POCATELLO — A Pocatello couple is opening a dance club and gaming hall, which they say will be both family and budget friendly, in Pocatello this weekend.
Frank and Nikki Jorgenson say The Party Barn will officially open its doors at the Westwood Mall, located at 1800 Garrett Way, on Saturday. They’re holding a grand opening celebration from noon to 6 p.m. that day and say all entry fees will be waived.
“It will be an open house setting, so people can come take a look at everything and check out the games and things we have,” Nikki said.
The Party Barn is the latest business venture for the couple who also run Snake River Doodles Therapy Animals & Petting Zoo and Pocatello Events, and they say it’s something they’ve been thinking about starting for some time.
Nikki, the mother of five, says she knows how expensive it can be for parents to take multiple children out for the day and they wanted to give people a more affordable option. In addition, they wanted to give teenagers and young adults a fun and safe place to hang out.
“We want it to be a place where people can come and gather,” Nikki said, adding that it will be an alcohol-free zone that people of all ages can enjoy.
The Party Barn will offer a variety of activities, including pool, foosball, air hockey, ping pong, darts and video games. Hourly rates range from $2 to $5 for those activities.
People can also rent board games to play in house for $2.
There’s a toddler area at the center and a private rental space for birthday parties, weddings, meetings and homeschool groups.
“It’s a great place for birthday parties,” Nikki said, adding that people have already started calling them to book events. March is nearly filled up.
The Party Barn also features a 1,500-square-foot dance floor complete with laser lights and black lights.
Dances will take place at the center on Fridays and Saturdays from 6 to 11 p.m., and people can get in for $5.
Friday’s dances will have a country vibe while the Saturday events will be themed. For instance, the dance on March 13 will feature 1980s music, and attendees will be encouraged to wear white and neon colors.
The Jorgensons also plan to hold a variety of weekly events, including movie nights on Wednesdays, game nights with free entry on Thursdays and toddler time on Mondays and Tuesdays. They plan to bring in the popular zip-line they use at their petting zoo for toddler time and private parties, Nikki said.
In addition, they plan to hold special nights for families, teens, couples and ISU Bengals throughout the month.
Nikki says they’ll sell some concessions at their snack counter, and they’ll have a small gift shop, too.
She encourages people to stop by The Party Barn during the grand opening on Saturday to learn more about everything they have to offer.
“We’re something new,” she said. “We hope people will come down and check us out.”
