Abby Williams and Bill Vane play a round at Aloha Mini Glow Golf which opened at the former location of Olympia Sports at the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester on Thursday.
Bill Vane and Abby Williams choose their balls and clubs before playing a round at Aloha Mini Glow Golf which opened at the former location of Olympia Sports at the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester on Thursday.
Abby Williams and Bill Vane play a round at Aloha Mini Glow Golf which opened at the former location of Olympia Sports at the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester on Thursday.
Abby Williams and Bill Vane play a round at Aloha Mini Glow Golf which opened at the former location of Olympia Sports at the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester on Thursday.
Abby Williams and Bill Vane play a round at Aloha Mini Glow Golf which opened at the former location of Olympia Sports at the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester on Thursday.
Bill Vane and Abby Williams choose their balls and clubs before playing a round at Aloha Mini Glow Golf which opened at the former location of Olympia Sports at the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester on Thursday.
AFTER A TRIP to Hawaii, Douglas Molina wanted to bring a little bit of magic back home and came up with a business plan to open Aloha Mini Glow Golf.
The first location opened at the North Shore Mall in Peabody, Mass., in 2017, and the latest in the former Olympia Sports spot at the Mall of New Hampshire. The mini-golf course includes 18 holes with glowing neon colors and painting on the walls.
Molina worked with mall’s owner, Simon Property Group, to find the right spot to open the second location. The goal is to be family-friendly.
“The idea is that when people come in they feel like they are in a different place and forget about what is going on in their lives,” he said. “It is like a getaway for the few minutes they come and play.”
The mall has other entertainment, including Lok’d Room Escape and Dave & Buster’s. He does marketing within a 30- or 40-mile radius.
”They won’t just get to do things,” he said. “It is a win-win situation. We all work together to bring people to the mall.”
Aloha Mini Glow Golf is open 10 to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 a.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Flocking to Exeter
Keeping with the tropical theme, Flamingos Coffee Bar in Hampton opened its second location in Exeter last week. The grand opening celebration took place over the weekend. The shop at 56 Lincoln St. was previously 7 North Coffee.
The Flamingos brand is known for its specialty coffee and locally sourced foods, according to its website.
Several drinks are named after Taylor Swift, including Burnin’ Red, Midnight Rain, Gold Rush and Wildest Dreams. The shop serves up flights of its popular drinks.
Ernie’s now open
Taking the place of Castaways Seafood & Grill in Seabrook, Ernie’s Seaside Restaurant is now open after a complete overhaul of the space. The restaurant at 209 Ocean Blvd. features indoor and outdoor bars and a firepit with views of the Atlantic.
The dishes are made from scratch with a variety of locally sourced seafood and fresh ingredients, according to its website.
Some of the dishes include smash burger for $13, lobster roll for $23 and “Captain’s Choice,” which includes pan-seared scallops, risotto, wild mushrooms, parmesan cheese, pea shoots, truffle oil for $42.
Owner Ernie Thibeault completely gutted the space and installed new flooring and a kitchen. He hired Aaron Duvall as head chef. Duvall started his culinary career as executive chef at Savory Square Bistro and went on to 401 Tavern, Shane’s Texas Pit and Cascade Seaside Restaurant & Deck, according to Ernie’s website.
The restaurant will be open seven days a week after Memorial Day.
Gym take over
The Zoo Health Club took over the former Work Out World space at 300 Main St. in Nashua at the start of the month. It is being operated by franchisees Joe and Maria Reardon.
Nashua has been on the radar since the launch of the brand came to New Hampshire in 2019.
“Nashua’s population and close proximity to Massachusetts make it a perfect location for a large gym concept such as ours,” said Manchester businessman Ed Baroody.
A complete remodel and equipment upgrades are planned. The location offers 24/7 access, state-of-the-art cardio and strength training equipment, functional training equipment, babysitting in its “Kid’s Place,” group classes, redwood personal training and Blitz45 group fitness training.
The chain now had 10 locations in the Granite State.
If you have an interesting business or commercial real estate story idea email reporter Jonathan Phelps at jphelps@unionleader.com.
