What Rise Brands does

Rise Brands is a privately held brand development firm headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, that creates and operates immersive consumer entertainment experiences through multiple venue concepts. Founded in 2013 by Troy Allen, the company has built a portfolio of three core brands: Pins Mechanical Co., an entertainment venue centered on duckpin bowling with arcade games, bocce courts, and food and beverage; 16-Bit Bar+Arcade, a retro arcade bar featuring classic video games, pinball, and craft cocktails; and No Soliciting, a members-only speakeasy-style social club with a signature entryway phone concept. A fourth concept, Weenie Wonder (specialty hot dog fast-casual), was launched in 2022 and closed in February 2024. As of 2025-2026 the company operates 16-17 directly-owned venues across six states (Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas), with real estate criteria targeting 27,000-35,000 sf footprints in mid-sized markets with strong residential and corporate presence. The business generates revenue through on-premise food and beverage sales, gaming fees, event bookings, and membership dues for the No Soliciting concept.

In January 2026 founder Troy Allen transitioned the CEO role to Hana (Khouri) Hesselgesser, formerly CEO and President of Drive Shack and a senior executive at Topgolf, signaling a strategic push toward multi-state scaling. The company recently opened its first Texas location (Pins Mechanical Co. in Austin), expanded within Ohio (Mason, Dayton, Westerville), and entered a food vendor partnership with Mikey's Late Night Slice to backfill former Weenie Wonder footprints. Rise Brands remains privately held with no disclosed institutional capital, venture, or private equity investment.

Name

Rise Brands

Legal name

Rise Brands

Website

https://risebrands.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rise Brands is a Columbus, Ohio-based brand development firm that creates and operates immersive entertainment venues, including Pins Mechanical Co. (duckpin bowling), 16-Bit Bar+Arcade (retro arcade bar), and No Soliciting (members-only speakeasy), serving general consumers across 16-17 locations in six Midwest and South states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entertainment Venues & Hospitality

NAICS

Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Family/Party Board Games Retail (CRALALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Party Games & Family Entertainment Games Retail (CRALAFAJ), Beverage Services (Bar Catering, Mixology, Beverage Programs) (THAHAKAJ)

Keywords

• Entertainment venues
• Duckpin bowling
• Arcade bars
• Social clubs
• Immersive entertainment

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Entertainment Venue Operations: Revenue from operating entertainment venues including duckpin bowling, arcade games, bar services, and members-only social clubs across multiple branded locations

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Rise Brands is a brand development firm that creates and operates immersive consumer entertainment venues across the United States. The company operates a portfolio of experiential concepts including Pins Mechanical Co. (duckpin bowling, arcade games, craft beverages), 16-Bit Bar+Arcade (retro arcade bar), and No Soliciting (members-only social club/speakeasy). They run 16-17 locations across six states, offering food, beverage, gaming, and social gathering experiences.

Product overview

Rise Brands is a brand development firm that creates and operates immersive consumer entertainment experiences through multiple distinct venue concepts. The portfolio includes Pins Mechanical Co. (duckpin bowling and arcade entertainment), 16-Bit Bar+Arcade (retro arcade bar), and No Soliciting (members-only social club). A fourth concept, Weenie Wonder (fast casual dining), has been closed. The company operates 16-17 locations across six states in the Midwest and South, with its largest brand Pins Mechanical Co. approaching its 10-year anniversary.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 16-Bit Bar+Arcade: Retro arcade bar featuring classic arcade games, pinball, and craft cocktails
• Pins Mechanical Co.
• No Soliciting
• Weenie Wonder

Products and services

• Pins Mechanical Co.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Mikey's Late Night SliceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMikey's Late Night Slice, a New York-style pizza-by-the-slice franchise, partnered with Pins Mechanical Co. to take over the former Weenie Wonder spaces at 6562 Riverside Drive Dublin, OH and 4117 Worth Avenue Easton, OH. The partnership launched in summer 2024.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Topgolf: National golf-based entertainment venue chain with food, drinks, and tech-enabled gameplay. Closest analogue to Rise Brands' Pins Mechanical Co. in terms of multi-activity experiential entertainment venues; Hana Hesselgesser previously held senior leadership at Topgolf.
• Bowlero / Lucky Strike Entertainment: Largest operator of bowling and entertainment venues in North America, combining bowling, arcades, food, and beverage. Most direct competitor to Pins Mechanical Co.'s duckpin bowling + arcade + bar concept, but at significantly greater scale.
• Dave & Buster's: National chain operating large-format entertainment complexes with arcade games, sports viewing, food, and bar service. Comparable to 16-Bit Bar+Arcade's combined arcade and bar offering, though Dave & Buster's emphasizes broader demographic and family programming.
• Main Event Entertainment: Family entertainment center chain offering bowling, laser tag, arcade games, billiards, and food/beverage. Comparable to Rise Brands in combining multiple in-venue activities under one roof, but with a stronger family/youth orientation.
• Round One Entertainment: Japan-based operator of large-format entertainment centers with bowling, arcade games, karaoke, and food courts. Comparable to Pins Mechanical Co. and 16-Bit Bar+Arcade in combining bowling and arcade experiences, though Round One emphasizes broader family appeal.

Direct peers

• Drive Shack (Puttery): Operator of Puttery, an indoor putter-themed entertainment venue with food and cocktails. Direct comparable to Rise Brands' venue model combining games, bar, and dining; Hana Hesselgesser was CEO/President of Drive Shack prior to Rise Brands.
• Punch Bowl Social: Multi-concept dining and entertainment venues featuring bowling, arcade games, karaoke, and craft cocktails. Direct peer to Pins Mechanical Co. and 16-Bit in the bar + games experiential category.
• Kings Dining & Entertainment: Upscale bowling, billiards, and dining entertainment concept with multiple U.S. locations. Directly comparable to Pins Mechanical Co.'s combination of bowling, games, food, and full bar service.
• Swingers (Swingers Crazy Golf): Crazy golf and cocktail bar concept combining competitive social gaming with food and beverage. Comparable to Rise Brands' Pins Mechanical Co. and 16-Bit in fusing playful games with adult bar atmosphere.
• Flight Club (Social Entertainment): Social darts bar concept combining technology-enabled darts with elevated food and cocktail offerings. Comparable to Rise Brands' bar-and-games experiential model and target demographic of young professionals seeking novel social outings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rise Brands