{"id":945,"date":"2025-10-17T01:45:17","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T01:45:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-hannahfreeman\/?p=945"},"modified":"2025-11-14T03:53:20","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T03:53:20","slug":"finding-the-third-place-the-rook-and-pawn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-hannahfreeman\/finding-the-third-place-the-rook-and-pawn\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding the Third Place: The Rook and Pawn"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The Rook and Pawn offers a quiet getaway from the bustle of downtown Athens where students can study over a cup of coffee or play a game of Monopoly with friends. (photo\/Hannah Freeman)<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Tucked in a quiet corner of downtown Athens, The Rook and Pawn<\/a> may look like any other caf\u00e9. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But inside, the nutty aroma of espresso and old board games fills the air. Shelves line the wall, brimming with colorful game boxes \u2014 everything from Candy Land to Carcassonne. Behind the game room and bar, a dimly lit corridor hums with quiet conversation and shuffling cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a city known for its bustling bars and restaurants, The Rook and Pawn has carved out its own niche as a community-driven \u201cthird place\u201d where food, play and connection come together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The idea of a \u201cthird place\u201d \u2014 a space outside the home and workplace where people gather \u2014 was first introduced by sociologist Ray Oldenburg in his book \u201cThe Great Good Place<\/a>.\u201d He defined a third place as a convenient, inexpensive public space where people can socialize with others, typically over food or drinks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cThird places exist on neutral ground and serve to level their guests to a condition of social equality,\u201d Oldenburg wrote. \u201cWithin these places, conversation is the primary activity and the major vehicle for the display and appreciation of human personality and individuality.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tim Kelly and his wife, Carrie, opened The Rook and Pawn in 2015 with the idea of a third place in mind. Their goal was to create a caf\u00e9 where people could play their favorite board games while enjoying food and drinks \u2014 whether with friends, family or on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since then, the restaurant has become a staple gathering spot for young adults in Athens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe wanted a place that would appeal to families during the day,\u201d Kelly said. \u201cAt the same time, students could study here, treat it as a coffeehouse and then in the evening, have it sort of transition into a more traditional downtown restaurant\/bar.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a library of more than 500 board games<\/a> and a pub-style menu of  sandwiches, coffee, cocktails and craft beer, The Rook and Pawn offers a casual atmosphere where everyone from seasoned gamers to curious newcomers is welcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe wanted it to be a celebration of whatever people\u2019s interests were, whether it was games or coffee or food or drinks or just hanging out,\u201d Kelly said. \u201cEverybody was welcomed, everyone, you know, treated the same way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether stopping by to play a game of chess in between classes or grabbing a drink at night, Kelly said students play an integral role in the daily operations of the caf\u00e9. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDuring the day, it can be a lonely place,\u201d Kelly said. \u201cWhen the students are back, a lot of times they\u2019ll come in and study and get a coffee, and it\u2019s nice just to have that in and out and just have a little bit more vibrancy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many students, The Rook and Pawn serves as a space to build community during a formative time in their lives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dawn Robinson, a professor of sociology at the University of Georgia,  said third places like The Rook and Pawn are especially valuable for young adults who are navigating independence and shaping who they are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYoung adults are kind of branching away from their family place in a big way,\u201d Robinson said. \u201cThat makes it kind of exciting and important in their lives, because they\u2019re forming new relationships and new identities in those contexts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food, she added, often deepens those connections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFood reminds people of some of the warmer memories of family,\u201d Robinson said. \u201cI think food, globally and historically, is an emotionally charged context for enjoying each other\u2019s company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kelly said that sense of comfort is exactly what The Rook and Pawn aims to offer \u2014 not just through food, but through the feeling of being at home with others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhether they\u2019re eating or drinking or playing a game or whatever, it\u2019s just like they’re kind of in their living room and they\u2019re hanging out with their friends,\u201d Kelly said. \u201cThat\u2019s what we\u2019ve always kind of strived for.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Rook and Pawn offers a quiet getaway from the bustle of downtown Athens where students can study over a cup of coffee or play a game of Monopoly with friends. (photo\/Hannah Freeman) Tucked in a quiet corner of downtown Athens, The Rook and Pawn may look like any other caf\u00e9.  But inside, the nutty…<\/span><\/p>\n

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