The Rook Room Game Lounge and Cafe is moving into the former St. Kilda Cafe & Bakery located at 300 S.W. Fifth Street, establishing a brick-and-mortar location after five years operating as a pop-up company. St. Kilda closed the downtown restaurant in December 2024. Rook Room co-owners Annelise Tarnowski and Tony Tandeski are renovating the space to fit their concept, which will offer hundreds of board games and puzzles and serve comfort food, elevated snacks, alcoholic drinks and coffee. “As we started to plan out what we wanted for our space, we really leaned into what we – as self-proclaimed game nerds ourselves – would want to see in a place like this,” Tandeski, a 2023 Forty Under 40, said in a prepared statement. “Our goal is to create something fun and unique here in Des Moines that features little touches that delight and keep people coming back for more.” The Rook Room started in 2019, hosting gaming events at venues across Des Moines. Tarnowski and Tandeski, plan to open the space in March, according to the release.