Marquee Attraction

The once-glamorous Loew’s Theater, where gussied-up people flocked to see silent films starting in 1928, has sat dormant for almost 30 years. Since February, the theater is once again drawing revelers as the Workz, a new family entertainment center.

“We wanted a casual vibe, but we still wanted to include the theater feel,” says Tim Frankish, the owner and director of marketing and entertainment. “It’s upscale casual, and even our food reflects that. We have drinks and food named after famous actors whose movies actually played in the theater.”

There’s a bar and a restaurant, and a speakeasy with cinematic menu items including the Werewolf of London cocktail, bourbon with berry syrup and sparkling wine, and the Marilyn entree, Chianti-braised short ribs with garlic mashed potatoes.

There’s plenty of fun to be had with an arcade featuring games like Mario Kart, Skee-Ball and old-school duckpin bowling. Frankish describes the latter as a shrunken-down version of standard bowling. There are still 10 pins, but they and the ball are much smaller — similar to the size of a softball, he says.

“There are no holes. You just grab it and throw it,” he says.

“The nice part is that my 5-year-old niece can do it, and my 95-year-old grandma can do it. It’s very easy.”

Also find a virtual reality play space for up to four players. Unlike ones you might have tried at home, this VR system uses a dedicated space and advanced graphics to make it physically engaging and fully immersive with zero motion sickness.

“You can do everything from blasting zombies to Angry Birds to driving army tanks,” Frankish says.

The speakeasy has a quieter, more chill vibe, where you can relax with a cocktail or mocktail and nosh on craft dishes like scallops, truffle Parmesan fries or a charcuterie plate. Frankish says he can’t reveal the creative way to get to the speakeasy, but that’s all part of the fun.

“It’s very small, it’s very intimate,” Frankish says, “but it’s away from all the craziness of the bowling and the games.”

2220 Front St., Cuyahoga Falls, 330-807-8768, playattheworkz.com