Over 100 attendees braved cold and windy conditions to wait in line for Playa Bowls’ grand opening Saturday morning on Hillsborough Street. Despite the weather, the atmosphere was lively, with a DJ and a ribbon-cutting ceremony as the doors opened at 11 a.m.
As the clock approached opening time, customers formed a line down Hillsborough Street which wrapped around the corner and down Pogue Street.
The first 50 people in line received Playa Bowls T-shirts and free smoothie bowls, while the remaining attendees received stickers with the company’s logo and a 50% discount on their purchases.
Ntalani Mahungu, a first-year studying psychology, said it was her first time trying Playa Bowls and she was not early enough after arriving at a huge crowd at 10 a.m.
Madigan Stevenson and Isabelle Noome, third-year students studying elementary and special education, arrived around 8 a.m. and were third and fourth in line. Stevenson and Noome were already fans of the restaurant from its other locations in their home states of New Jersey and Connecticut.
“I remember the first time that we saw the sign that it was coming soon, and we were like ‘Oh my gosh, we need to go,’” Noome said. “And then, obviously, we were waiting until the opening day.”
Stevenson said the early opening time of Playa Bowls on weekdays might be beneficial to students on their way to and from class.
The new store is decorated with bright colors, a neon sign reading “Welcome to Pineappleland” and beachy murals hand-painted by a team of artists. Even the wall surrounding the outside of the store is painted a bright blue color.
Playa Bowls Raleigh franchise owner David Pokorny said that the beach-inspired interior is an important part of his connection to the restaurant.
“I surf, and I scuba dive, and I play beach volleyball — I live at the beach,” Pokorny said. “I go to Costa Rica 50 days a year, and if not Costa Rica, Puerto Rico. So when I went into my first Playa Bowls, I walked in, and I felt like I was literally home.”
Pokorny said his ultimate goal is for customers to share this summertime experience each time they enter the store, both from the product and the atmosphere.
“I hate the winter,” Pokorny said. “So when I come in here, it’s like ‘Wow, okay, I could deal with the winter for another day or two.’”
Pokorny also owns the Durham location, which opened this past summer across from Duke University’s campus. Pokorny said he also hopes that the growth in the Triangle area will benefit Playa Bowls as well as other businesses.
“What I’ve learned as I’ve gotten older is the phrase that rising tides raise all ships,” Pokorny said. “That goes for pretty much anything, right? If a store succeeds, they’re able to make more money. And then there’s more money to spend in the community and things like that. That’s just how I’ve always wanted to be.”
Playa Bowls was created by Robert Giuliani and Abby Taylor in New Jersey. The duo was inspired by the flavors they discovered on surfing trips across North and South America.
The restaurant offers smoothie bowls with a variety of bases such as açai, pitaya, coconut and chia pudding. Customers can select signature bowls or build their own with personalized toppings. In addition, Playa Bowls offers smoothies, juices and cold brews.
Playa Bowls also has several winter specials for the colder months, including, but not limited to, the “North Pole Açai Bowl,” “Peppermint Mocha Sweet Cream Cold Brew” and the “Avalanche Coconut Bowl.”
Playa Bowls is located across the street from D.H. Hill Jr. Library at 2526 Hillsborough St.
