Business: CineBowl Opens in Cary

Cary, NC — On Thursday, July 9, 2015, a large entertainment center called CineBowl opened in Parkside Town Commons at NC-55 and O’Kelly Chapel Road in Cary.

CineBowl Opens in Cary

Cary’s new CineBowl is the first to open in North Carolina.

This 60,000 square feet entertainment center, which features a full restaurant and bar, a “swanky” bowling alley, an arcade, a dozen movie screens and more will surely serve as an anchor business for Cary’s fast-developing Parkside Town Commons.

CineBowl will employ over 200 people. At the grand opening, it was described as “an incredible commerce machine” that will “generate tremendous revenue for the entire area.”

But what exactly is CineBowl? Here’s your inside look.

Not Your Average Movie Theater

CineBowl “one-ups” your average modern-day movie theater. Yes, guests can still get popcorn and soda before their movie, but the many theaters in CineBowl feature over-sized, electric leather recliners and expansive aisles for ultimate comfort.

Don’t let this familiar-looking concession stand fool you–at CineBowl, you can enjoy a whole menu of restaurant-style food and drinks during your movie.

Dine & Recline with Reserved Seating

Grille and bar orders are taken before each movie screening, allowing moviegoers to enjoy gourmet appetizers, entrees and desserts like berry cheesecake bites, flatbreads or portabella fries during their movie experience. Finding comfortable seating isn’t a problem, because guests can purchase tickets and reserve their choice of seat online weeks before their movie.

Of the 12 theaters within CineBowl, one features an FDX-Xtreme Screen (which is over 85 feet long and five stories tall). The other 11 theaters feature wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling “floating screens” equipped with Sony Digital Cinema 4k projection and Dolby Atmos 12.1 sound.

Five of these are 3D, and the theaters all offer “Dine and Recline” and Reserved Seating.

Elegant Dining Area

If you’re not feeling a movie, or if you just want to relax before or after your show, you can hang out in “The Grille.” Lush seating is combined with a full-service, casual dining experience with dishes like Philly cheesesteak egg rolls, boom boom shrimp and bacon wrapped Oreos.

The adjacent bar features signature cocktails, martinis and draft beer. For sports lovers, there’s a special “sports stadium” in this section, where groups can watch games or events of their choice. There’s also a live stage that features local and national entertainment each week.

Parties can mingle and enjoy a restaurant experience at CineBowl.

Hang out at the bar or grab a seat in the middle of The Grille.

Bowling Alley & Arcade

The view of this expansive bowling alley took me by surprise as I made my way through the crowd and explored CineBowl last week. This 16-lane alley is somewhat hidden behind the Grille, but, when you enter the space, you feel like you’re in a different world.

Classy, cool lighting combined with disco effects, stylish couches and full food and drink service combine the fun of bowling with an elegant, lounge-type environment.

The CineBowl bowling alley.

And, as if CineBowl wasn’t enough of a playground, an upstairs arcade overlooks the bowling lanes. Air hockey, basketball, prizes and more are all offered in the center’s 40-game arcade.

Entertainment for Everyone

Perhaps the most fascinating quality about CineBowl is its appeal to all ages. There, young families can enjoy snacks, arcade games and animated movies alongside adults enjoying a classy date night out or sports fans drinking beer and catching the big game.

Don’t Get Confused!

Stop by CineBowl and experience the fun for yourself–but don’t get this venue mixed up with CineBistro, another dining and movie-viewing experience that is opening in Cary’s Waverly Place later this summer. You can explore related stories below and monitor CaryCitizen’s Business Bits column for more information on new stores opening in Parkside Town Commons.