Three summers ago, Columbus scored its first bar/arcade combo with the opening of 16-Bit at 254 South Fourth Street. This summer, a new concept from the same owner will bring a slightly different kind of venue just up the road at 141 North Fourth Street.
Pins Mechanical Company is the name of the latest venture from entertainment entrepreneur Troy Allen, which will feature duckpin bowling, pinball machines, foosball, shuffleboard, ping pong an other games inside a large warehouse environment. The idea is to bring “old school” entertainment back into vogue in a manner not completely dissimilar to the classic arcade games featured at 16-Bit.
“Pins appeals to those looking for an alternative to the monotonous,” explained Allen in a document outlining the concept. “From bar-going veterans to young open-minded, beer-centric types, to pinball novices and enthusiasts, the nostalgic and playful vibe is for players of all types.”
The 16,000 square foot location at the intersection of Fourth and Long Streets was most recently home to a National Tire and Battery, and was originally home to the Columbus Tire Company. A complete overhaul to the space will feature two large main rooms, each with their own bar, and a 2,000 square foot patio that will front Fourth Street. The building will be outfitted with nine glass garage doors that will open up the space in all directions.
“As we kept building 16-bit locations in Cleveland and Cincinnati, they kept getting,” said Allen. “With Pins, we wanted to do a much bigger warehouse style space while having pockets of activity that still feel intimate.”
Allen added that the increased size of the venue will also allow them to host more corporate events.
“When we have Nationwide or Abercrombie wanting to host 300-person events, we can’t host them at 16-Bit without closing to the public,” he explained. “We designed Pin with with a front bar and back bar so we can host events and still be open. We also have another 6,000 square feet of space on the second floor that will be built out in the future as a phase two.”
After 16-Bit opened in 2013, several additional bar/arcade businesses followed suit. Allen said that the same is less likely to happen with a duckpin bowling concept.
“We knew 16-Bit would be replicated, and the more options we have, the better,” said Allen. “But I’d be surprised if Pins gets replicated because it’s a much bigger undertaking due to the size of building required and the expense factor for the buildout of lanes and pinball machines. Our bigger competition would be something like a Punch Bowl Social coming into the market.”
In addition to the bar, Pins will feature food by Por’ketta, which will operate from a kitchen made from a converted shipping container that will sit outdoors on the patio. The kitchen will be the new full-time home of this formerly mobile food business, and open for both lunch and dinner.
Pins Mechanical Company is slated for a Summer 2016 opening, with plans for expansion to Cincinnati in the future. Once open, it will operate seven days a week, 363 days a year — closed on Christmas Eve and New Years Day.
More information will be coming soon at www.pinsbar.com.
