Minneapolis’ North Loop is about to get a new kind of country club. Instead of tee times and fairways, Gamer’s Guild Social Club is built around card games, board games, and tabletop gaming. The private club is set to open next month on the second floor of 119 Washington Ave. N., directly above Public Domain cocktail bar.
What Gamer’s Guild Social Club Is
Gamer’s Guild is designed as a private playing parlor where members can unwind, connect, and sit down for a game without hosting it at home. The owners call it the club’s first guild house, which hints at bigger ambitions. Founder Adam Baker grew up on pinochle, cribbage, rummy, Risk, and Monopoly, and later got into Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering.
Career and family pushed gaming aside until his son Christopher pulled him back into Magic. Then, one evening last September, Adam asked his wife Bonnie to play a game and she was busy. He wished there was a country club where people could simply gather to play and hang out. About a year later, that wish has an address.
The Building Deal Behind the Club
Adam and Bonnie Baker, both management consultants, bought the building on Sept. 25 for $1.83 million through 119 Washington Holding LLC. It is their first commercial real estate purchase. The 7,200 square foot building went up in 1913 and was sold by the family of the late John Rimarcik, a restaurateur who helped shape the North Loop long before it became one of the hottest neighborhoods in Minnesota.
The property first hit the market in the summer of 2025, initially priced at or above $2.25 million. A nearby Rimarcik building at 111 Washington Ave. sold in January for $2.5 million. Public Domain, in the space since late 2023, is staying put.
Why This Matters for the North Loop and the Twin Cities
This deal shows how older North Loop buildings keep finding second lives. A century-old building that once belonged to one of the neighborhood’s original boosters now hosts a modern social concept, while the existing bar tenant stays in place. That mix of history and new use is a big part of what gives the North Loop its character.
The concept also taps into a clear shift in how adults spend free time. Research from Circana found adult-only households now account for 55% of U.S. toy sales, with Magic: The Gathering ranking ninth among the most purchased toys in that category. Baker says people are burned out from work and want more ways to connect in person, and a members club built around games answers that directly.
For Twin Cities residents, it adds one more reason to head into Minneapolis on a weeknight. [INTERNAL LINK: Twin Cities neighborhood guide or local news roundup]
What Happens Next
Gamer’s Guild opens with 20 founding members who buy in for two years and receive an ownership stake. Most are friends and family of the Bakers. A broader recruiting push for new members is planned for early next year.
If the model works, Adam Baker sees it as a concept that could scale. For now, the question is whether the North Loop’s newest club can turn game night into a destination.
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