustle-bustle of the town.
Every aspect of the cafe is well thought out; from the menu to the furniture, everything is designed to give a sense closer to home.
As for games, whether you are a seasoned board game enthusiast or new to the scene, there is a game for everyone to enjoy.
Tablespace features family and classic games of Monopoly to party games of Dixit and Cards Against Humanity to strategy games such as Settlers of Catan.
In order to play the games, customers need to order food and drinks from the cafe where they can play them for free.
Tablespace also features a dedicated PlayStation 5 space. What used to be a private room is now an open lounge.
However, if customers wish to play the PlayStation 5 game, customers need to pay $5 per hour. Video games featured include AC Valhalla, Resident Evil Village, Tekken 7 and 8, FIFA 22, Elden Ring, Overcooked! All You Can Eat and many more.
With a new built-in kitchen, Tablespace now serves a wide range of comfort food and shareable appetisers.
The brothers are the creative minds behind the many dishes, inspired by their favourite anime and video games
The menu at Tablespace mostly features a varied selection of comfort food with a twist, including their signature Snack Royale, deep-fried Elden Rings, Ju-Chix-Su Kaisen pasta and more.
The cafe also offers a variety of beverages, from cappuccinos to signature mocktails.
At Tablespace, the staff members also share a similar passion for board games.
They boast a wide knowledge of the games and are happy to offer to teach the rules of a new game to customers.
From themed Trivia nights to the magical realm of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) to arts and craft, the brothers also host weekly events at Tablespace.
Rolling the dice with Tablespace
For Martin and Michael, at Tablespace, work and play go hand in hand.
Throughout years of hard work, the brother sacrificed a lot of their money and time to make the business flourish.
Martin spent his formative years watching his family run the Tuckshop Kopitiam and Yi Fatt Restaurant, learning the ins and outs of the restaurant business while he worked the counters and waited tables.
Now, the 29-year-old manages the day-to-day operations of his own business with his brother.
The young entrepreneurs emphasised that every business presents its own challenges; from its operations to managing employees, something that they are currently still learning.
“The main challenge as an entrepreneur for me is perseverance or the lack of it. We are all very passionate in Tablespace, but sometimes things can get very challenging from business not picking up to internal issues,” Martin shared.
The challenges of the business taught Martin that patience is key, adding that it took perseverance to overcome the obstacles and that every day is a new lesson for them.
Playing the cards you’re dealt, Martin’s philosophy in life is to adapt, strategise, and overcome.
“I have to keep reminding myself that I have to keep pushing on and make sure that I am doing my all and my best,” he shared.
According to Martin, social media has also played an important role in Tablespace’s business journey.
“Main thing we have learned so far is how effective marketing online through social media is. As mentioned before, our team is quite small and we have little experience with social media marketing so that is something we aim to try and improve for the future,” he shared.
Looking ahead, the brothers said they hope to continue to grow as a business by expanding their menu and board game collection and continuing to reach out to various communities who are interested in collaborating.
Further down the road, the brothers are also planning to open an event space business.
When opening a business, Martin advises budding entrepreneurs to always be prepared and passionate.
“Only do food and beverages business, when you are passionate about it because if you have no interest in what you are doing, it is going to be a challenging road ahead,” he said.
THE BRUNEIAN | BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
