Endless Food and Fun, a 47,000-square-foot arcade and buffet, is set to open Dec. 3 in Huntington Beach.
Owner and developer Andrew Pereira said he’s got a Las Vegas business model: “We bring them in for the buffet and we make money on the games.”
He said he hopes to draw tourists as well as locals to the center, which will have an all-you-can-eat, 200-foot buffet and a white-linen tablecloth restaurant dubbed Delicioso.
The fun center has elements resembling Chuck E. Cheese, John’s Incredible Pizza, Boomers and Dave & Busters. Endless Food and Fun will be fun for parents, too, according to Pereira.
The buffet will be fancier, with more than pizza and a salad bar, he said.
“We’re going to have food that parents enjoy too,” Pereira said.
On different nights, the buffet is set to offer “around the world” foods, including Italian, Mediterranean and Asian.
The buffet is set to be priced at $6 to $12. Pereira said he expects to break even at best on the buffet.
Endless Food and Fun will offer a chaperone service for parents on date nights at the restaurant. For a small fee, a chaperone will lead the kids around the arcade while the parents dine.
The center has themed dining and party rooms, including the Surf’s Up Room, a tribute to Huntington Beach’s surfing culture.
The buffet and arcade is the first of several that Pereira said he hopes to open. He said he’d like to open 10 within the next 10 years.
Pereira chose Huntington Beach for the first one since he lives there. He said he got a good deal on a 15-year lease.
He tested the waters with a smaller version in Upland that he owned with other investors. He sold his interest in that business.
“I decided to go out on my own,” Pereira said.
He persuaded friends and family to back him on Endless Food and Fun. It was hard to get a bank loan, he said.
Pereira said he’s been an entrepreneur since the age of 21. He has another business in Upland—a limousine service—called Dream World Transportation Inc.
Holiday Spending
About 60% of poll respondents plan to spend more or about the same as they did last holiday season, according to the latest survey by Deloitte LLP.
On average, respondents plan to spend $1,160 this year, up from $1,145 in 2009. The figure includes gifts, entertaining, decorations and other holiday expenses.
The survey also shows that shoppers have a conservative outlook on the economic recovery.
Nearly 40% expect the economy to improve next year, down from 54% who anticipated an improvement at this time last year.
Shoppers also said they’ll buy more with cash than they have in the past. Nearly half intend to buy gifts with cash.
Thirty-six percent said they have permanently cut back the amount of money they spend.
Deloitte paid for the survey, which was conducted by an independent online research company from Sept. 23 to Oct. 10. The survey polled 12,418 people.
Holiday Preparations
Irvine Spectrum Center has opened its ice rink for the holiday shopping season.
Fashion Island’s 90-foot Christmas tree has been set up in its usual spot in the Neiman Marcus-Bloomingdale’s courtyard. Lighting ceremonies are set for Friday and Saturday.
Pink Laundry, a Newport Coast boutique, is kicking off the holiday shopping season with a guy’s night out on Dec. 1.
Pink Laundry is teaming up with Hawleywood’s Barbershop, which has shops in Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach and Long Beach.
Men can come in and shop for the women on their gift lists and get a free haircut or shave.
Pink Laundry plans to serve beer and appetizers.
GM Visit
Chevrolet of Irvine, which recently moved from Foothill Ranch to Irvine Auto Center, recently held a grand opening attended by General Motors Co. honchos who were there to answer questions about the Chevy Volt hybrid and the rest of GM’s lineup.
The dealership is one of the first dealers with a Volt on display—no test drives, though, until the car goes on sale in the spring.
Chevrolet of Irvine added a charging station at the dealership to show how the Volt is charged.
Tustin Hyundai
Another dealership is marking a grand opening: Tustin Hyundai, which opened in the Tustin Auto Center in September.
The dealership’s opening celebration is Thursday. Food trucks Piaggio Gourmet on Wheels and Tropical Shave Ice are set to be on hand.
Tustin Hyundai also plans to collect canned food items to be donated to Second Harvest Food Bank.
John Patterson owns the dealership, along with Huntington Beach Mazda and Tustin Mazda.
Auto Purchases Put Off
A recent survey from Irvine-based Kelley Blue Book finds more than half of auto shoppers have delayed purchases in the past year.
Of those who put off buying, 41% said they waited seven months or more. Thirty-six percent said they waited four to six months.
Atlanta-based AutoTrader.com LLC is set to acquire Kelley Blue Book by year end.
