4 things to know before Dave & Buster's comes to Sioux Falls

It won't be long before Sioux Falls joins the ranks among other major and mid-major markets around the country when Dave & Buster's arrives next year.

The Dallas-based restaurant, bar and entertainment business had a corporate representative in town this week to get some paperwork in order with the city, namely the alcohol license it needs to serve beer, wine and liquor.

More:Dave & Buster's planned for Lake Lorraine in Sioux Falls

But while here, Dave & Buster's regulatory manager Jill Valachovic shared details about the company's plan for its Sioux Falls location, including the number of games it will offer, dining options it will provide and a more defined timeline for opening.

"The games are what sets us apart, but we offer full offering of eat, drink, play, watch all under one roof," she said. 

Here are four things to know before Dave & Buster's opens.

1. You'll have plenty of drink options

The Council signed off on a liquor license transfer, meaning Dave & Buster's can sell and serve patrons beverages that run the gamut. The license they'll operate with had belonged to The Pocket, which recently closed its location at 301 S. Thompson Ave.

The company had considered purchasing a special restaurant liquor license, which requires 60 percent of a license holder's profits come from the sale of food. But because revenues from the arcade games would also have to be factored into the income formula, according to the South Dakota Department of Revenue, Dave & Buster's opted to buy a full liquor license on the secondary market instead.

More:Liquor license restrictions leave Sioux Falls businesses to pay up, wait or game the system

How much it paid for license isn't know as transfer values aren't public record in South Dakota, but they go for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

2. You can play $1 million worth of games

Valachovic said the Sioux Falls location, slated to be 19,000-square-feet, will offer between 150 and 180 arcade games, valuing more than a million dollars.

"We typically spend over a million dollars on games at each location, so it's quite the experience," she said.

And to keep the experience fresh for return visitors, Valachovic said games are moved in and out once every few months.

3. Kids can come, but only with adults

The City Council has made clear in recent years that it's not always comfortable with alcohol in settings where children frequent. That's part of the reason it denied West Mall 7, which has an arcade next door to it, a license to sell beer and wine.

Dave & Buster's, though, has policy of not allowing people under the age of 18 into its business unless accompanied by someone 25 years of age or older.

So parents hoping to drop their kids off for an afternoon or evening while they run errands or go on a date will have to make other arrangements.

4.  It'll open late summer 2020

The Argus Leader reported earlier this summer that Dave & Buster's was eyeing a mid-2020 opening. That's still holds true, but Valachovic said more specifically, the company expects to begin operations sometime during the third quarter of 2020.