New upscale 'eatertainment' billiards, bowling, axe throwing, arcade spot coming to Estero

Charles Runnells, Fort Myers News-Press
Updated ·3 min read
South Carolina's 810 Billiards & Bowling plans to bring its first Florida location to Estero next year.
South Carolina's 810 Billiards & Bowling plans to bring its first Florida location to Estero next year.

“Eatertainment” chain 810 Billiards & Bowling plans to open its first Florida location in Estero next year. And that won’t be its last venture in the Sunshine State, says CEO Michael Siniscalchi.

The South Carolina company is in talks to also open locations in Fort Myers, West Palm Beach, Orlando, Destin and Tampa, Siniscalchi says.

The 810 chain has been growing fast since starting in 2015. Now it operates seven locations in South Carolina, Arizona, Texas and Arkansas.

Next up: Estero.

“We’re looking all over the country at potential markets that are underserved for entertainment and growing areas,” Siniscalchi says. “And Estero came up as one of them. …

“It’s a beautiful place with a lot of seasonal traffic, but also a growing full-time population. They seem to be underserved in the upscale entertainment space, so we thought this would be a great home for us.”

What to expect at 810 Billiards & Bowling in Miromar Outlets

South Carolina chain 810 Billiards & Bowling plans to bring its first Florida location to Estero next year. Here's a look at the game lounge area in the chain's Conway, South Carolina location.
South Carolina chain 810 Billiards & Bowling plans to bring its first Florida location to Estero next year. Here's a look at the game lounge area in the chain's Conway, South Carolina location.

Construction starts in early fall at Miromar Outlets, Siniscalchi says. The “bowling, dining and entertainment concept with an upscale twist” will open in the 28,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by Neiman Marcus.

If all goes well, the Estero location will open in March 2024, Siniscalchi says.

And it's the second time in the last few weeks that a national entertainment chain announced it was opening its first Sunshine State location in Southwest Florida. The Austin, Texas-based Alamo Drafthouse Cinema confirmed in July that it was moving into the former space Silverspot cinema occupied since 2009 at Mercato in North Naples.

So what will people be able to do at Florida’s first 810 Billiards & Bowling? Well, billiards and bowling, of course, with 16 lanes of bowling and eight billiards tables, Siniscalchi says.

But that’s not all: The Estero location will also offer three dart lanes, two VR golf simulators, four lanes of axe-throwing and a 50-piece arcade.

South Carolina chain 810 Billiards & Bowling plans to bring its first Florida location to Estero next year. Here's a look at the chain's Conway, South Carolina location.
South Carolina chain 810 Billiards & Bowling plans to bring its first Florida location to Estero next year. Here's a look at the chain's Conway, South Carolina location.

Then there’s the food, which Siniscalchi describes as “upscale, American bar food” ― much of it made from scratch. That includes burgers, pizza, wings and “over-the-top, fun, extravagant milkshakes” from Mean Mugs Milkshake Bar (a new concept that recently debuted at 810’s Myrtle Beach, South Carolina spot).

“We’re definitely not your traditional bowling alley, in terms of our menu and bar program,” Siniscalchi says.

Another thing that sets 810 apart from its competition is its dedication to service and hospitality, he says. “We take a full-service approach to our guest experience. … The trend in the industry has shown that the millennial customers, they want full service and they want high-quality food and beverage.”

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Other upcoming 810 locations in Florida

South Carolina's 810 Billiards & Bowling plans to bring its first Florida location to Estero next year. Here's a look at the main bar in the chain's Conway, South Carolina location.
South Carolina's 810 Billiards & Bowling plans to bring its first Florida location to Estero next year. Here's a look at the main bar in the chain's Conway, South Carolina location.

It’s too early to give out more details about 810’s other planned locations in Florida, Siniscalchi says. But he says he expects most of those ― including Fort Myers ― to open within 18-24 months.

Other locations coming for the fast-growing chain include Florence, South Carolina; Sacramento, California; Vineland, New Jersey; and Houston.

The name 810 Billiards & Bowling is a reference to the company's roots in both games, according to a publicist: The game eight ball for billiards and 10 pins for bowling.

Learn more about 810 Billiards & Bowling at 810bowling.com.

Connect with this reporter: Charles Runnells is an arts and entertainment reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. For news tips or other entertainment-related matters, call him at 239-335-0368 (for tickets to shows, call the venue) or email him at crunnells@gannett.com. You can also connect with him on Facebook (facebook.com/charles.runnells.7), X (formerly Twitter) (@charlesrunnells), Threads (@crunnells1) and Instagram (@crunnells1).

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Coming to Estero: 810 Billiards & Bowling to open first Florida spot