Card Kingdom’s 10,000-square-foot mega-gaming store opens next week in Bellevue with a new namesake the company plans to roll with in the future.

Started as an online retailer for Magic: The Gathering, a popular trading card game that started in 1993 and now boasts more than 12 million players worldwide, Card Kingdom was soon encouraged to create a physical space for its gamers. It first opened in Seattle’s University District, then moved to Greenwood before settling in Ballard five years ago.

Bellevue’s Mox Boarding House takes its name from the Ballard location’s popular Cafe Mox, and will be the store name for future locations, said Marguerite Cottrell, social media and purchasing manager.

“We had really no idea if it would go well or not,” she said of adding a cafe next to its anchor store. “It ended up being our most popular feature,” but many people thought the cafe and gaming store were separate businesses. “This will be our theme going forward with one single name.”

Mox Boarding House will open with a full deck that includes a large tournament room that can accommodate more than 100 competitors for daily events and includes online streaming for gamers to watch from home, a speakeasy-style bar with bookcase door and a restaurant that serves classic American-style food options — a large gaming table is also available for those who like to multitask. Just like its Ballard location, Mox will offer a library for patrons to check out games for in-store play.

The Mox crew will work through the weekend in the hope of opening early next week — the Reporter will update the time once it is known — and once the way is clear, Cottrell said local artist Joe Vollan will customize the store the way he did for Card Kingdom in Ballard. Mox Boarding House plans a grand opening on Dec. 5.

Cottrell said Mox’s next big move on Washington’s map has not yet been decided, and the company chooses its locations far enough away from competitors to capture untapped markets. Mox’s Bellevue location came with a bonus, she said, because it’s right down the street from Privateer Press, maker of the popular steampunk wargame, Warmachine. Privateer Press will unleash a number of its employees to battle fans at Mox Boarding House on Dec. 15.

“I guarantee you, some of them are going to get worked over,” Cottrell said.

Mox Boarding House is located at 13310 Bel-Red Road.