Regina’s first “barcade” is bringing baseball and beer to “The Soul of The City”.

Regina’s Warehouse District, dubbed “The Soul of The City” by local businesses, welcomed Baller’s Rec Room to Dewdney Avenue in December.

Over the last decade the district has seen a rise in the number of bars, nightclubs and breweries that have set up shop within the area to create a strip of businesses.

The new interactive sports bar, which offers arcade classics, billiards and baseball batting cages, hopes to become a mainstay in a location with a failed history.

Kaleb Smith, the assistant general manager of Baller’s Rec Room, boasts that his “barcade” is the first of its kind in the city.

“It was a little bit of a team effort…we had the idea for a barcade for the last couple of years,” said Smith.

“We’d been throwing it around and when we were renovating … we met an electrician named Kelly McLeod who told us his ideas for licensed batting cages in the city, and we figured that video games, batting cages and pints of beer sound like a pretty enjoyable evening.”

McLeod and Kaleb’s father, Mark, are Baller’s owners. Decades ago, the building was textile supplier Fanny’s Fabrics and recently it has been home to bars such as Pure and Bobby’s Place. Smith isn’t concerned the location’s history of failed businesses will deter their customer base.

“We’ve had this building, our ownership group, ever since it was The Drink about 12 years ago,” said Smith. “It was sitting empty for about six to nine months. We figured it was one of the best places for this concept.”

Ian McFadyen and Rec Mercado are already regulars. The two have been to the bar almost a dozen times since its opening.

“It’s fun cause there’s actually something to do,” said McFadyen. You don’t just sit down at a bar and have a drink and chat with your friends, you actually get to do something, play baseball. I don’t know the last time I’ve been in a batting cage and it’s amazing.

“Whether it’s the basketball or the skee-ball, or playing Pac-Man on a giant screen, there’s kind of a little something for everybody.”

Mercado agrees.

“You can compete with your buddies, you have something to play them in,” said Mercado. It’s something to talk about and tie the night together … the batting cages are awesome. Hitting dingers and getting a sweat on a little bit.”

Leasa Gibbons, the executive director for Regina’s Warehouse Business Improvement District, explains what the addition of the bar will mean to the neighbourhood.

“I grew up in Regina,” said Gibbons. This neighbourhood has always been interesting, what we’ve been saying is the ‘soul of the city.’

“Baller’s Rec Room is really exciting for me … we have been really missing something that combines the world of Chuck E. Cheese, Ruckers and then adult entertainment.”

Gibbons acknowledges how the district’s business landscape has changed in recent years.

“I think this transition is happening independently, so we’re seeing a lot of adaptive reuse,” said Gibbons. “We actually have a lot of office space so we are looking for businesses that service our nine-to-five office folks who are working in the district.”

“I think the hospitality evening, nightlife industry, is changing … and bringing businesses like Baller’s on side, I think we’re going to see folks out a littler earlier than what we have been seeing.”

Smith remains optimistic the new venture will bring positive change to the neighbourhood.

“I think it’s really going to bring a new life to the Dewdney strip,” said Smith. It’s been a little bit of a long time since a new happening night spot came along… I think this is where the nightclub industry is heading.”

Baller’s Rec Room is located at 2044 Dewdney Ave. and is open seven days a week.