Dave & Buster’s, the restaurant, sports bar and gaming center complex, hosts the grand opening of its Gainesville store today.
The 18,500-square-foot space is the newest addition to the Celebration Pointe development. The complex includes a restaurant that features classic American fare like wings, burgers, steaks and pasta and a sports bar area with a 40-foot wall of screens.
The Dallas-based Dave & Buster’s venues feature new and classic arcade games where players can earn tickets they can exchange for prizes as well as multiplayer virtual reality games like Star Trek: Dark Remnant and Terminator: Guardian of Fate.
The store, which is the ninth Dave & Buster’s to open in Florida, is following CDC and local health guidelines regarding store cleaning, employee precautions and masking and social distancing for patrons.
The complex’s parent company has struggled financially because of COVID-19 closures and restrictions. The recovery in its third quarter earnings faced a fourth-quarter setback in 2020 as a result of the holiday COVID-19 surge and subsequent re-closing of some of its stores, the company said in January.
But store openings, like the one in Gainesville, and the reopening/recovery of some of its existing stores in January are expected to boost the bottom line.
“We’re excited to finally open and bring our entertainment center to Gainesville,” General Manager Kendrick Smith said in a press release. “We’re dedicated to providing a good, clean and fun experience for people of all ages.”
Dave & Buster’s is offering frontline healthcare workers, first responders and members of the armed forces at 20 percent discount on food and games with valid identification.
If you go:
- Times/Days: 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday
- Location: 4949 Celebration Pointe Ave. in Gainesville
- Happy Hour: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 p.m. to close Sunday-Thursday
- COVID-19 Precautions: Masks are required; gloves are available; social distancing followed in the restaurant, bar and gaming areas
- Age Restrictions: No one under 18 admitted without a guardian age 25 or older