Something New in this Town: Funatics brings a new college hangout
Finding something to do in Logan can be more difficult than figuring out the topic for a 15-page report that’s due tomorrow.
However, a few local entrepreneurs are trying to fix that problem by trying something new.
Three close friends, Tony Stauffer and Utah State University students Jordan Lyle and Travis Green, brought their ideas together to create Funatics.
“It’s a college hangout,” Lyle said, who is a marketing major and taking a semester off for the business.
Located on Main Street at the bottom of the hill on 140 South, Funatics is shading new light to an old downtown.
Lyle, Stauffer and Green are all co-owners of the establishment which opened just two months ago.
It provides what Lyle calls a “college atmosphere” with a billiards hall, including five pool tables, a cosmic glow-in-the-dark indoor miniature golf, arcades, including a couple of old-school Atari games and air hockey.
And Funatics is marketing on something new – the recent popularity of X-Box by adding multiple Halo 2 tournament gaming rooms that include ceiling-to-floor projection screens.
Funatics may look small from the outside windows, but besides its dinning area, pool tables and gamer rooms, there’s the full 18-hole miniature golf course in a large open room in the back of the facility.
The jungle-themed mini golf room is filled with neon colors and is lit by black lights.
Green said the idea came for funatics when they all began brainstorming for ideas after getting “steal” on the lease. Green said the ideas came from their personal frustration of nothing to do in Logan.
“We grew up in Cache Valley and we know how it is. I mean, besides the Fun Park and Logan Lanes, which are both bowling alleys, there’s slim pickings,” Green said. “There’s not a lot to do – especially on a date with someone.”
He said he and the co-owners were always thinking about a way to make a buck and the idea came together.
“There’s tons of college students, so why don’t we try to figure out something people can do on dates,” he said. “We just came up with the idea to have fun.”
Green said the business is a 3-way equal partnership and they brought all their skills together to build it.
Since Funatics opened, it has hosted a live stand-up comedy night and a local hip-hop show last week and Green says there is more to come.
Next Thursday, weekly Halo 2 tournaments will begin.
The tournaments will be made of six teams of four players, with a $100 cash prize for first place, $40 for second and $20 for third. There is a $40 charge per group. The tournaments will run each Thursday beginning at 7 p.m.
For those just wanting to play Halo on their own terms, the cost is $3 per hour.
Billiards play is $3 an hour and mini golf is $5 for 18 holes.
“We’re a place for the college kids to hang out and go on dates,” Green said.
-joelfeathers@cc.usu.edu
The 18-hole cosmic mini golF glows in the dark. (Photo by Jamie Crane)
Funatics has several Halo 2 game rooms. (Photo by Jamie Crane)
Funatics is shining new light to old downtown Logan. It features pool tables, game rooms, miniature golf and more entertainment and is located 140 S. Main Street. (Photo by Jamie Crane)