By Zoe Perzo
Peter Milazzo and his younger brother, James Leavy, had always loved the idea of opening a small business. Today they run Mayhem's Bookstore & Board Game Cafe in Lancaster, PA.
The store features a highly curated collection of graphic novels, comics, and manga, as well as a collection of over 300 games customers can play in-store, and a full-service cafe. With their prime location and mission to “complement rather than compete,” Mayhem’s is perfectly situated to become a Lancaster staple.
I sat down with Milazzo to learn more about Mayhem’s origin and operation.
Up until a few years ago, the brothers' lives were going in completely different directions. In 2018, Milazzo left the Navy and went back to school, where he pursued several master's degrees (in business, strategic management, and real estate investment). He was also working at a big corporation (which he hated).
His younger brother had just graduated from Penn State with a communications degree.
Cue COVID.
“He had this master plan and a job lined up in Pittsburgh,” Milazzo recalled, “but with COVID, everything fell apart.”
Leavy had worked at a State College comic store all through college, and though he loved it, he wasn’t making enough to survive.
“Ultimately, I had the degree in business, but I didn’t know what to open,” Milazzo explained. “He had the passion for comics and was ready for a change.”
The two started looking at their options and decided Lancaster was an ideal spot. Milazzo already lived in the city, and he had seen it grow as a result of the pandemic. More and more people were moving in from big cities — Philadelphia, New York, Pittsburgh, and D.C. — seeking a (relatively) smaller and cheaper place to call home.
Though the initial concept of Mayhem’s started as just a bookstore, it quickly evolved.
Board games had been a vital part of their childhood, and after some research trips to other board game cafes, they realized they could easily integrate board games into Mayhem’s plan. They would maintain a collection of games that customers could pay a small fee to hang out and play.
The cafe aspect expanded after they toured the space that would become their current location. Since it was on the first floor of an apartment building, the landlord wanted a tenant that would allow the residents to get a drink and hang out. Milazzo was sure they could fill that role, so the initial plan for a few carafes of coffee morphed into a full cafe.
After a year of planning and preparation, Mayhem’s Bookstore & Board Game Cafe soft opened in fall of 2024 and held their grand opening at the beginning of 2025.
“We have about 2,500 square feet, with 1,500 books, 350 games, and a full-service cafe,” Milazzo said.
Mayhem’s customers are able to hang out, grab a snack, and browse for books, or take advantage of the massive board game collection. (Any book purchase also comes with a board game pass for the day.)
The store also has a subscriber option for frequent visitors, which offers unlimited gameplay, unlimited drip coffee, and daily book discounts for a monthly fee. (Members roll three d6 at checkout to determine their discount.)
Though they are still new, they are on track to attain the brothers’ goal of bringing the community together.
Not only are they on the first floor of that apartment building, they are right next door to the Fulton Theater. There’s also an art school on the block, and several colleges within a few minutes’ drive. There are several bookstores in the area, as well as a board game store, which is where Milazzo’s idea to complement local businesses comes into play.
“We don’t want to compete. We want to complement,” he explained. “All of our games come from that board game store a block away. We don’t sell any of our games. And [although] there are several bookstores in the city, none of them exclusively sell graphic novels.”
Mayhem’s even takes it a step further by sourcing all of their cafe’s food from local bakeries and delis.
They’ve also partnered with the theater to offer a whole experience.
“You can come to our cafe, get good parking in the city, play some games, and then go right across the street for your show. You can make it a whole date night,” he said.
But Mayhem’s isn’t just partnering with other businesses, the store has its own full events calendar. In addition to regular events like Pokémon on Tuesdays and Magic: The Gathering on Fridays, the store holds a different “Social Sunday” event every week. Sunday events range from book clubs to chess tournaments, from puzzle races to bingo, and even speed dating.
“We want to be a good third space — a place to hang out, close your laptop, and be with people.” Milazzo said.
Milazzo and his family have used their combined experience to create a delightful community hub, build strong partnerships, and share their love of books and board games.
If you’re in Lancaster, be sure to stop by Mayhem’s Bookstore & Board Game Cafe! You can also find them online via their website, Facebook, or Instagram.
