Dave & Buster's coming to Memphis

A Dave & Buster's, the massive hybrid of a restaurant and  game arcade for grown ups, is coming to Memphis, according to a commercial landlord.

The Dallas-based chain will put one of its restaurant-arcades in the space where Sports Authority operated before closing in The Commons of Wolfcreek, the large strip retail center across North  Germantown Parkway from Wolfchase Galleria. The site is next to Best Buy.

The new entertainment center is expected to open later this year, joining an array of new restaurants and retailers in the area including Cheesecake Factory and Ikea.

Dave & Buster's officials did not return calls this week. A spokesman for shopping center landlord Brixmor Property Group confirmed the development Thursday morning.

"Yes, we will be adding Dave & Buster's as an entertainment anchor at The Commons of Wolfcreek,'' Brixmor spokeswoman Kristen Moore said by email. "... The space was formerly occupied by The Sports Authority.''

The Dave & Buster's is scheduled to open there in the last three months of this year, she said.

Dave & Buster's restaurants are typically about 45,000 square feet, which is about the size of the typical supermarket. While they offer an extensive menu of typical pub-style drinks and food — including hamburgers, pizza and barbecue — most of the company's $867 million in annual revenue is generated by the nearly 200 arcade games. Customers pay to play the games by loading money onto a "Power Card.''

There are more than 90 Dave & Buster's locations around the nation. According to a recent Motley Fool finance column, Dave & Buster's has performed well since an initial public offering of stocks in 2014. In 2016, the stock rose 35 percent.

The Motley Fool column credited the amusement side of the business for most of the success, stating that most of the revenue comes from the games, not the restaurant.

The finance column also stated Dave & Buster's plans to open 11 restaurant/arcades this year.