OUR STORY
🎭 From Lockdown to Launch
Let’s Play Café didn’t start in a storefront — it started in the middle of a lockdown.
I had just decided to go back to college to study Theater Arts, hoping it would bring me closer to my dream of becoming a voice actor. Around that time, I reconnected with an old friend, and we started playing Dungeons & Dragons together.
We lived in different cities, but one thing connected us: the campus we both used to visit before the world shut down. It made us realize how much we longed for a place to hang out — a creative, welcoming space where people like us could gather, game, and geek out.
That’s when the idea hit:
What if we opened a nerd-themed café in the heart of our county — in Chico?
Lockdown gave us the time to dream. We brainstormed menus, concepts, and character-inspired drinks. We were just two nerds with a dream.
Although our paths have since gone in different directions, the dream lives on — through my determination and dedication to building something truly special.
🍞 A New Chapter: Theater Meets Toast
After completing my Bachelor’s in Theater Arts, I found myself running the café on my own.
And as any small business owner knows — doing it all solo takes a toll.
I couldn’t keep up with everything at once, but I wasn’t ready to walk away from the dreams I had fought so hard for.
So I asked myself:
What if I combined my two greatest passions — performance and paninis — into one project?
That’s how Let’s Play! Panini-Chan was born:
A food-themed, slice-of-life animated mini-series inspired by the café’s original menu, characters, and community.
It’s silly. It’s heartfelt. It’s a love letter to everything this café was meant to be.
Whether you’ve visited our cart before, supported us online, or you’re just now finding us — thank you.
The café may be closed for now, but the story continues. And this time… it’s animated.
➤ Watch the Series
➤ Support Our Comeback