VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Apex Entertainment is officially open in Town Center.
It took over the space at the corner of Columbus Street and Independence Boulevard, where Dick's Sporting Goods used to be.
On Friday, people waited in line for the company to open its door.
“What am I not excited for? We got bowling, go karts, sport simulators,” explained Steven Levine.
The family entertainment center in Town Center will be the fourth Apex location in the country, and the first venue in the Mid-Atlantic region. The company opened its original location in 2017.
The venue has a number of levels and offers activities for all age groups, including indoor go-karting, bowling, laser tag, escape rooms, ropes courses, arcade and redemption, sports simulators, axe throwing, mini golf, bumper cars, virtual reality and a state-of-the-art event meeting space.
“It’s 84,000 square feet of pure fun. You can’t pack any more attractions in this building,” explained Director of Operations, Joey Slawinski.
The Pit Stop Tavern offers American cuisine and handcrafted cocktails. There are also more than 65 gluten-free options on the menu and a variety of vegetarian choices, too.
“With our unique concept, we offer something for all ages and every member of the family. Our mission is to create a memorable experience for all guests and have a strong presence within the community," said Marcus Kemblowski, Chief Operating Officer of Apex Entertainment.
Slawinski believes the company will bring people from all over to Town Center. He said putting the business here was a no-brainer!
“It’s just something that made sense in our book and at the end of the day, we are bringing people here and they are going to spend money elsewhere and it’s a good partnership overall,” he explained.
Many people wanted to know what restrictions are in place for COVID-19. Slawinski said they are doing everything they can to stay safe.
“Our restrictions are 30% or 250, ultimately but since we have two floors it’s definitely a little greater. Our total capacity normally outside of COVID is about 2,100."
He doesn’t think that will hurt business. Slawinski said he’s confident that this business will be successful.
“No matter what, you are always going to have kids. You are always going to have events,” he said. “You are always going to get past whatever hard time in you are in and that’s what we are doing. We are here to stay and we are not going anywhere.”
A large turnout is expected this weekend. If you plan to visit Apex Entertainment, be sure to make reservations ahead of time.
