Jason Nieves spent eight years as an Air Force vascular surgeon at Eglin Air Force Base, but his next mission involves bringing something the area that he says has been missing: a place where families can eat, play and stay entertained all in one location.

• The GAB Spot, scheduled to open in early March at the corner of Racetrack Road and Beal Parkway, will occupy 20,000 square feet in the former Goodwill building at the Shops at Wright Plaza. 

The venue combines eight full-size bowling lanes, six duckpin bowling lanes, five axe throwing lanes, more than 40 arcade games, a full-service restaurant and bar, and locally sourced gelato from GS Gelato.

“The intent of combining all of these venues together is so you don’t want to have to go to one place for dinner, and then take your family to another place to have fun,” Nieves said. “We are bringing you one place where you can do absolutely everything.”

Nieves retired from the Air Force last year after 24 years of service. He first trained at Hurlburt Field in 2001 before returning to the area in 2017 for his final assignment at Eglin Air Force Base after completing his medical residency in California. With two children, ages 11 and 14, he decided to stay in Niceville rather than relocate after retirement.

The path to opening The GAB Spot involved multiple setbacks. Nieves originally wanted to bring indoor go-karting to the Panhandle but faced challenges securing suitable locations. After exploring several options that didn’t work out, he pivoted to a multi-entertainment concept that would fit a smaller footprint.

• The name GAB Spot originally stood for Gelato, Arcade and Bowling. Nieves eventually connected with Mitzi Henley, who helped him secure the Wright Plaza location. The business kept its name despite expanding beyond the original three components.

The venue will seat approximately 210 people across all areas. The kitchen spans nearly 1,200 square feet and will serve what Nieves describes as mostly bar food — shareables, burgers, sliders, chicken sandwiches and street tacos. The menu also features a Sonoran hot dog, a bacon-wrapped hot dog on bolillo bread filled with pico de gallo and beans that originates from Tucson and Mexico.

Menu highlights include shareables like firecracker shrimp with garlic chili sauce, jumbo wings with sauce options including buffalo, mango habanero and garlic parmesan, Bavarian pretzels with queso, and a pretzel grazing board with smoked sausages and cheeses. 

Handhelds range from a buffalo chicken wrap to a Yuengling battered fish sandwich, while smash burgers include options like the Southwest burger with pepperjack cheese and fried jalapeños. The kitchen will also offer seven flatbread varieties, from BBQ chicken to Nashville hot chicken with hot honey drizzle. Desserts include churro donuts, vanilla bean cheesecake with fruit topping and key lime pie.

One feature setting The GAB Spot apart from traditional bowling alleys is its service model. Customers can book lanes online or walk in, and servers will bring bowling shoes directly to the lanes and take food and drink orders there.

• “Our goal is to have drinks out within two minutes,” Nieves said. “And then our food within about a 15 minute timeframe.”

The venue will also feature a concierge button at each lane that alerts servers when customers need service.

“You’re paying to bowl for an hour,” Nieves explained. “We’re trying to streamline that so that you maximize your time on the lane while you’re able to still order food and drinks.”

The axe throwing lanes use gamified technology that projects games onto the targets and automatically keeps score. Games include tic-tac-toe and zombie-themed challenges.

The duckpin bowling lanes will be positioned behind the bar. Unlike traditional bowling, duckpin uses a shorter lane and a smaller, six-pound ball, and players don’t need special shoes.

• “It’s more of a social game,” Nieves said. “When you look at it, you might think it’s easy but it’s pretty challenging.”

The arcade will feature state-of-the-art games, including virtual reality experiences. Nieves plans to open with 30 to 35 games initially, even though the space can accommodate more than 40, with plans to continuously refresh offerings.

The arcade will use a card system that works throughout the venue. Customers can load money onto cards and use them for games, food, drinks and other purchases at the bar.

“The cool thing about the card is that you can redeem it anywhere,” Nieves said. “If you want to play a game, you can play a game. If you want to buy a beer at the bar, you can buy a beer at the bar with a card. So you’re not losing your money.”

• Parents can give their children cards with set amounts, allowing kids to make purchases as well.

The bar will seat approximately 15 people and hold a full liquor license. Nieves plans to host fight nights, Super Bowl parties and other sporting events, while providing a space for kids to have something to do as well.

The venue received its keys Sept. 1 and submitted for demolition and construction permits in late August. Nieves expects construction to take approximately four months once full permits are approved, targeting a mid-February to early March opening, ideally before spring break.

The venue plans to open daily at 10 a.m. to serve lunch customers, closing between 10 and 11 p.m. on weekdays. Friday and Saturday hours will extend until 1 a.m. with a limited menu available after 11 p.m..

For now, Nieves is focused on seeing his vision come together.

“I’m just excited to see everything start falling into place, and seeing it all develop and grow — opening day is going to be amazing,” he said.