Category: arcade

Showdown in Indianapolis

The stage is set for a bit of a duckpin showdown in Indianapolis. Successful social duckpin developer and operator Pins Mechanical is set to open their newest location only a short distance from established centers, Action Bowl and Atomic Bowl, in Fountain Square.

Pins Mechanical locations feature the “social” version of duckpin as an adjunct to its entertainment business. The lanes are shorter, ranging from 32-48 feet depending on the location and building. They usually do not have approaches and do not require bowling shoes.

Action Bowl, on the 4th floor of the Fountain Square Building has 8 duckpin lanes with string pinsetters. Atomic Bowl, located in the basement of the same building features genuine 1950’s and 60’s equipment. Both centers were sanctioned by the National Duckpin Bowling Congress in 1991, but are not sanctioned today.

Industry eyes will be watching. Will both types continue to garner business? Will Action/Atomic benefit from the introduction of Pins Mechanical which seeks a younger demographic? Or, will the social duckpin craze prove to be more popular with today’s consumers that look for social experiences where activities like duckpin bowling are an aside, and not the main event?

Only time will tell for sure.

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Andretti Opens Dallas Location With Duckpin Bowling

Last week saw Andretti Karting, the indoor go-kart king, opening its 6th location. The 100,000 square foot facility is located in The Colony, part of the Dallas suburbs. What makes this location a bit different? They have brought duckpin bowling to Dallas.

With 8 lanes located on the second floor, the lanes are equipped with string pinsetters and appear to be longer than we have been seeing in other entertainment centers. Duckpin here is part of Andretti’s “upscale bowling lounge” experience.

What exactly is duck pin bowling? It’s bowling escalated to the comfort and style that caters to your every need. Four projection screens and 8 custom designed lanes glowing with black lights are just the beginning of your enjoyment.

https://andrettikarting.com/thecolony/play/boutique-bowling/

However, the lanes themselves don’t appear to be regulation length, but it is difficult to tell for sure from the limited photos available. We at DuckpinWorld have been trying to reach management for more information, but have thus far been unable to confirm any specifications other than what is apparent in the photographs. They are using regulation duckpins, as opposed to the mini-bowling that some businesses have opted for.

Andretti’s main focus is Karting and social gatherings, but they have learned that providing other amusements and recreation substantially improves the overall business. The Colony location, like the one in North Atlanta, also has a focus on fine scratch-made food and beverage.

Elsewhere in the building, they offer video games, pinball, laser tag, indoor rope course, the Dark Ride motion theater, and a number of other activities for singles or groups. With more than 100 HDTVs throughout the facility, your group can relax and catch your favorite team while enjoying one of the many craft beers with slow smoked ribs grilled or pizza cooked in their special Brick Oven.

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The Eleanor Brings Social Duckpin to Silver Spring

Silver Spring’s newest night spot will soon be The Eleanor. A social-style venue with arcade games and 5 lanes of “social duckpin”, the entertainment and bar fusion is the second location for owner Adam Stein. The opening date is set for February 24.

Stein’s other Eleanor location is on Florida Avenue in NorthEast Washington, DC and is a good bit smaller overall. That location has only two bowling lanes but is extremely popular. The Silver Spring location will have a larger kitchen and offer a bigger menu. Look for top-tier foods here, not your typical chili-fries and Bud Light. They aim to offer craft beers and award-winning dishes. However, you will still be able to get wings and nachos.

While it is being called and marketed as “duckpin” bowling, it is actually mini-bowling, the variant being marketed by US Bowling. It is confusing since tenpin paraphernalia decorates the bar while duckpin posters and murals adorn the walls. Given their target demographic, customers are unlikely to notice the difference as most would not have grown-up with genuine duckpin bowling.

Thank you to Bethesda Magazine!

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Duckpins Coming to Wilmington DE

A popular local hangout has closed in downtown Wilmington, Delaware. Ernest & Scotts Taproom, located at 902 N. Market Street in the historic Wilmington Trust building, is closing after eight years. Open Doors Hospitality Group owns it as well as the Chelsea Tavern next door.

The owner has big plans for the 5,700 square foot space with its 30 foot ceilings. This plans include a new identity and turning it into a game-themed eatery and bar, complete with a pinball arcade and duckpin bowling. The new venue will reopen its doors as Wilma’s.

We have been unable to reach Open Doors Hospitality Group for more information, but it is likely that the duckpin bowling will be social duckpin style. We can hope, though, that the size of the space encourages the owners to put in regulation lanes. More likely is that sales teams from the social duckpin companies are lobbying them to go that route and nobody is pushing for regulation lanes.

While the remake is underway, Chelsea’s Tavern will host some of the events that the Taproom was known for, including the cigar dinners and the Cinco de Mayo block party.

H/T to Delaware Business Times and other publications

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Duckpin Returns to Busch Stadium in St. Louis

Until 2008, you could find duckpin in St. Louis. Granted, it was just 2 lanes in the exhibit area of the International Bowling Hall of Fame, but they were real duckpin lanes. Then the Hall of Fame moved to Texas and they didn’t include the duckpin lanes or most of the exhibit. However, in 2013 they installed two of the Highway 66 lanes from AMF/Quibica. They routinely switch up the pins in the machines to demonstrate duckpin, rubberband duckpin, tenpin, and mini-bowling.

Fast forward to 2019 when Ballpark Village, a development launched by the Cardinals and Cordish Companies surrounding Busch Stadium, is signing new tenants to space in the latest expansion. One of those tenants will be Sports and Social St. Louis, a family friendly restaurant and entertainment destination that will feature the currently successful form of short duckpin bowling. Along with the bowling will be foosball, arcade games, ping pong, skeeball, and a live music venue. To date, 92% of the properties in the current phase II expansion have already been leased.

The 9,000 square foot Sports and Social St. Louis is expected to open its doors in Spring 2020, just as the baseball season begins.

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Nashville is Next

Pins Mechanical, the wildly successful social and entertainment venture of Rise Brands, will be opening a new location at 1102 Grundy Street in Nashville in the coming months. Next door will be their 16-Bit Bar. They have not announced a specific date yet.

Plans currently call for 6 of the short-style duckpin lanes to be installed, but the building is being designed to allow expansion to as many as 12 if the popularity is there. The locations will also have arcade games, pinball machines, full bar with a large beer selection using the self-pour system, and arrangements with several food trucks which can pull-in to the location.

Williamson Source

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Iowa-based Smash Park Announces Smash Park Social Concept, adds Duckpin Bowling to Activities

Smash Park, an entertainment venue in West Des Moines, Iowa, is moving forward with its franchising plans. At this time, the owners, Monty and Kerri Lockyear, are eyeing potential locations in Omaha, Cleveland, Minneapolis, and several Texas cities.

The owners are also looking to open a venue with a smaller footprint that is targeted more at the Millennial night crowd, potentially called Smash Park Social. These locations would include a form of duckpin bowling and be more focused on indoor games.

They are working on opening up the first of these Smash Park Social locations in downtown Des Moines, with three different spots currently under consideration. They also plan to franchise the Smash Park Social concept.

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A Historic Foundary, High Voltage Karting, and Duckpin Bowling in Medina, OH

A new 30,000-square-foot entertainment complex outfitted with a selection of games that will include duckpin bowling, billiards, bocce, pinball, classic arcade games and ping pong is coming to Medina, Ohio. Foundary Social will join Elyria-based Franklin Brewing and Medina’s own High Voltage Karting in the historic property at 333 Foundary Street. Owners Greg Cordray, Steve Madden, Brian Fontanella and Gene Whaley are the brains behind the new project.

“We are excited to bring Foundry Social to Medina,” Cordray says. “The Medina community has embraced us and supported High Voltage Karting since day one, and we are proud to bring such an exciting entertainment concept to Medina.”

The plans for Foundry Social include a full bar, kitchen and private event space, combining to create a “premier dining and entertainment spot,” according to Cordray. The entire complex is over 135,000 feet and will still have space leftover for expansion and future ventures.

Brian Fontanella tells us that they will be using lanes and string machines from Infinity Bowl, standard duckpins, and the Stelltronic System for lane management. There will be 8 lanes and each will be 26′ long. There will not be approaches. As in similar venues, this eliminates the need for bowling shoes and inventory, frees up space to create revenue for the operation, and moves the games along at a faster pace.

Clevescene.com – Foundry Social to Add Games, Food, Beer and Fun to Medina’s Foundry Building

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