MERIDIAN TWP. – High Caliber Karting and Entertainment opened its 25,000-square-foot expansion at the Meridian Mall this month, 18 months after announcing plans for the addition.
The $2 million investment, delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, includes a new bar, an assault arena, throw bowl, “gamified” ax-throwing with digital targets and two VIP rooms.
High Caliber expanded into four additional storefronts at the mall, two of which previously housed Old Navy and Sera Bella Salon. The business now occupies 105,000 square feet at the mall and is one of its anchor tenants.
The addition cost more than double what High Caliber’s founder and President Jordan Munsters originally thought it would.
But the project was never abandoned, even after the business closed for nearly seven months last year during the pandemic.
“I told everybody, the one thing that we’re missing right now is the ability for people to connect,” Munsters said. “The number one thing that people are going to need when we go back to being open and COVID is in control is the ability for people to connect. We needed a space for that.”
A second bar, new game options
Munsters originally thought High Caliber’s expansion would take six months to build out.
State-mandated shutdowns during the pandemic slowed the work, he said, but the build-out continued even when the entertainment center’s doors were closed to customers last year.
The expansion was finished in late August. It opened to the public this month and High Caliber staff are planning a grand opening for Sept. 18.
Customers could already enjoy go-kart race tracks, ax throwing, pocket soccer, beer and food at High Caliber Bar & Bistro and an arcade with racing simulators.
The expansion includes more options for both craft beer and activities.
Double Clutch, the new 50-foot bar has three different serving stations and 32 taps.
“The bar is freakin’ amazing,” Munsters said. “We brought in an architect from the east side of the state that did an interior design setup for it. It is just gorgeous.”
The newly-built 2,800-square-foot assault arena offers a space for Nerf blaster and archery tag play.
High Caliber also added 15 lanes of throw ball, which Munsters’ describes as “football bowling,” and 16 lanes of ax throwing with digital screens that project traditional targets, and that allow for target options like zombie hunting and tic-tac-toe.
“There’s a scoring system and there are a bunch of different options,” Munsters said.
The business added two VIP rooms that can be rented for business or private events and new seating throughout the center.
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Local art, and plans for a patio
Local art is the last piece of the new expansion.
Dozens of Michigan artists painted murals on one of the building’s exterior walls and throughout the interior.
The art greets customers when they walk into High Caliber.
“When you walk into the space all the walls have like these geometric neon shapes, black lights,” Munsters said. “It’s insane.”
Giant pandas hanging from parachutes with bubble guns are depicted on the walls of High Caliber’s new assault arena and the walls in one of the VIP rooms are decorated with an airbrushed mural.
The business has already hired more than 40 new employees, Munsters said.
Next spring there are plans to add a large outdoor patio area with lighting, umbrellas, seating and in-ground firepits, he said.
“That’ll be a nice, cool space,” Munsters said.
Contact Rachel Greco at rgreco@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @GrecoatLSJ .
