Page 80 - BCM June 2024

THE BEC INTERVIEW

Models Di er But the

Business Is the Same

Robby Spigner’s Triple Shift Entertainment operates various types

of centers, although the fundamentals for success remain constant.

WITH BOB JOHNSON

TRIPLE SHIFT ENTERTAINMENT has been on a
Y
growth trajectory, and now operates 21 venues You recently acquired your ou recently acquired your
largest center yet — the
in six states. It’s a mix of traditional centers, largest center yet — the
kind of center they’re not
family entertainment kind of center they’re not
building anymore — a
centers and a business building anymore — a
60-laner in northwest
model that falls some- 60-laner in northwest
Indiana. That would
where in between, with Indiana. That would
seem to present some
smaller arcades than seem to present some
options for you.
one finds in a typical options for you.
FEC. Then there’s The We have no plans
to meaningfully
Mermaid, which is its to meaningfully
own animal — an enter- change the business.
tainment and event cen- We can do great
ter with two ballrooms, things with the busi-
three party rooms and Robby Spigner, who ap- ness and support
an attached hotel to peared on the cover of the bowling at the
peared on the cover of the
complement 32 lanes September 2019 issue of same time. There
of bowling, a modern BCM, maneuvered his Triple are no plans to
BCM, maneuvered his Triple
arcade, axe throwing Shift Entertainment roster take out lanes. It will be
take out lanes. It will be
Shift Entertainment roster
and a full-service res- of bowling centers through about how we can add our capabilities to
taurant and bar. We the COVID-19 pandemic, and improve operations and service.
thought it was time to more recently the company
catch up with Triple Shift has been experiencing a Well, the name of your company is Triple Shift
CEO Robby Spigner for growth spurt. Entertainment. That does suggest that there will always
an update on what it’s be an emphasis on leagues. But are triple shifts even a
like to manage a company with multiple business mod- possibility today?
els. He spoke with BCM Editor Bob Johnson. Probably not in today’s society. The late-shift decline
is just a change in the way households operate — more
Bowling business models are kind of like wine designa- two-income households, longer working hours, both
tions. For instance, the word “Reserve” on a label sug- members of households involved in raising the children.
gests that it might be a superior wine, but there’s no We look at it a different way: How do we grow bowling,
actual legal meaning. In bowling, the definition of a tra- period? It’s about finding the right product for the guest
ditional center or family entertainment center or bowling and getting people who go bowling four to five times
entertainment center or hybrid can vary depending on a year to join a once-a-month league. If they join that
who you ask. with their five closest friends and rotate on a four-man
We don’t even think about it. We’re all just serving the team, some people will stop on that ladder if it’s where
guest and giving the guest what they need. We’re try- they’re most comfortable. Our job is to educate them on
ing to maximize the space for our guests. The revenue the other possibilities on that ladder and increase their
streams may vary, but the focus is always on the guest. frequency if we can.

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