SPiN is an international chain of franchised table tennis clubs and bars. The company was founded in 2009 by Jonathan Bricklin, Andrew Gordon, Franck Raharinosy,[1][2] and Wally Green.[3][4]
.jpg) Sign outside of SPIN Chicago | |
| Founded | September 17, 2009 in New York City, New York, United States |
|---|---|
| Founders | Franck Raharinosy, Jonathan Bricklin, Andrew Gordon (executive), Wally Green |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Key people | Pieter Vanermen (CEO), Andrew Gordon (Co Founder), Jonathan Bricklin (Co Founder), Frank Raharinosy(Co Founder), Wally Green(Co Founder), Atanda Musa (Ping Pong Pro), Soo Yeon Lee (brand ambassador) |
| Services | Table tennis clubs |
| Website | http://wearespin.com/ |
History and locations
edit
The first location of SPIN opened in New York City's Flatiron District on Park Avenue.[1]
The first SPIN franchise outside of New York opened in 2010 in Milwaukee[5] (the table tennis bar at this location is now no longer affiliated with the SPIN brand[6]). In 2011, a location opened in Toronto[7] and in 2013 a location (containing a gold-plated ping pong table) opened in Dubai[8] (it later closed due to Dubai's more conservative drinking norms[9]). Further locations have opened (or are planned to open) in Austin,[10] Chicago,[6] Los Angeles,[11] Philadelphia,[12] and San Francisco.[9] As of 2017, there are seven current or planned SPiN locations in the U.S. and Canada.[13]
Austin which is now closed made way for them to open a location in Boston's Seaport.
Concept and marketing
editThe concept of SPIN was inspired by popular table tennis parties (called "Naked Ping Pong") held regularly by SPIN co-founders Bricklin, Raharinosy, and Green along with Kazuyuki Yokoyama.[2] SPiN franchises incorporate full-service bars and restaurants along with their ping pong tables. The ping pong tables can be reserved by customers (including a "center court" table at many locations)[5][6] who then play for an hourly cost (or purchase a membership).[7] Location openings have often included celebrity appearances and professional table tennis players.[7][11] The chain has partnered with organizations such as the Glide Foundation to help provide access to table tennis to youth who might be otherwise unable to play.[9]
References
edit- ^ a b Somaiya, Ravi (November 26, 2008). "Back-and-Forth Sport Is Back Again". New York Times. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
- ^ a b Morgan, Spencer (February 11, 2009). "Franck Raharinosy Is New York City's Priapic Prince of Ping-Pong". New York Observer. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
- ^ Wally Green - Celebrity | Pro Table Tennis Player, Coach, and Co-Founder of SPIN New York 23 - Table Tennis Themed Cafe in Manhattan. Wally has many fascinating stories making him the coolest figure in table tennis. - Serve and Return Podcast: Tennis, Racquet Sports & More, retrieved 2020-09-17
- ^ Green, Wally. "The first-person story of how ping pong saved the life of a New York City kid and took him all the way to North Korea". nydailynews.com. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
- ^ a b Miller II, Stanley A. (March 3, 2011). "Pingpong club puts new spin on night life". Journal Sentinel. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
- ^ a b c Selvam, Ashok (March 18, 2015). "Susan Sarandon's SPIN Bar/Restaurant Bringing Ping Pong to River North". Eater Chicago. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
- ^ a b c Olivero, Simone (October 13, 2011). "Introducing: Spin Toronto, the new King West ping pong club co-owned by Susan Sarandon (no, really)". Toronto Life. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
- ^ Wilson-Powell, Georgina (May 22, 2013). "Dubai's ping pong nightclub". BBC Travel. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
- ^ a b c Williams, Felicia (May 20, 2016). "SPIN ping pong club premieres its San Francisco location". Tech Crunch. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
- ^ O'Donnell, Amanda (March 21, 2017). "Austin to get first ping pong bar". Statesman. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
- ^ a b Gelt, Jessica (December 14, 2012). "Giving L.A. a glitzy SPiN on ping-pong". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
- ^ Tanenbaum, Michael (May 2, 2017). "Popular ping-pong social club SPiN coming to Center City". Philly Voice. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
- ^ "SPiN: United by Ping Pong". SPiN. SPiN Global. Retrieved May 27, 2017.