Authored By chloe.morrison

With today’s opening of Southside Social, Chattanooga residents and tourists now have another downtown-area entertainment option.

“We do hear from folks who say they’d like more options for activities,” Amy Donahue, marketing and communications manager for River City Co., said. “The Southside is really capturing a wide variety of folks. [Southside Social] is a great complement to what’s already going on with Chattanooga Brewing Co. and the Jump Park.”

The new venue, which is attached to the Jump Park, is part bowling alley, part restaurant and part bar, with a space for live music.

The 30,000-square-foot space also has other recreational features, including a cigar bar, fire pits, and games such as horseshoes and pingpong.

The two-story space has three full-service bars, couches and what developer John Wise called an “upscale American food” menu. There’s also a space for private parties.

The new venue is creating 63 jobs and providing a place for both adults and children, Wise said.

Children can bowl on one of the 10 lanes until 5 p.m. on weekends. The space turns into a space for adults only after that.

Wise said he took the best ideas from cities such as New York, Los Angles and Atlanta and brought them here for the $1.5 million project.

“It’s a big-city design and concept in Chattanooga,” he said.

Bowling costs $35 an hour, and there will be a social bowling league, Wise also said (social as opposed to competitive).

Wise is also developing apartments on the corner of Main and Market streets, and he said he’s committed to the Southside.

“We took a chance when we came over here,” Wise said. “We believe in the Southside.”

Donahue said there is a lot of opportunity for more housing around the Southside. And more residents can mean more support for businesses in that area.

The Southside has seen growth in recent years with the addition of music venue Track 29, the Craftworks headquarters and new restaurants.

And more projects in the works. For example, there are plans for major renovations at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo.

But not every business on the Southside has thrived. The area couldn’t support Enzo’s or Grocery Bar, but those projects did draw out passionate proponents of the area.

“When you get people living in areas of downtown, they become really passionate about those areas because that’s their neighborhood,” Donahue said. “That’s where they are investing their money; that’s where they are raising their children. They want good things to happen. The Southside is a great example of that.”

Wise said he thinks his new venture will boost other Southside businesses because the 1810 Chestnut St. location is a destination.

Owner of nearby business Chattanooga Brewing Co. Mark Marcum echoed that.

“I do believe the bowling alley will help all the other business in the area,” he said via email. “We are still somewhat an undiscovered area of Main Street.”

Donahue said that growth in that area complements events that go on at Finley Stadium, such as UTC sporting events and Chattanooga Football Club games.

“I do think we are going to see a shift in how Chattanoogans experience sporting events in that area,” she said.

Chattanooga Football Club board member Tim Kelly said he’s excited about Southside Social and that it can only help the club’s attendance.

Marshall Brock, Chattanooga Football Club board member, said the team was started out of passion for the city. And he is proud that the team is part of the area’s revitalization.

“We are excited for our neighbors at the Jump Park, Southside Social and our new partners at the Chattanooga Brewing Co.,” he said in a prepared statement. “This summer season will be a blast during our home games. We hope all of Chattanooga and those visiting our city will come visit the Southside-eat, drink, jump, kick and bowl.”