After much hoopla about the national bowling brand Pinstripes coming to The Plaza Coral Gables, it looks like things have changed.
Pinstripes is apparently no longer in the works for the massive project on Ponce de Leon Boulevard in the Gables. Instead, a new bowling concept called Strike Club is coming.
The change has been in the works for several months, and now we know what was likely behind the switcheroo.
Pinstripes just announced this afternoon – Tuesday, September 9 – that it is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It also announced it will be closing some locations.
The Burn Miami already previewed that something was afoot back in May. That’s when we were the first local media outlet to report that Five Iron Golf was bringing an indoor entertainment center to The Plaza.
Five Iron Golf specializes in indoor golf simulators – along with food and beverages. And they also said bowling would be part of the plans. But of course, it didn’t make any sense that they would be bringing bowling if Pinstripes was also still in the works.
More recently, new signage went up at The Plaza promoting the Strike Club would be joining Five Iron Golf. Indeed, both concepts are part of the same company.
Strike Club will offer either traditional bowling or duckpin bowling – it just depends on the location. We haven’t seen any official word yet what style of bowling they will have at in the Gables.
So there you have it. Pinstripes appears to be permanently out at The Plaza – and Five Iron Golf and Strike Club bowling are in. Like they say, it all comes out in the wash.
(Image at top: Strike Club)