Massive new sports lounge Blinders to open in South End with giant TV screen

• "If you take away the Top Golfs of the world, it's our belief that we have the largest continuous screen from Boston to Miami," Kush Anandani, director of OmShera Holdings, tells Axios.

Driving the news: Blinders will open Thursday, March 20, at 225 W. Tremont Ave., just in time for March Madness.

• During opening week, it will be open from 11am until midnight on March 20 and 11am until 2am on Friday, March 21.
• Regular hours will be Monday-Thursday from 4pm-midnight, Fridays from 4pm-2am, Saturdays from noon-2am and Sundays from noon-midnight.

The vibe: Blinders has the energy of a sports bar mixed with the aesthetic of a cocktail lounge, topped off with the viewing experience of a sportsbook like you would find in Las Vegas.

• The crowned jewel of Blinders — its large screen — features nearly 850 square feet of 4K display and a state-of-the-art audio system that cost $1.5M to build.
• The screen can show up to 24 games at once or one large display. It'll primarily be used for sports viewing but can also be used for watch parties, movie screenings and Esports.
• "One of the things I'm most excited about is watching UFC matches here," Anandani says. Eventually, he wants to host video game tournaments, too.

What to expect: Not including standing room, the 5,500-square-foot spot seats about 150 people, plus another 40-45 more on its 1,500-square-foot patio. In all, you can fit about 250 people inside, Anandani says.

• Seating is first-come, first-served except the box seats, which must be booked in advance by filling out an online form or emailing [email protected].
• The four box seats can be reserved for groups of 5-30 people. There is no fee, but there is a food and beverage minimum that will vary depending on the event and how long you'll be there.

Dig in: The menu features shareable dishes like wings, flatbreads, barbacoa nachos, tater tot poutine, pizza rolls, fennel cake fries and banh mi pork belly sliders.

• While its bar focuses on bourbon and tequila, it serves everything, including seven signature cocktails and three NA cocktails.

What's next: Blinders doesn't have a sportsbook but with the recent legalization of sports betting in North Carolina, Anandani says anything is possible.

• He'd like to partner with FanDuel or DraftKings and be able to show the odds on screen.

Between the lines: OmShera Holdings is a Charlotte-based commercial real estate firm with plans to open a hotel in South End.

Zoom in: The project is a nearly total overhaul of the 1950s building, which was originally a manufacturing facility.

• Other project partners include Myers & Chapman, Cluck Design Collaborative, First Bank and Avella Design Collective.

Go deeper: Top 15 sports bars in Charlotte

Editor's note: This story originally published in Jan. 14, 2025 and was updated March 14, 2025 to reflect the business' opening details.