A hybrid entertainment venue combining immersive mini golf and escape room-style challenges is set to make its U.S. debut this year in Southern California.
Australia-based Funlab will debut two of its entertainment brands — Holey Moley Golf Club and the first U.S. location of Hijinx Hotel — at Irvine Spectrum Center in Orange County on Dec. 12. It's the latest example of how the nation's mall landlords are turning to experience-based tenants to boost foot traffic and the time spent in malls.
The combined 35,000-square-foot space will feature 27 themed mini golf holes and 15 interactive challenge rooms. The venue will also include a full-service bar, a restaurant and private karaoke lounges within the mall owned by Irvine Co.
Holey Moley, with U.S. outposts in cities including Austin, Texas, Denver and Santa Monica, California, offers a neon-lit, nostalgia-driven mini golf experience designed for all skill levels.
Hijinx Hotel, while not a functioning hotel, is designed to resemble one, complete with bellhops and immersive game rooms with challenges for groups of two to six. The concept generates revenue through timed admissions, food and beverage sales at its speakeasy-style bar, and private event bookings.
“Our mission at Funlab is to create immersive, unforgettable adventures that can be shared," said a statement from Michael Schreiber, CEO of TPG Capital-backed Funlab. The company has six entertainment brands focused on competitive socializing with more than 50 locations across Australia, New Zealand and the U.S.
Playing the game
Experiential retail operations — from game-based concepts to ice cream museums — are increasingly filling large-format retail vacancies nationwide.
Netflix is rolling out immersive experiences across malls in Las Vegas, Philadelphia and Dallas this year, combining interactive games with branded environments to promote its streaming content.
In Chicago, UK-based Urban Playground and Canadian gaming brand Activate Games are launching locations on Michigan Avenue.
In Downey, California, Round 1 Bowling & Arcade signed the region’s largest retail lease of the second quarter, taking over a 160,000-square-foot former Sears store.
Irvine Spectrum Center has long embraced entertainment as a draw. The open-air center spans 1.2 million square feet and is home to more than 130 stores and restaurants including Dave & Buster’s, The Escape Game and a 108-foot-tall Ferris wheel.
With the addition of Holey Moley and Hijinx Hotel, it’s doubling down on the kind of immersive, social experiences that are reshaping the future of retail.
But operators of immersive retail concepts face staffing challenges and pressure to refresh experiences to keep customers coming back.
While demand for interactive entertainment is strong, the model depends heavily on high foot traffic, repeat visits and secondary revenue streams like food, drinks and private events to stay profitable.