A familiar Grand Rapids building is back open, but what’s inside now looks a lot different from what locals remember.
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From Fat Boy to Kobold’s Kitchen
The former home of Fat Boy Burgers, a Plainfield Avenue staple that first opened in 1952 and closed after more than 70 years in early 2025, has officially been reborn as a board game lounge and restaurant after nearly a year of renovations.
Kobold’s Kitchen opened June 3, 2026, transforming the space into a hybrid restaurant, café, and tabletop gaming lounge built around one idea: stay awhile.
At the center of the concept is owner Theodore “Teo” Geiger, who previously worked as a food safety scientist and spent years immersed in board game lounge culture. According to the restaurant, Geiger’s personal board game collection eventually grew large enough that it became the foundation for the business itself…