1. Taking a theme to the next level
Pingpong bar chain Spin is launching its seventh unit later this month, a 12,000-square-foot location in Philadelphia with myriad features to keep patrons around: scratch-and-sniff wallpaper that smells like cherries, a retail area peddling branded paddles and other merch, a bathtub filled with pingpong balls, a DJ, 17 Olympic-sized pingpong tables and bleachers for watching matches. Spin has also beefed up its menu in recent years—its latest unit offers shareable bar food like pastrami-topped tater tots and flatbread pizzas, along with cocktails spotlighting local spirits.