Page 80 - BCM June 2024
P. 80

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.

               BEC 78  JUNE 2024




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