ESCONDIDO — A family-oriented entertainment center is set to take over the former Nordstrom store at Escondido’s North County Mall.
The Escondido City Council unanimously approved a 20-year ground lease with Round1 Bowling & Arcade for the mall’s three-level former anchor department store. The agreement includes a base rent of $100,000 annually, and the city expects to collect $2.7 million in total rent payments over the lease’s term.
Round1 plans to utilize all three floors of the space, offering activities such as bowling, karaoke, Japanese arcade and video games, darts, trampolines, billiards, ping pong, batting cages, roller skating, and more. The venue will also serve food and beverages, including beer, wine, and spirits for adult patrons.
The Round1 concept began in Japan in the early 1980s when founder Masahiko Sugino launched a roller skating facility with arcade games under the company name Sugino Kosan.
By 1993, the business had grown into Round1, adding bowling and other activities. The company now operates more than 100 locations across Japan.
Round1 entered the U.S. market in 2010 with its first location near Los Angeles in the City of Industry. It has since expanded to over 50 locations nationwide, including nearby National City and Temecula facilities.
The company’s unique offerings include a sports challenge complex known as “Spo-Cha,” where customers can enjoy a variety of sports and entertainment activities for a fixed daily price. According to the company’s website, Spo-Cha provides a distinctive experience that differentiates it from competitors.
Escondido Mayor Dane White shared his enthusiasm for the project.
“We’ve been teased about this for a year,” White said, adding that Round1 is a favorite for his family after visiting the Temecula location for his daughter’s birthday. “It’s going to be a game changer – not only for that property but for families in Escondido as a whole. It’s going to be fantastic for Escondido.”
The family entertainment center is expected to create approximately 100 jobs. Developers plan to begin construction on the $22 million project in 2025.
North County Mall opened in the mid-1980s during a boom period for shopping malls. Recently, city leaders have been exploring ways to build revenue while simultaneously revitalizing the shopping center, even discussing the possibility of housing on the largely city-owned property.
Steerpoint Capital and Bridge Group Investments purchased the mall from Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield in February 2023 for $57 million, with plans for revitalization.
Only Macy’s and JCPenney remain in the original anchor stores after Sears and Nordstrom closed in 2020. Costco recently backed out of its lease agreement with the city to move into the former Sears building.
