14,800-square-foot bar and ‘social game club’ called Slingshot is now open in South End

The 14,800-square-foot game bar is a hybrid between Pins Mechanical Co. and Hoppin’ “but on steroids,” says general manager Justin Hovey. Slingshot will have the games you see at Pins and other local game bars, but it also has self-pour taps like Hoppin’.

Slingshot takes its game inventory one step further, Hovey says. It has a few games — like PuttSkee, which is mash-up of Skee-Ball, golf, and croquet — that are proprietary, meaning you won’t see them anywhere else.

And Slingshot will also have a full food menu, which guests can order from a tablet. They’ll get a text when their food is ready.

Background: Owner Robert Lupica opened the first Slingshot in Richmond, Virginia, in November of last year. The company has expanded fast with this location and one on the way in Atlanta. Lupica also owns The Circuit Arcade Bar in Richmond, which focuses more on arcade games.

Safety measures: Slingshot is following the same restrictions as bowling alleys during phase three. It’ll be open at 30 percent capacity. Masks will be required for all guests except when seated or stationed at a game.

Location: Slingshot’s exact address is 332 W. Bland St., Suite A and B. It’s located next to Ruby Sunshine and Lost & Found.

Game inventory: 8 SuperSkee lanes, six duckpin bowling lanes, five Connect 4 Hoops, 4 PuttSkee lanes, NBA hoops, Time Crisis 4, tabletop bubble soccer, tabletop bubble hockey, four-person Pacman, Guitar Hero, and more.

Cost: Slingshot is a private club so it’ll charge $1 for first-time guests. Duckpin bowling costs $5 per person and SuperSkee, Connect 4 Hoops, and PuttSkee costs $4 to play. Arcade games will range from $0.50 to $1, and you’ll earn virtual tickets on a reusable Slingshot card that can be redeemed for prizes. Prizes include Uber credits, gift cards, and merch.

Food: Burgers, wings, pizza “flats,” fries, and other pub-style food. The restaurant doesn’t have servers; just order through a tablet. Prices range from $4 for movie-style popcorn to $11 for the Moo-Ha burger made with barbecue, onion rings, pepperjack cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion. (Full menu below.)

Self-serve drinks: Slingshot will have 48 taps with beer, wine, and cider. For comparison, Hoppin’ has about 60 taps, Pour Taproom in Plaza Midwood has 118, and Charlotte Beer Garden has an insane 436 taps. I think *only* having 48 choices sounds nice.

Cocktails: Hovey first joined the Slingshot team in Richmond as its bar manager, creating the bar’s first cocktail program. He’ll do the same here in Charlotte with modern takes on classic cocktails. For example, the rosemary Manhattan with homemade rosemary syrups (all syrups are made in-house), rye whiskey, and dry vermouth. “I like introducing people to new stuff,” Hovey says of his cocktail menu.

Slushies: There will also be alcoholic slushies. Hovey is planning to start with a frozen margarita, and then introduce other flavors later.

Private event space: Slingshot has two private event rooms with kitchenettes and mini-fridges for corporate gatherings, birthday parties, and other events (whenever those are allowed again). For now, Hovey plans to use the space as a board game zone so guests can spread out.

[Related Agenda guide: 15 bars with indoor entertainment for cold and rainy days]

Looking for more things to do? Check out our events board. Or check out our list of Charlotte’s best patios for al fresco dining (and drinking).