A Fuquay resident, business owner, and father of four, Bryden McCormick noticed a need for event space and local family fun — then drew up the plans to fill it.
Inspiration: When I was a kid growing up, my dad, who was a dentist, bought and sold his office five times. I lived in 13 houses between the time I was born and 18 years old. He was always buying and flipping houses. That’s where the real estate bug came from.
Massive retractable doors create an indoor/outdoor patio and bar.
Filling the need: As my dental practice grew, whenever we wanted to do any team building, we had to go to Cary or Raleigh. And having young kids, every single time we had a birthday party, we’d go to Holly Springs or Cary. I thought: This area needs a bowling alley; it would kill here. When I was a kid, I went bowling all the time.
Plans in place: We completed a feasibility study, which said, “This project’s great; the market’s great,” then got all the way through the planning, and the building was too expensive. Then interest rates started creeping back up. There were months that went by when I was like, “I don’t think this is gonna happen.” But I was operating with this premise that it’s too good of a project to not happen.
Fun for everyone: The building is 38,000 square feet with a 4,000-square-foot patio. We have 20 bowling lanes — 14 regular lanes and 6 VIP. The VIP room we’re trying to gear toward corporate and special events.
There’s laser tag with a Call of Duty theme. Two artists came in and spray painted everything. The Jeep coming out of the wall and the fighter jet in the back — it looks so cool. Watching the teams, the kids in here, I had no idea it was going to be as great as this.
We have more than 60 arcade games and the Valo Arena, a mixed-reality playground with tons of digital games to play.
Big-screen TVs throughout the dining and patio areas ensure you’ll never miss a big game.
Locally owned: I’m here every day. I’m out there watering the plants. I think it’s important for the owner to have a presence. When they were pouring the concrete slabs, I was here at 4:30 in the morning watching. (My family) loves Fuquay. We’re here; we’re going to be at these facilities enjoying them just like everyone else.
Community support: The response from the community has been fantastic. It warms my heart because I put a lot of time and energy into this. At my dental office, when I’m doing hygiene checks, I can get tunnel vision. I don’t think about the bowling alley when I’m there. But patients will say, “Can I just tell you, I am so glad you did that bowling alley. I think it’s just the coolest thing that you did that.” You do something on paper, but to actually see it come alive up out of the ground, and then you see that many people here all enjoying it — it’s very gratifying.
We all need a place to feel community, and this provides a space for it. My neighborhood fantasy draft was here last Wednesday, sitting outside on the couches. If you don’t provide this type of space for it, that won’t happen. And I think that’s where the appreciation for this type of facility comes from. It’s in your backyard. You don’t have to travel 20 or 30 minutes — it feels like home.
mcwallys.com
fuquayfamilydentistry.com
