Shuffleboard and craft beer are a winning combination for German bars

2nd september 2021SHUFL Partners

Shuffleboard and craft beer are a winning combination for German bar group GiG Linden’s three Craft Bier Bars in Hanover, Hamburg and Bremen. We certainly can’t think of a better combo!

GiG Linden owner Michael Solms has never looked back since he first laid eyes on our shuffleboard tables at a trade show that he was visiting back in 2017.  After spending the evening playing on our Grand Champion tables at café bar Kaschk in Berlin, he was well and truly hooked.

Says Michael, “I knew pretty much immediately that the ‘sip and slide’ game of shuffleboard would be a great fit for our specialist craft beer and pizza offer, as well as adding a point of difference to our bars.  The tables make the time that our customers spend with their friends extra special and even more memorable. This is what today’s customers are looking for – an entertaining experience that brings people together and gets them excited!”

His bars in Hanover and Hamburg are home to four 22ft Grand Champion and there’s a 14 ft Gentry in his Bremen bar, which he is planning to swap for a larger table.  All operated on a pay-to-play basis at 12 EUR p/h, they help to bring in customers during quiet times, such as early evening, and are typically occupied for 3-4 hours on weekdays and almost always fully booked at the weekends.  They’ve also attracted a group of regulars, who come in to play shuffleboard every week.

Explains Michael, “The tables have been a great success.  We take around 1,500 to 2,000 euros per month from game play and then we’ll see an uplift in our beverage sales because people stay and play for longer on average than if they were just sitting and chatting.  During the pandemic, we also introduced an automatic beer vending machine in the basement near the tables so people don’t have to walk so far to get to the bar!

“I’m a complete shuffleboard convert and, if I were to open another bar, I wouldn’t think twice about installing a table. The only reason our bar in Cologne doesn’t have one is because there just isn’t enough space, unfortunately!”

Interested in getting your SHUFL on and generating additional revenue for your hospitality business?  Find out more information about becoming a SHUFL partner. 
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