Pins Mechanical Co. is expanding its footprint in Charlotte with plans to open a second location in the city. This new venue will be situated in Optimist Park and is set to open in late 2025, according to the Charlotte Business Journal (CBJ).
The parent company, Rise Brands, has acquired more than 20,000 square feet of space for the new Pins Mechanical location. The venue will occupy the ground floor of the historic Chadbourn Mill as well as the boiler room building.
Pins Mechanical is known for creating social hubs that blend old-school entertainment with modern cocktails. The new location will feature duckpin bowling, pinball machines, bocce ball, ping pong, and classic arcade games such as Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, and Space Invaders. Additionally, plans include an outdoor gathering space that will host various activities and year-round programming.
Rise Brands, based in Columbus, Ohio, owns and operates several entertainment concepts, including Pins Mechanical, No Soliciting, and 16-Bit Bar + Arcade. Currently, the company operates nine locations, with six additional sites in development.
The new Optimist Park location will follow the successful launch of a Pins Mechanical venue in South End, which opened in 2019 and spans 23,000 square feet.
Chadbourn Mill, the site of the upcoming Pins Mechanical, was purchased by Chicago-based Northpond Partners from White Point Partners for $12.5 million in 2023, according to the CBJ. The mill, built in 1929, originally operated as a hosiery and textile mill from the 1930s to the 1970s and is located at 2520 N. Brevard St. White Point upfitted the mill to include nearly 39,700 square feet of commercial space across two buildings, and the property is now fully leased.
