Adam Stark and Cara Alexander Stark weren't playing games when they decided to reinvent Capitol City Cork & Provisions.
Well, actually they were.
While playing a board game in April, the couple were inspired to change their vision of the downtown Jefferson City business. Instead of offering a fine dining experience, they wanted to create an atmosphere where friends and families could eat, drink and enjoy one of their favorite hobbies: board games.
Capitol City Cork & Provisions reopened earlier this month but under the new name Capitol City Cork & Board, debuting the new vision for the business.
Stark and Alexander Stark closed the business, at 124 E. High St., in mid-April because of the coronavirus pandemic. They originally planned to improve the menu during that closing, but Stark suggested going one step further: updating their current business model.
The couple enjoys visiting board game bars and cafes in other cities since those locations are alternatives to stereotypical bars, Alexander Stark said. With several bars a block down the street, Stark and Alexander Stark decided to offer their own alternative to the community.
"The next block is so much fun when you're looking for a wild night out and literally just drink, but if you don't necessarily want to hit up one of the bars, this is a really great place to go because you can have those drinks and conversations and maybe beat your friends at a game of Catan or Villianous," Alexander Stark said.
The business offers more than 150 board games and card games. Some of the more popular ones include Sorry!, Connect Four, Scrabble, What Do You Meme?, Spot It and Battle Sheep.
"We tried to make it to where we had games that could appeal to everybody and people would be comfortable coming in and looking at the games," Alexander Stark said.
Customers can visit corkandboard.org for a full list of games at Capitol City Cork & Board.
When someone clicks on a board game title on Capitol City Cork & Board's website, a link to a video describing how to play the game will appear.
If customers still aren't sure how to play a game, no need to panic. The staff at Capitol City Cork & Board are becoming "board game gurus" by learning how to play all the games, Alexander Stark said.
Along with board games, the couple hosts chess club at the business Saturday mornings. Capitol City Cork & Board will continue its Thursday night trivia and the couple hopes to have a designated night for Dungeons and Dragons.
"It's an added way for people to interact with each other, which I think is something everybody is going to be craving, especially after COVID," Alexander Stark said.
Stark and Alexander Stark have always enjoyed playing board games, particularly chess and Catan.
Even while they're working at the restaurant, the couple will still play a board game. On a table near the front door, they set up a chess board and will play against each other throughout the day.
To match the atmosphere of the new vision, the couple redid the menu. Instead of offering steaks and soups, Capitol City Cork & Board now serves bar-like food and snacks, including chicken tenders, fries, sweet potatoes, salad, cake and candy. It will also offer wine, beer, whiskey and coffee.
"We're trying to make it more approachable for people, not just a too-fancy looking place but more homey," Stark said.
The couple still offers private events and birthday parties. Those special events are not limited to Capitol City Cork & Board's current menu, Alexander Stark said.
The business hours also changed. It is open 3-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 3 p.m.-midnight on Friday and 9 a.m.-midnight on Saturday.
The business will no longer offer Sunday brunch.
"We got married in February and have never really had a consistent day off together, but during COVID, we had this wonderful period where we got to spend so much time together that we decided to try to make that a priority during this new concept," Alexander Stark said.
The community seems to be receptive to the new idea, the couple said. Capitol City Cork & Board attracted different demographics - from families with children to senior citizens to college students - after reopening.
"It's been so weird because since we've opened, it's felt so right," Alexander Stark said. "We had so much fun doing what we did with Cork before, and I know it's bizarre for a place to open up and then six months later completely shift everything they're doing. But in just one week of running this, this has been worth it."
The couple reopened Capitol City CORK & Provisions last October. Former owner Jamie Wade sold the business last summer.
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