Michael Siniscalchi loved going to upscale bowling palaces when he worked in Chicago and New York. But it was a rundown bowling alley in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, that changed his occupation from an equity options market maker to a bowling alley entrepreneur.
He made an offer for that bowling alley in the spring of 2014, but the owner declined. Five months later the owner had a change of heart and sold it to Siniscalchi.
He took six months rebuilding it, and in May 2015 his first upscale bowling palace opened. His company, 810 Billiards & Bowling, now has seven open, five corporate-owned and two franchise-owned, and another nine either under construction or has signed a lease.
An 810 in Estero is one of those nine. He signed a deal last week to open an 810 in the former Nieman Marcus store at the Miromar Outlets at Corkscrew Road and Ben Hill Parkway just off Interstate 75. It will be the first of five planned for Florida.
It will be franchise owned.
“We just felt like there’s a large and growing full-time population, Siniscalchi said of Estero. “And that the market looked to be underserved for entertainment and that might be a great fit for us.”
810 won’t be the only entertainment complex entering the Estero market. The Village of Estero created an entertainment district on Williams Road and is negotiating with a restaurant/pickleball facility and a bowling alley/restaurant similar to 810.
Also in the works
Chicken N Pickle, High 5 making Estero plans
The village has had some preliminary meetings with 810, said Mary Gibbs, community development director. “We believe that Estero can easily sustain both venues.
“There is a shortage of entertainment in the area, and the Village’s plans will also include pickleball, which is different from 810 Billiards. We are excited to see both concepts come to fruition.”
810 mostly looks to underserved mid-sized markets like Conway and Greenville, South Carolina, but it does have entertainment centers in Phoenix and Houston.
The goal is to have 30 centers open in 36 months, he said.
Each one costs about $3 million to $5 million. 810 will need about 40 employees at the Estero center. The goal is to open it next March.
810’s concept has many entertainment drivers, Sinischalchi said. The Estero center will have 16 bowling lanes, eight billiard tables, four lanes for axe throwing, dart-tossing lanes and 50 arcade games. The bar and dining area will be able to hold 100. Patrons will be able to try one of 810’s newest ideas, Mean Mugs Milkshake Bar.
The revenue breaks down to 40 percent entertainment, 30 percent each food and the bar, he said.
810 won’t serve your dad’s bowling alley snack bar food.
“The younger customer isn’t having that anymore,” said Sinischalchi, who is 38. “They expect a full-service, high-quality food and beverage experience if they’re going out for entertainment.”
One of the newest experiences is that Mean Mug Milkshake Bar. The Estero site will be one of the first to offer some of the craziest-looking milkshakes made including "Mugshots" of alcohol for a more adults-only beverage.
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