Latest news with #Puttshack
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
IAAPA Expo thinking bigger at convention center
The IAAPA Expo plans to expand its footprint at Orange County Convention Center, a move that is said to reflect the health of the tourism industry and the boom of related segments. The annual trade show will move in the convention center's West Concourse for the first time in 2026. Previously it has been only in the North and South concourses. 'The industry is growing. We see that with the projects like Epic Universe, but we also see it with all the smaller attractions, which happen everywhere now — if it's a Ripley's Mirror Maze or if it's a Puttshack or if it's a PopStroke — all those little attractions are actually contributing the success of the attraction industry,' said Jakob Wahl, president of the Orlando-based International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, a k a IAAPA. The expo is known for its vast, teeming trade floor that includes vendors of all manner of manufacturers and creative types, ranging from water-slide equipment to major roller coasters to plush animals for carnival games to theme park announcements. The assortment of participants has been diversifying, Wahl said. 'We have seen more and more resorts coming, more and more cruise ships,' he said. 'We have seen an increased growth of food and beverage vendors, and we're working on an increased focus on technology vendors. There are many, many companies in that space.' Gator with bungee-corded jaw rescued, relocated to Gatorland The 2025 expo floor is sold out with more than 1,100 vendors, some of which will set up shop in the convention center parking lot. The event had more than 40,000 attendees last year. IAAPA Expo, which also includes educational sessions and excursions to Central Florida attractions, introduced themed pavilions last year, including an area devoted to food and beverage companies and a Halloween-driven section. 'We want to expand and, at the same time, we want to use that expansion to further grow the show, to be more creative, to be more global and to be also more immersive,' Wahl said. 'This is where we will introduce some pavilions next year at the show to really cater to new industry, to new segments of our expo which might not have had the same presence as we thought in the past,' he said. Orlando's Titanic attraction adds recovered necklace to artifact lineup This year's expo begins Nov. 17, but the expansion into the West Concourse is scheduled to kick in next year. 'Such an expansion, actually, is not that easy to execute,' Wahl said. 'We actually start working up to one and a half years in advance on the floor plan.' IAAPA Expo has been an annual presence at the convention center since 2010. IAAPA moved its home base from Alexandria, Virginia, to Orlando in 2017 and later constructed its global headquarters on Taft-Vineland Road. Universal Studios: 'M3GAN' again has moves in theme park Email me at dbevil@ BlueSky: @themeparksdb. Threads account: @dbevil. X account: @themeparks. Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at
Chicago Tribune
5 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Puttshack, opening at Skokie's Old Orchard mall, features high-tech mini-golf
A new 30,000-square-foot indoor mini-golf venue with food and drink is scheduled to open at Westfield Old Orchard Shopping Center in Skokie on June 20. The venue is also the final business put into place to occupy the square footage of the former Lord and Taylor store at the outdoor mall. The others are Zara, Arhaus and Pottery Barn. The nine-hole mini-golf venue uses motion sensor technology to measure how many strokes a player takes to finish a course, among other tech infusions to the game of putt putt. The Skokie location has four courses, like most of Puttshack's locations, and offers 'challenge holes,' an additional mini-golf experience that uses virtual reality and is only in Skokie and Puttshack's suburban Dallas location. Carlos Navarrete, Puttshack's director of operations, said the Skokie location is slightly larger than their Oakbrook location, which allowed it to have the challenge holes and also a layout that connects a rentable private room and bar to the courses. 'We have had technology that nobody (else) has,' Navarrete said of the technology that activates features on every hole in the course. 'And on top of that, the type of service, the type of cuisine, the type of drinks that we serve here, that's different.' The Skokie location will have a wide variety of bar foods including skewers, quesabirria, bao buns and flatbreads. Each location of Puttshack also has regional differences to cater to each audience, according to Navarrete, and the Chicago edition of spring rolls, called 'tailpipes,' will be filled with Italian beef, giardiniera and cheese. Puttshack's addition to the former Lord and Taylor site is part of the mall's redevelopment, planned for two phases. The first phase is anticipated to bring 600 apartments to the former site of Bloomingdale's and the current site of Forever 21 and Barnes and Noble, according to Westfield Old Orchard's General Manager Maegan Akers. 'We're very excited to finally have the last piece of the Lord and Taylor development, and I think it feeds nicely into our next phase of development with the residential coming up,' Akers said. The Barnes and Noble and Forever 21 will relocate to the former Zara location, she said. 'We've started all the not fun behind-the-scenes utilities, designs, planning and all of that. All the fun stuff where we actually start taking down the building is happening early 2026,' Akers said. Currently, Puttshack has a few locations at suburban malls that also have residential buildings, near Nashville and St. Louis, according to Navarrete. 'For us, it's creating a whole city, where you can get everything you need and in one space,' Akers said. In the next phase, a community green space is also envisioned to connect the residential area to the mall.
Boston Globe
13-06-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
As Massachusetts' string of rainy weekends continues, businesses see unseasonal trends
This spring's Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up A typical spring could have five or six consecutive rainy weekends, but this unusual year has already produced 13 in a row, with a 14th very likely this week, said Globe lead meteorologist Ken Mahan. Advertisement 'You don't really make that business up,' said Chris Lohring, owner of Notch Brewing, a tap room and beer garden in Salem and Brighton that has seen its primarily outdoor business cut almost in half. 'People don't all of a sudden go out more, it's just lost.' But driving people inside can be a benefit to other businesses. Advertisement The recent rainy days have driven up traffic at Puttshack, an indoor miniature golf venue with locations in Boston's Seaport and Natick. Bookings during recent weekends have increased by almost 20 percent, with customers lining up outside the doors before they even open for the day, said regional director of operations Kerry Henderson. 'If it starts to rain mid-afternoon, we can get rushes of guests coming in from other outdoors spots in Seaport. For our Natick venue, it's a similar story,' said Henderson. People line up to play mini golf at Puttshack on a recent Wednesday afternoon. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff This atypical rainy streak is unlikely to continue much longer, said Mahan. As the summer progresses, the temperature differences that cause storms balance out, bringing more sunny days. Signature indoor attractions such as the Museum of Fine Arts have also seen a jump in visitors on Boston's dreary weekends. When the weekend days are split between one rainy and one sunny day, like this past weekend, the museum sees a pattern of noticeably more visitors on the rainier day, a spokesperson said. Although customers have still been making their annual visits to Tony's Clam Shop on Quincy's Wollaston Beach, the weekend crowds to start off the season have been smaller with fewer families bringing young kids for seafood on the restaurant's outdoor patio and beer garden, said owner Gary Kandalaft. The clam shop has also had to cancel live music at its beer garden multiple weekends, not opening the bar they have in the back and closing earlier as soggy crowds disperse. 'It's not like it should be,' said Kandalaft. 'We've had some bad springs, but this has to be near the top.' At Advertisement But Funtleyder said she's hopeful that business will see a boost when the weather clears up, with people looking to get back outdoors. 'I am hoping that it does more than bounce back to normal,' she said. 'I'm hoping that people are excited to get outside and they come out and have fun.' Maren Halpin can be reached at
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Topgolf founding twins bring AI to the pool table with launch of new venture Poolhouse
Steve and Dave Joliffe are an overlooked British success story. The twins launched Topgolf in Watford in the 1990s, growing it into a worldwide business before selling it to golf brand Callaway in 2020 for $2billion (£1.5billion). The twins, who eschew most media and are rarely pictured, were among the first to marry sport and hospitality in a 'competitive socialising' venue, now ubiquitous in towns and cities globally. In the US, off-course golf activity now outranks on-course activity in the US, of which Topgolf has an 85 per cent market share. They have gone on to replicate Topgolf's success with mini-golf operator Puttshack. Now, they're using the same formula to bring the centuries-old game of pool into the 2020s, with the launch of Poolhouse. Joliffes are a 'two for one deal' Andrew O'Brien, chief executive of their new venture Poolhouse, calls the Joliffe twins geniuses. The former investment banker turned investor met the twins at the launch of F1 Arcade - a simulation racing experience - where he sits on the board. While the Joliffes differ in their specialisms - one in engineering and the other in business and tech - O'Brien says they're a 'two for one deal in terms of processing power'. One of their guiding principles for their businesses has been targeting non-players. They've effectively taken a Nokia 3210 and created an iPhone. 'For Topgolf, for ladies to go in dresses and high heels on a Friday evening, having never swung a golf club and have a brilliant time… they delivered that,' says O'Brien. 'Similarly, they identified a bit of a tired sport, which in our view needed a refresh. 'What can we do to create an environment that is welcoming and draws people in to want to come and play again and again? That's what they did with Topgolf and Puttshack.' Pool's longevity as a game and the growing number of players in China make it ripe for innovation. 'This one, in my view, is probably [the Joliffes'] best concept yet,' says O'Brien. 'They've effectively taken a Nokia 3210 and created an iPhone.' What is Poolhouse? As with Topgolf and Puttshack, the twins are appealing to non-players and will use AI to work out a player's ability before creating an 'equalising mechanism'. 'One of the key challenges I think that snooker and pool and billiard games face is that if you've got people with different skill sets, it's almost impossible to try and utilise those skill sets so that it's fun for both players,' says O'Brien. At Poolhouse, players will still have their usual balls and cues, but projectors in the ceiling will beam down on the pool table, a canvas for plenty of advertising opportunities, too. The team has already built five games, which are in a trial period, with more to come. They've brought in former pool and snooker champions to test how they might work. So far, so good, according to O'Brien. 'Some of the ex-professionals would pop one shot and then mindlessly walk around the table to pop the next shot, where they're perfectly positioned. 'But the tech will block them, or take the ball out of play so they start having to look at more difficult shots and other options.' It doesn't seem much fun for the better player who'll face hazards while the worst player gets an easy run. O'Brien insists the tech is well-equipped to deal with this. 'We don't want a good player to say they were much better but still lost. That doesn't feel fair, and we haven't seen one instance of that [during the demos]. I suppose it's quite like golf handicaps.' To have the support of ex-professionals suggests there might not be as much backlash from 'traditionalists' as you might expect. O'Brien says the goal was never to target professionals, but was 'delighted to learn [they] were willing to adopt something that's a little bit different.' '[The Joliffes have] preserved the legacy of the sport, it's definitely paying homage to what the sport is. They haven't gutted the sport and created something that traditionalists would be embarrassed to be associated with.' 'London is Silicon Valley for competitive socialising' The launch of Poolhouse forms part of hospitality's wider move to what it calls 'competitive socialising'. Unlike traditional hospitality, where food and drinks are central, the activity is the appeal in venues like Puttshack, F1 arcade and Flight Club. It means their appeal extends beyond after-work drinks, instead tapping into families, friends as well as corporates. The number of competitive socialising venues has soared to nearly 600, according to research by Savills. O'Brien, who is evangelical about the sector, says the UK is leading the way in the sector: 'London is Silicon Valley for competitive socialising.' However, hospitality businesses still struggle with rising costs and there have been plenty of high-profile casualties as consumers stick to eating in. The added activity is one way to increase revenue, but is now the best time to launch another venue? 'The sector has demonstrated a robustness in the face of these headwinds… It really boils down to delivery of service,' says O'Brien. 'There's evidence of a flight to premium. We don't call ourselves luxury poolhouse, it isn't a luxury venue. We'd like to describe ourselves as an affordable luxury venue. It feels special to go but it's a place that you can keep going and keep visiting again.' Poolhouse is likely to price itself in line with its competitors, between £12.50 and £15 per hour. Back-of-house gets makeover too Poolhouse's 'seamless, blended but unique menu' (aka tapas) will be led by an unnamed chef from Gordon Ramsay's group and is tapping into technology where it can. 'We want to make sure there's people on hand to help… but there are a lot of efficiencies that can be driven in the back end to make sure that we're managing costs.,' says O'Brien. Poolhouse will use an automated booking system with a customer service line that 'effectively feels like you're speaking with a human, but its AI.' 'Some of the biggest restaurant chains in the UK, some of the most premium chains, are already using it but you just don't realise it because it's just so good. There's been a huge leap forward.' Back of house will also get an AI makeover. 'We'll be able to understand certain food inputs - cheese, cream, whatever it is - and if there's been a change in terms of the pricing in the market, we can look at dynamically adjusting the menu.' Poolhouse - with its Vintage Vegas meets dive bar decor - will open in Liverpool Street, London next January. After a £25million funding round led by dmg media, Poolhouse has grand ambitions to take on the US, Middle East and Australia, and deploy its tech across bars, pubs, casinos and hotels. 'Our mission is to upgrade every single pool table to a Poolhouse table, because it just makes the experience that much better.' O'Brien is convinced that like Topgolf, Puttshack will soon reach unicorn status - when a company is valued at $1billion - and Poolhouse will too. But it might take a while for people to give up their beloved pool tables at the back of their local, where you can typically play for a quid a game. Poolhouse says it's all about giving it a 'makeover', but it might take some time to convince traditionalists who argue it's best left alone.
Business Wire
13-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Puttshack Tees up Food and Fun for Chicago's North Shore With New Location Opening on June 18
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Puttshack, the world's first and only upscale, tech-infused mini golf experience, will be elevating gameplay to new heights by opening its 21st venue and second in Illinois, complete with globally inspired food & beverage, in Skokie, Ill. on June 18. The new 30,000 square foot social entertainment venue marks the final addition to the former Lord & Taylor space as part of Westfield Old Orchard's ongoing redevelopment, transforming the North Shore's premier shopping center into a multifaceted lifestyle destination. The newest Puttshack will feature four highly competitive, tech-driven nine-hole mini golf courses powered by the brand's leading proprietary Trackaball™ technology, which elevates the game play by keeping track of your score. The space has two full-service bars, a private event space, and an expansive outdoor patio with seating for up to 120 guests. The Skokie venue will also be the second location to feature one of Puttshack's innovations on indoor mini golf, Challenge Hole suites, a personal and private playing experience designed with groups in mind. The Challenge Hole is a dedicated mini golf suite, where guests can enjoy 90-minute sessions of competition with a variety of unique mini golf games in a semi-private interactive space while enjoying full-service dining. Skokie will have five of these suites available for booking. 'We're incredibly excited to continue our growth in the Chicagoland area with the opening of Puttshack Skokie,' said Susan Walmesley, COO/CMO of Puttshack. 'Chicago isn't just where our headquarters are based—it's a city we're deeply connected to. We love the energy, the people, and the innovation that defines this region. Expanding in our home market is always special, and we can't wait to bring our signature tech-infused experience to Skokie.' 'Puttshack is an exciting and welcome addition to the Westfield Old Orchard family,' said Maegen Akers, General Manager of Westfield Old Orchard. 'We're thrilled to introduce a dynamic, interactive attraction that elevates the overall guest experience. As the center continues to evolve into a vibrant hub for living, working and playing, Puttshack adds a whole new level of energy and engagement for the community and visitors to enjoy.' Combined with the one-of-a-kind gameplay is a thoughtfully curated culinary experience that is a result of meticulous hands-on research by Puttshack's experienced food and beverage team. The globally inspired menu also pays tribute to a beloved Chicago flavor with its Chicago Tailpipes, fried spring rolls filled with Italian beef and, giardiniera served with horseradish and au jus for dipping. Featured local beverages include beers from Sketchbook Brewing, Goose Island Beer Co., and Alarmist Brewing. Puttshack takes great pride in supporting the local communities it calls home and will be proudly supporting the Niles Township Food Pantry by donating $1 from every Tailpipe sold at the Skokie location. Puttshack will be opening to the public at 4 pm on Wednesday, June 18 th and will be open Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 12 a.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sign up for Puttshack Perks to be the first to know when reservations are live, and to receive a free game of mini golf at Guests can begin to book game and dining reservations starting June 4 for opening day on June 18. Inquiries for private events such as corporate outings and parties are currently being accepted for dates after June 23, 2025 at About Puttshack Puttshack is a leading concept in the emerging and growing market of competitive socializing. Combining a tech-infused mini golf game with an exceptional food and beverage offering, Puttshack has multi-generation appeal. Our proprietary Trackaball™ technology allows guests to play a point-scoring game surrounded by an upscale and exciting environment. Puttshack is the perfect place for dates, family bonding, birthdays, nights out with friends, or corporate outings. Since opening its first location in 2018, Puttshack now has several locations across London and the U.S. The company has its global headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, with a UK headquarters in London. For more information, please visit About Westfield Old Orchard Westfield Old Orchard is Chicagoland's premier shopping center and lifestyle destination. With an incredible and growing offering of more than 150 retailers, dining options and event spaces including Louis Vuitton, Bloomie's, Bar Siena and Pottery Barn, the center is transforming the in-person shopping experience for Chicago's North Shore and beyond. In tandem with its ever-evolving roster of partners and ongoing community engagement, Westfield Old Orchard is undergoing a transformative redevelopment with plans to create a vibrant, multifaceted destination soon to be home to modern residences, gourmet markets, green spaces and outdoor lounges. Learn more about Westfield Old Orchard, its retailers, upcoming events and initiatives at or visit the center at 4905 Old Orchard Center at the intersection of Skokie Blvd and Old Orchard Road in Skokie, Ill.
