A short, five-minute walk from campus and out of sight from the bustling streets of downtown Columbia sits Hexagon Alley. Shelves chock-full of board games line the walls, tables speckle the room and a bar running along the far wall serves as the outpost for their food and drink menu. Stepping into Hexagon Alley, one thing is clear — this is a place to play.
Opened in June 2023, Hexagon Alley totes the title of Columbia’s only board game bar and cafe. The board game-centered business gives patrons an experience like no other; for only $5, customers gain access to over 700 games, from childhood classics to dizzying strategy games, and as much time as they want to play with their friends. While the main draw of Hexagon Alley may be their selection of games, they also offer a variety of food and drinks. With alcoholic and nonalcoholic specialty cocktails, draft beers, coffee, sandwiches and snack boards, Hexagon Alley’s menu has something for every taste.
“I think a lot of it is like we strive to make sure that the place is something that anyone and everyone feels safe and included in,” says co-founder Colleen Rieman.
Rieman opened the business with her husband, Kyle Rieman, and friend Nathan Reynolds, with the goal of creating a community at Hexagon Alley. Through puzzle tournaments, trivia nights, drag shows and pride nights, the team has already started to find their place in Columbia.
“A typical afternoon for us is corporate companies bringing in their teams for team bondings or Friday mornings having a crowd of students coming in to work on homework,” Rieman says. “There’s such a wide demographic of people who can enjoy this place.”
By hosting such a wide variety of events, Hexagon Alley has attracted an array of customers, college students included. For those with a student ID, gameplay before 4 p.m. on Thursday and Friday is free, and with free WiFi and plenty of open space, it makes for a perfect off-campus study spot.
If daytime gaming doesn’t fit in the schedule, don’t worry. Hexagon Alley is open until 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and an extra hour and a half on Friday and Saturday nights. Between their food and drink menu, late hours and cheap gameplay fee, Hexagon Alley acts as an alternative for those not fond of the traditional bar scene.
Outside of their special events, Rieman and the Hexagon Alley team also host weekly how-to sessions for different board games. Called We Teach Wednesdays, these sessions are meant to act as a simple way to help all players feel welcomed at Hexagon Alley.
“It doesn’t matter if Catan is your favorite game or if Terraforming Mars is your favorite game,” Rieman says. “Whatever level you’re at, we’re gonna be able to help you and make sure you feel safe.”
Hexagon Alley’s mission has been simple. Create a community, through rolled dice and plastic tokens, that gives customers the chance not to play to win, but rather just to play.
“Seeing the connections that people can make and like bringing people together again,” Rieman says. “That’s why we’re here. For people to have their phones down and just kind of talk to have a conversation again.”