ALBANY — Nestled in the Slip 12 development of Albany’s warehouse district is a new café that comes with a fantasy twist.
The café, The Lost Gnome, opened on Jan. 23 in a 1,300-square-foot space. The coffee bar and kitchen inside are surrounded by a collection of multiplayer card games like Pokémon, an array of gnomes and a giant willow tree constructed around a pole using rubber bark, pool noodles and artificial leaves.
The space, formerly home to Motor Oil Coffee, is enclosed by white walls adorned with dangling greenery and a ceiling accented with red mushroom-shaped light fixtures that give it an enchanted feel. Printed on the back wall is a mural of State Street featuring inconspicuous details, like the owners’ daughters depicted as fairies and creatures from the trading card game Magic: The Gathering…