Denver restaurateur Robert Thompson is betting on location, location, location to launch his first Punch Bowl Social “eater-tainment” spot in North Texas. 

According to the Dallas Morning News, the 23,000-square-foot Punch Bowl Social No. 15, which is projected to open in August or September 2018, will contain a scratch kitchen, craft drinks, eight bowling lanes, two karaoke rooms, a bocce court, two virtual reality parlors, and possibly a rooftop deck.

Thompson told the News he has been considering a site in Dallas for years, and wanted to avoid setting up shop in a “massive suburban development.”

"Those just don't feel authentic enough for Punch Bowl Social," Thompson said. "We really like this in-town, gritty entertainment district aspect that's Deep Ellum. And we especially love the rebirth of Deep Ellum.” 

Deep Ellum’s reinvention has had its share of ups and downs, but lately its popularity is surging. Though trendy bars, restaurants, and tattooed artisans are still part of its edgy appeal, a broader mix of retail, eateries, nightspots, and residential buildings has heightened the neighborhood’s attraction.

Thompson’s company is sinking an estimated $5 million into redeveloping 2600 Main St. at North Good-Latimer Expressway as the new home for Punch Bowl Social. The old boarded-up building with black chipped paint housed the Copper Tank Brewery until it closed five years ago. 

Since founding Punch Bowl Social in 2012, Thompson’s corporation has opened 10 locations, including a site in Austin. But the old building at the gateway to Deep Ellum reminds him most of the company’s original location in Denver. 

“[Deep Ellum is] going to be one of the coolest in-town entertainment districts in the country," Thompson said.