HUTTO — Entertainment center Hooky is set raise the curtain May 23 with movies, bowling, arcade games, darts, dining and an IMAX showing of “Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning.”
The long-awaited debut will showcase a 54,400-square-foot venue at 150 Alliance Blvd., Suite 100, designed to be an “inviting destination for community gathering and family play,” company representatives said.
“I think what people are really going to enjoy is the fact that you can come to a location in Hutto versus having to drive to any of our surrounding sister cities or even all the way into Austin,” said General Manager Jimmy McQuade. “You can come here and do it all with us in one day.”
He added, “We’ve designed this space to be a fun, inviting destination for people of all ages to escape the everyday hustle and ‘play hooky.’” McQuade said patrons will enjoy the quality of the food, both during the Memorial Day weekend opening and afterwards.
“What our chefs could come up with, I’m pretty excited about showing it off. It’s not your normal bowling or movie-fare food. It’s got a bit of elegance to it and I’m actually pretty excited to have people try it,” he said.
The menu includes elote fritters, Hooky Frito pie, shrimp bites, the Honky Tonk Smashburger, key lime and raspberry pie and more. Visitors can use a QR code to order menu items, craft cocktails, concession snacks, beer and wine.
“Hooky’s mission is simple: to put the guest experience first,” said Charlie Tiantawach, president and CEO. “Whether that’s catching a movie, enjoying a great meal or playing a few rounds of their favorite arcade games, Hooky has something for everyone and it’s never the same experience twice.” Hutto will also lay claim to the only IMAX movie theater in the area, since the company maintains a distance of at least 15 miles between competing locations.
With the IMAX and the large-format SDX theaters, Hooky representatives say the screens will stretch up to four stories high.
“Everybody sees the IMAX and it’s really impressive, but our SDX is what’s really going to catch people by surprise. It’s surrounded by the Dolby Atmos system creating sound around the entire theater from the front of you, the back, the top of you... it’s pretty fun, I think people are really going to enjoy that,” McQuade said.
Hooky Entertainment is part of the Es Vedra Cinemas portfolio, which includes Violet Crown, ShowBiz and Times Square Grand Slam.
Hutto’s Hooky is one of 16 company locations across five states, but the first one with the Hooky brand name.
The Hutto venue was originally slated to be an EVO Entertainment center, but a company dissolution earlier this year ceded ownership of the property to Es Vedra, the former business partner of EVO Entertainment’s parent company.
“We are very excited about our opening on May 23, and we look to be off to the races, and we hope everybody comes and plays,” McQuade said.
The venue will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. seven days a week. Movie tickets are on sale now and seats can be reserved at HookyEntertainment. com.
