Russians have a growing interest in bowling and billiards
[ad_1]
The limited development of cinemas and the lack of entertainment coupled with the growth of domestic tourist traffic caused a new wave of interest in bowling clubs and billiards. Their number in the largest cities has increased for the first time in several years, and demand is growing by 20–23%. But the development of bowling clubs is complicated by specific requirements for premises.
Since the beginning of 2023, the number of billiard halls in cities with a population of over a million has increased by 7%, to 444 points, and bowling clubs – by 3%, to 105 facilities, 2GIS calculated. They indicate a reversal of the trend: since 2019, the number of such establishments in the largest cities has been declining. Projects could receive new impetus due to increased demand. According to 2GIS, the number of search queries for bowling clubs on the service’s maps in January-August increased by 23.2% year-on-year, to 2.8 million units, interest in billiard halls increased by 20%, to 1.3 million queries .
Senior Director of the CMWP Retail Real Estate Department Andrey Shuvalov notes that bowling clubs were anchor entertainment operators until 2010–2013, when they began to be abandoned. Fashion for formats is cyclical, notes Marina Malakhatko, head of the retail department at CORE.XP. She speaks with caution about player development, but sees activity. “We are in the process of signing three sites with Kosmik, we are working with the Brooklyn Bowl chain, they want to enter Moscow,” says Ms. Malakhatko.
Kosmika and Brooklyn Bowl did not immediately respond to Kommersant. The founder of the Rovesnik club, Sasha Martynov, who plans to open his own bowling alley, whose words are cited by 2GIS in the study, notes a shortage of supply of bowling clubs due to the obsolescence of many operating establishments. And billiards, according to him, is not associated among young people with “an activity from the 90s,” which ensures demand.
Shopping centers have become more interested in opening bowling clubs and billiard rooms given the departure of international brands and the declining role of cinemas, says Mikhail Vasiliev, head of research and consulting at Focus Technologies. As the expert notes, the share of the entertainment component in the structure of tenants is growing steadily.
Vice-President of the Federation of Restaurateurs and Hoteliers Alexey Nebolsin associates the new wave of popularity of bowling clubs and billiards with domestic tourism. In regional centers, such points become a popular vacation spot after sightseeing, he points out. According to 2GIS, in the regions the number of such projects is growing more actively. In Perm, the number of billiard halls since the beginning of the year has increased by 31.3%, to 21 facilities, in St. Petersburg – by 16%, to 58 points, in Moscow – by 12.5%, to 126 halls.
As Mr. Martynov explains, opening a billiards hall is easier than a bowling alley due to more affordable equipment. Andrey Shuvalov points out that a bowling club requires premises with a ceiling height of over 4 m. For a club with 16 lanes of approved length, a sports bar and billiards, 2–2.5 thousand square meters will be required. m, he adds. Such areas, according to the expert, are rarely represented in street retail and are mainly offered in shopping centers.
But not all properties have a bowling alley as a desirable tenant. As Marina Malakhatko explains, shopping centers sign contracts with entertainment operators with the expectation of increasing traffic, which allows them to rent out the premises for ten years at a relatively low rate. And Mikhail Vasiliev notes that bowling or billiards generates less traffic than a cinema with Hollywood premieres. “The difference is up to ten times in favor of the cinema,” agrees managing partner of Vanchugov and Partners Alexey Vanchugov. Cinema halls, according to him, also have a higher cross-shopping rate – 30% versus 20% for bowling alleys, although fitness centers have an even lower figure – 7%.
[ad_2]
Source link
