Published 8:00 pm Saturday, October 10, 2026
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Crafters work in the crafting room on Sept. 26, 2026, at Nerd Mentality in La Grande. The nonprofit game lounge has supplies and space for all kinds of crafts, from miniature painting to felt work.
(Isabella Crowley/The Observer)
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Figures spread out across the terrain map in the war gaming room on Sept. 26, 2026, at Nerd Mentality. The nonprofit game lounge has starter sets, miniatures and models for use.
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Nerd Mentality Executive Director Cody Flower thanks people on Sept. 26, 2026, for coming to the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony in La Grande.
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Nerd Mentality’s motto — a place to be you — leads visitors up the stairs at 2609 North 2nd St. in La Grande. The nonprofit game lounge held a grand opening Sept. 26, 2026.
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The front desk greets visitors of Nerd Mentality on Sept. 26, 2026, with “Star Trek” and classic arcade games. The front desk is a spot where people can grab a soft drink and chat — offering the social benefits of a bar without the alcohol.
(Isabella Crowley/The Observer)
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LA GRANDE — Roll for initiative, play card games, read a comic book, watch a movie or just chat and relax at Nerd Mentality.
The nonprofit game lounge offers a space where nerds can come together, form a community and be themselves. In an age when people are increasingly online, Executive Director Cody Flower said Nerd Mentality creates an opportunity for face-to-face connection. The nonprofit softly opened its doors earlier in 2026 before holding a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony on Sept. 26 with door prizes, tours, food and fun. Flower said the community response has been amazing.
“It’s been overwhelmingly positive,” he said.
Nerd Mentality is open Thursdays through Mondays at 2609 N. Second St. in La Grande. The nonprofit operates from 2-10 p.m. on Thursday, Sunday and Monday and noon to 10 p.m. (or later) on Friday and Saturday.
It is a safe space for people of all ages, Flower said, but is a place where youths can meet others interested in the same things. There is a strict code of conduct, anti-bullying and hygiene policy.
Each of the rooms has security cameras, and staff make regular rounds throughout the building.
Around 50 people have recurring memberships, Flower said, and Nerd Mentality received donations from people who don’t personally engage in nerdy content, but believe in the organization’s mission. The support from local businesses and thrift stores has been enormous. Flower said he was surprised “by how willing people are to donate” and the “boundless generosity from the public.”
Almost all of the board games, along with many of the video games and televisions, were donated. This has allowed Nerd Mentality to focus its financial efforts on improving the building.
Flower said if the nonprofit receives a donation it cannot use, he checks with other community partners to see if any of those organizations can put it to use. If not, he takes it to a thrift store and if those businesses do not want it then he’ll properly dispose of the item.
What you’ll find at Nerd Mentality
After walking up the stairs in the Riveria Activity Center, guests will be greeted at the front counter. This is a social spot where people can grab a soft drink and chat — offering the social benefits of a bar without the alcohol.
Visitors can spend time in a multitude of nerdy rooms. These include:
• Library room with comic books, manga and puzzles.
• Dungeons and Dragons room with maps, miniatures and monsters for all your tabletop gaming needs.
• Board game room with around 400 different options. This also is where people can play trading card games.
• Retro video game room set up for couch co-op with a PlayStation 2, PlayStation 4, Sega Genesis and many Nintendo consoles, including classic, super, 64, Game Cube and Wii.
• Public hangout space upstairs with a foosball table.
• Powder room with deodorant, breath mints, fabric deodorizers and feminine hygiene products thanks to Soroptimist International of La Grande, and pamphlets from local nonprofits.
• Movie theater room with a large projector, which also can be a space to host gaming tournaments.
• War gaming room with starter sets, terrain and models.
• Kid-free room with the cheeky card games, such as Cards Against Humanity, rated “mature” video games for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and XBOX 1, and the more delicate retro gaming systems Odyssey and Atari.
• Workshop room offers a communal crafting space for everything from miniatures painting to costume sewing. The room also doubles as a classroom space.
Day passes, which give you access to the facility from open until closing, cost $10. Memberships start at $25 per month.
Nerd Mentality hosts D&D nights where anyone can join a game every Friday at 6 p.m. They are also hosting learn to play events in the War room. The members themselves actually spearhead many of the events hosted at Nerd Mentality, Flower said.
“Members are driving the contest,” he said. “We don’t want to be a place hosting events that people don’t attend.”
