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Bryden McCormick, a Fuquay-Varina dentist and owner of Fuquay Family Dentistry, shares how he went from economics and banking to dentistry, then to creating McWally’s after seeing the town’s need for a family entertainment spot. He explains the years-long process from concept to opening on August 20, 2025, including feasibility studies, working with family entertainment consultants, covid-driven cost increases that doubled the project to $20 million, and securing SBA financing through a small Wisconsin bank. With events and marketing manager Emily Jones, he highlights McWally’s bowling, arcade, food, bar, outdoor patio, and 5,000-square-foot laser tag arena, plus the challenges of managing a large teen staff, heavy party volume, and plans for a potential second location.
00:00 Dentist Meets Fun
02:50 Why Dentistry Chose Him
04:11 Landing in Fuquay-Varina
05:02 The McWally's Idea
06:08 Covid Costs and Investors
07:43 Naming McWally's
08:44 Balancing Two Businesses
09:41 Financing Hurdles
11:01 Emily Runs Events Marketing
12:26 Laser Tag and Murals
16:03 Community Reaction and Vision
18:34 Running Day to Day
19:26 Leadership Behind Scenes
20:17 Juggling Parties
21:08 Bright Open Vibe
23:29 Favorite Activities
24:27 Advice for New Owners
26:45 Dream Add-Ons
27:32 Second Location Plans
28:25 Surviving Weekend Rush
28:55 Year Two Excitement
30:01 Follow and Book Parties
30:26 Closing Thanks
02:50 Why Dentistry Chose Him
04:11 Landing in Fuquay-Varina
05:02 The McWally's Idea
06:08 Covid Costs and Investors
07:43 Naming McWally's
08:44 Balancing Two Businesses
09:41 Financing Hurdles
11:01 Emily Runs Events Marketing
12:26 Laser Tag and Murals
16:03 Community Reaction and Vision
18:34 Running Day to Day
19:26 Leadership Behind Scenes
20:17 Juggling Parties
21:08 Bright Open Vibe
23:29 Favorite Activities
24:27 Advice for New Owners
26:45 Dream Add-Ons
27:32 Second Location Plans
28:25 Surviving Weekend Rush
28:55 Year Two Excitement
30:01 Follow and Book Parties
30:26 Closing Thanks
Creators and Guests
Guest
What is What’s Up, Wake?
What’s Up, Wake covers the people, places, restaurants, and events of Wake County, North Carolina. Through conversations with local personalities from business owners to town staff and influencers to volunteers, we’ll take a closer look at what makes Wake County an outstanding place to live. Presented by Cherokee Media Group, the publishers of local lifestyle magazines Cary Magazine, Wake Living, and Main & Broad, What’s Up, Wake covers news and happenings in Raleigh, Cary, Morrisville, Apex, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, and Wake Forest.
61 - Whats Up Wake - Fun Dentist
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[00:00:00] I don't know about y'all, but I don't normally use the words fun and dentist in the same sentence, but that all changes today. Dr. Bride and McCormick. A Fuqua Family Dentistry used to only work on smiles,
Speaker: but as the owner of Mc Wally's and Fuqua Verina, he now creates them. The town of Fuqua Verina has been booming in recent years, but one thing that was missing was a fun [00:01:00] family entertainment spot. And Brighton not only saw the need, but stepped into fill it with bowling food, laser tag, and arcade games.
Mc Wally's is a one-stop shop for all things entertainment. So let's sink our teeth into life as a dentist turned fun. Creator with Brighton McCormick, who's here with his coordinator of fun, AKA, their events and marketing manager, Emily Jones. .
Melissa: . Thank you guys so much for being here. Brighton, I'm gonna start with you. Of course. Uhhuh. What inspired you to. I mean, really, I guess, become a dentist in the first place. Um, I think dentistry was in your family.
Your dad was also a dentist. Is that right?
Dr. McCormick: Yeah. Yeah, that's right. My dad's a dentist. Great uncle, great grandfather. They were all, oh, they were all dentists. Um,
Melissa: so you had to be a dentist?
Dr. McCormick: Well, I passed, started off, I was I had a, I got a degree in economics and worked in New York. Um,
Melissa: oh.
Dr. McCormick: And I had a banking job and hated it.
And so I actually ended [00:02:00] up, um, at, you know. I got laid off and trying to figure out what I wanted to do when I, when, when I grow up. So I read this book called Do What You Are, and it's basically a Briggs Meyers personality test that matches personality types that give that type of personality satisfaction from their job.
And so I was an ISTJ flipped to the back of the book, knew I wanted to go into healthcare and dentist was the best fit for that personality type. So I was like, you know, that was 19, or no, it was 2001. And, um, yeah, I was like, no way. This is crazy. My dad's a dentist. I worked in his office as a kid growing up.
Yeah. And I just, it, it, it excited me and I just attacked it. Um, went back to school, had to do all the science classes. Um, and at the same time my wife was teaching at Davidson and so I got into Chapel Hill. We moved up there and then she started teaching at Wake Tech. Which is Southern Wake County. [00:03:00] And, um, and she was at the southern campus down there.
And that's how I ended up in Fuqua studying my practice. Oh, so
Melissa: you're not a a Fuqua native?
Dr. McCormick: No.
Melissa: Oh, okay. Okay. No,
Dr. McCormick: I grew up in California.
Melissa: Wow, okay. For some reason I thought you were a Fuqua native. No.
Dr. McCormick: Okay.
Melissa: No. Okay.
Dr. McCormick: Um, so my wife was teaching at Wake Tech and her coworkers were all telling her, Hey, we need another dentist in Fuqua.
2008 when I graduated and I started looking around and saw that the population in Fuqua was growing like it was, and no dentist had opened up for a couple years and I was like, oh, this is a great spot. So that's how I ended up in Fuqua.
Melissa: And another thing that Fuqua desperately needed was an entertainment space.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah.
Melissa: So that, that is where Mc Wally's comes in.
Dr. McCormick: Yep.
Melissa: When did you have the idea of creating a a from the ground up space?
Dr. McCormick: So it's, I started in 2000. It was probably [00:04:00] 2013. Um, we had just had our fourth child and. There was, you know, just, there's nowhere to go. You know, if we had birthday parties, we're always going to Kerry, my office had gotten bigger and we had, we were up to a team of like, I don't know, 15, 16, 17 people.
And so Christmas parties, we always had to go up to Kerry. Mm-hmm. We had to go up to Raleigh. That just wasn't a, a space big enough to have us and the plus ones. You know, 30, 40 people in a space for dinner. And so that, that also kind of created this, you know, there needs to be something like this in Fuqua.
That's fun. It's family oriented. Um,
Melissa: and Fuqua has grown leaps and bounds. Yeah. In the last decade, really since COVID, there was a huge growth, huge
Dr. McCormick: influx. Yeah. Yeah. So we got into I purchased the property in like, oh, so I had the feasibility study, right, right. When COVID started. So literally the, the team was there.
Then the world shut in February and then the world shut down in March of 2020. So we had the [00:05:00] feasibility study. Um, it was, you know, obviously well supported. Um, the, the population was growing. There's, there's plenty of demand. Um, and that's what kind of what set us off. I started working with the, um, family entertainment consultant company, um, trifecta.
They're outta California. And they. Help guide me through the process. 'cause I didn't know at, you know, what I was doing. I just knew I had a concept and a dream and then I worked with them to, to put it all together and, and, you know, land. And it took us five years, we had to go through, you know, redesigns and get the cost of the project down.
'cause it started off as. A $10 million project and then through COVID and the cost increases. Yeah. Everything up with construction. Yeah. We ended up having it turned into a $20 million project, which
Melissa: Yikes.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah. So it, it doubled. So that's where I brought in investors and they, you know, all local, we're all, you know, living Garner, Fuqua, Andrew, um, we all have [00:06:00] families, so we all enjoy the space.
Melissa: Well I know that there was a lot of excitement around the space. I know when I first. Was started driving by the building and just kind of thinking, Hmm, I wonder what that's gonna be. And then I saw the Mc Wally's sign and then realized, oh wait, this is actually a really good, fun place. Yeah. That is certainly needed in the area.
But speaking of the name, where did you get the name? Mc Wally's.
Dr. McCormick: So yeah, we were working with the marketing company, a part of trifecta, um, and spit balling with different names and, and, um. You know, Roland on 55, and none of 'em really resonated. And so I just, you know, I threw out M Wally's and, and they're like, yeah, we love it.
And part of that thought came from like Dave and Buster's. Like, there's no, like Dave and Buster's, just two guys' names. Like, what does that mean? Um, but everyone knows it's an arcade and it's a fun place.
Emily Jones: Mm-hmm.
Dr. McCormick: So I was like, well, maybe Mc Wally's might work. So I threw it out and the marketing team jumped at it.
They loved it. They're like, you know, so [00:07:00] it's a combination of. McCormick, my last name, and my wife's her, her, her last name is Wallingford, and all her friends call her Wally. Oh, okay. And so we call her family the Mc Wally's. And so that's, that's where it came from.
Melissa: Okay. Okay. I be, I have been wondering where you got the name.
Mm-hmm. Um, but that makes perfect sense. And, and it is catchy. It's a, a memorable name. Okay. So you're a dentist by day, you're a Mc Wally's owner every other hour of the day.
Dr. McCormick: Mm-hmm.
Melissa: What is a more unpredictable day, a dentist day, or a Mc Wally's business owner?
Dr. McCormick: Um, each day is, you know, presents, its unique.
You never know, every day your feet hit the floor. Mm-hmm. And it's like, what, what's today gonna hold? Mm-hmm. So, yeah, I mean, it's just time management and, um, yeah. It's, but you know, now that the business is open, um, I've got a great general manager, um, and the team is coming together. It's, it's, um. You know, I, I'm not having to spend as [00:08:00] much time over there as I, as I was when we first opened and during the build phase.
I was there every single day. Every day.
Melissa: When did it officially open?
Dr. McCormick: August 20th.
Melissa: Of 2025?
Dr. McCormick: Yes.
Melissa: Oh, yeah. That's more recent than I was even thinking. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah, I was thinking it has already been a year, but it's been a little less than a year.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah.
Melissa: Okay.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah.
Melissa: What was the most I guess, challenging part of, from the, the idea to the fruition of.
Of it opening
Dr. McCormick: the financing.
Melissa: Mm-hmm.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah, that really that, um, getting the cost down. And then, um, I had two local banks that were all teed up and ready to go in 20, I think it was like 20. 22 I think it was. And, um, they both got cold feet, interest rates started going up. Mm. They got cold feet and they walked.
And that's where I, um, I worked with a consultant for, um, through SBA, um, the Small Business Business Administration. And [00:09:00] he got me in touch with a small bank out of Wisconsin of all places. And they financed they had, they've done other SBA projects, they had done other family entertainment centers. So they were comfortable with it.
And but yeah, bank five nine Outta Wisconsin Finance the project.
Melissa: It's funny that you say that. I, I would think it would be opposite that a, a larger bank would be more comfortable financing such a, a huge project. Yeah. Not a, not a smaller bank.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah. It was a small, they got like nine branches, I think.
Melissa: Okay.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah, I know. I just was, I, I, they came outta nowhere and they were great to work with and mm-hmm. It was a pretty streamlined process. It was all in all smooth.
Melissa: So Emily, you are the events and marketing manager at Mc Wallys. What does your day to day look like? I can imagine that weekends are particularly busy for you Yes.
With birthday parties Yes. And events. Um, but what, what is day to day Emily's life look like?
Emily Jones: Yeah. So honestly, it's a bit different every day, but I would [00:10:00] say the majority would be, of course, selling the parties that we book.
Melissa: Mm-hmm.
Emily Jones: And then I'll do a lot of social media stuff, take funny pictures of our employees, stuff like that.
And then recently I've started going out to some chamber events, just trying to get the m Wally's name out there. Yesterday I actually went to a bunch of fire departments around town to give out our new lunch menu and some coupons. So hopefully the firemen come out and have some lunch with us.
Melissa: Yeah, that's a great idea.
Emily Jones: Yeah,
Melissa: a great idea for marketing and spreading the word and getting, um, different groups of people in. I've only been once. I think it was a Saturday that I went and it was packed. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Absolutely packed. All the, all the bowling lanes were spoken for, for like a couple hours, I wanna say.
Default_2026-03-27_1: Yeah.
Melissa: Um, but yet my teenage son and his friends had an absolute blast.
They don't care about crowds, you know? Mm-hmm. It's, it's the middle aged mothers that are like, ah but they, they had an absolute blast. [00:11:00] And the, um, especially with the laser tag. Area. Yeah. So what made you want to include the laser tag area?
Emily Jones: Yeah, the la
Melissa: I didn't go inside the laser tag area, but my son was kind of describing it like, um, murals and I think maybe a Fortnite theme or snow.
Um, call of Of duty. Theme of duty. Yes. Yes. Which is of course a hit with the teenagers.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah. Yeah. It um, it's actually my favorite thing to do there. Yeah. So, um, I grew up as a kid bowling, um, but the, the laser tag, um, is. It's 5,000 square feet. Um, it was part of the feasibility study when we did that.
They were like, you know, have arcade, laser tag, a big restaurant, open bar, lots of TVs. Um, but the, the laser tag, when they first started, the team arrived. Um, and on paper you just, I had no idea that it would be that finished product. That is so cool. I mean. These, these two women came in and paint.
Basically they painted with goggles on, like with the [00:12:00] black lights, and that's how they painted all the murals in there. Um, and just, I mean, they're really artists. I mean, they, and I actually asked 'em like, what, how did you learn, how did you come into this field? This is such, you know, such a niche area.
Emily Jones: Mm-hmm.
Dr. McCormick: Um, they were like, we, we, they were from Indianapolis and they did their undergrad in art. They were artists. Mm-hmm. Know they got a degree in art. Um, being an artist, I guess, and, but that's, that's what they, yeah. They came in and knocked it out in like a week. Took 'em to paint everything in there.
Melissa: It almost sounds like a graffiti type of
Dr. McCormick: Yeah.
Melissa: Art.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah.
Melissa: But, you know, higher level, I guess.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah. With the tr you know, with the, with the truck coming outta the wall and the Yeah. And the fighter jet in the back and all the lights in there and it's just, it's, it's seven minutes each round. Seven minutes.
And every time I do it, it's like. There's no way that's seven minutes. Like you're just drenched in sweat.
Melissa: Yeah. Yeah.
Dr. McCormick: Um, I mean, it's, it's a really cool space.
Melissa: I need, I really need to try that next time and, and you go around and shoot my kids. Yeah. That sounds like a fun day.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah.
[00:13:00] how, [00:14:00] Emily, how do you think the community has responded to.
Melissa: Having this cool spot open up.
Emily Jones: Honestly, I would say it's been a great response from the community. Mm-hmm. I think everybody has been looking forward to something like this in the area. I know personally for myself, I grew up in the Fuqua area. Mm-hmm. We had nothing like this around, so I think, I mean, qua is
Melissa: so different
Emily Jones: Yeah.
Melissa: Than
Emily Jones: it
Melissa: you were growing up even, you know, you're, you're a youngin, but even, yeah. 10 years ago. It's just a night and day place. Yeah. Everything is is new and, and burgeoning it seems like, but this was something that was truly missing.
Emily Jones: Yeah, I completely agree with that. Mm-hmm.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah. Yeah.
Melissa: Um, so today looking stand, standing at Mc Wally's and looking at what you've created, is it what you envisioned?
Dr. McCormick: Yes, I love it. I mean it's, you know, seeing all the kids there, the families, I mean, the different. The different, I mean, it is really the melting pot of families in Fuqua that are, you know, hanging out, [00:15:00] just enjoying the, the space bowling. Um, you know, we had a, what, a hundred kids there on. Tuesday, I think from a, from a school, um, I think in c
Melissa: Raleigh
Dr. McCormick: or Raleigh.
Mm-hmm. You know, it was just, it's, it's really,
Melissa: I didn't get to go on field trips like that.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah. Um, it was, it was just, it's so cool to see it. I mean, it's just mm-hmm. You know, to see the place come alive, especially like Friday and Saturday when the music's, you know, bumping and mm-hmm. You know, you just see all the people and they're hanging out and just, it's the, the community needed it so bad it was starving for.
Somewhere to go and, and just, you know, have a place to just gather.
Melissa: And it's funny that you're talking about how now people are coming from other towns to M Wally's, whereas it, we were having to go from Fuqua to Carrie and Raleigh to do something fun like this. Now, now other people are coming to you guys.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah.
Melissa: Yeah. It is. It has flipped. The roles have reversed. Mm-hmm. Um, because really thinking about it, [00:16:00] there's really not. A place like m Wally's that has all of the things that you guys have with the arcade and the bowling and the laser tag and the restaurant, um, and a cool outdoor space. Right. Not to mention that, right.
Um, even in Raleigh, I can't, I mean, maybe, um, Frankie's mm-hmm. I, that's like the only place, but I do, they have laser tag. I can't even picture if they have laser. I, I never go out way North Raleigh these days,
Dr. McCormick: but yeah, me neither. I think I've been to Frankie's once maybe. Yeah. It's been a
Melissa: while
Dr. McCormick: though.
Melissa: Yeah. Yeah. Um. But there's, there's really not a lot of laser tag places in the triangle, so I, I think that is, um, that was a very smart move. Yeah. Thanks. Because that really sets you guys apart in a lot of ways from other places. Um, what we talked about the challenges of getting the, the building built and everything funded.
What are the, the challenges like day to day now?
Dr. McCormick: Um, it's, you know, you got a hundred [00:17:00] plus teenagers working there, so
Melissa: Really?
Dr. McCormick: Yeah.
Melissa: That's a big staff.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah. It's a, you know, so just, you know, just managing the, the people part of it.
Melissa: Mm-hmm.
Dr. McCormick: You know, the, um. That's the biggest challenge, you know?
Melissa: Do you ever get calls at the dentist office?
Like SOS emergency?
Dr. McCormick: No. No, not really. Um,
Melissa: it sounds like you have a good staff, like, you know, Emily and you mentioned also a, an operations manager or something like that. Yeah, Claretta. So
Dr. McCormick: we've, we've gone through some GMs and Loretta's been our, um, she's been, she, she's been in the role as the events director.
From the very beginning.
Melissa: Mm-hmm.
Dr. McCormick: And I saw a lot of her skillset and her organization, um, um, fit being the GM perfectly. So we created this hybrid role for her to maintain her role as the events, um, director.
Melissa: Mm-hmm.
Dr. McCormick: But also adding the GM responsibilities. So, um, it's been a great fit. She's, she's [00:18:00] been excellent.
She's, we needed that type of leadership in there and she's provided it and it's. Been, you know, a, a bit of a weight off my shoulders knowing that I can Oh, I
Melissa: bet.
Dr. McCormick: Have somebody. And that's competent and doing a really good job.
Melissa: I bet.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah.
Melissa: So, Emily, what is something that customers might be surprised to learn that happens behind the scenes as you're trying to coordinate all, all the things, all the parties, all the events.
A bunch of kids, a bunch of families. What, what does it look like behind the scenes for you that somebody might be surprised to hear? Yeah.
Emily Jones: I think, honestly, something that might be surprising is just about how many that we're handling at a time. Mm-hmm. I know some customers might think that this is the only party, but no, we have.
Probably 11 more of them. Yeah. Following right after. 'cause it always
Melissa: feels like it's just you. Yeah. You know? That's the one you're focused on.
Emily Jones: Yeah. And honestly, that's a great thing that we can make someone feel that way. Mm-hmm. And make them feel like they're the only thing we're worried about right now.
Yes.
Melissa: I would think that that's tricky to Yeah. [00:19:00] To balance that.
Emily Jones: Yeah. It sure can be.
Melissa: Mm-hmm. Okay. If, if Mc Wally's had a, a signature personality or a signature vibe, how would you guys describe it?
Dr. McCormick: Um, it's like a, it's a sunny place, right? It's, it's a sunny disposition in there. Um, it was actually all the light that flows in there, it's open, it's airy.
Um,
Melissa: that's actually a good point because I, I went to a place, um, kind of similar, you know, in an entertainment place in, um, near the beach. Mm-hmm. It was very dark.
Dr. McCormick: Mm-hmm.
Melissa: But Mc Wally's is, is bright. Yeah,
Dr. McCormick: yeah, yeah. And that's,
Melissa: I'm not sure how you manage that or there are just a bunch of. Windows and skylights.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah. I, I think the design, um, from the, the, from the very beginning had, you know, and I wanted lots of windows. Mm-hmm. Like windows are, you know, we have these big garage doors. There's lots of, you know, easy access to the [00:20:00] patio. Mm-hmm.
Melissa: Um.
Dr. McCormick: You can sit on the patio and have, you know, the bars opens up onto the patio.
Default_2026-03-27_1: It's
Melissa: just, yeah. It really is an open air feel on, at least on that one side of the building.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah. Mm-hmm. It has a bit of a California feel to it. Um,
Melissa: gotcha.
Dr. McCormick: So, but you know, that's, um, yeah, I, I, I love that openness and just the light that flow that. Filters into the space.
Melissa: Yeah. 'cause it could feel like a cave.
Yeah. You know, just dark and, um, especially with so much, you know the arcade equipment and all the activities going on in there.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah. And so the, you know, and the height of the building gives it that sort of, you know, open space mm-hmm. Feel to it as well. And we actually, during the Desi, the, the design of the building, we ha it was to save money, we dropped it five feet.
So that building originally was supposed to be. Almost 35 feet at the front. Which is, you know, the building already, it looks huge.
Melissa: Yeah, it does.
Dr. McCormick: So to think that it would, would, it could have been like five feet taller. Is, is Wow. It's just, [00:21:00] um, a bit much. But yeah, no, we dropped it down and, and yeah. But it still has a good, you know, open air doesn't feel like a cave.
Melissa: Mm-hmm.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah.
Melissa: How would you describe it, Emily?
Emily Jones: I would say Sony as well. Mm-hmm. But I guess to go off something different. I would say outgoing. You don't go there to relax, you go there to have fun. Talk to people or to be quiet. Yeah. Yeah.
Melissa: And solitary.
Emily Jones: Yep.
Melissa: Uhhuh.
Emily Jones: Yeah.
Melissa: Yeah. That, that's a very good, um, adjective as well.
What is your personal go-to activity when you guys actually get to go not work and just enjoy yourselves at Mc Wally's. What do you like to do? I, I guess laser tag is your answer.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah. Uhhuh. Mm-hmm. So yeah, we do laser tag. We always. We'll do one or two rounds of laser tag with my kids and
Melissa: yeah,
Dr. McCormick: our, like a little group of friends and yeah, that's, that's our favorite activity there for sure.
Melissa: What about you Emily?
Emily Jones: For me, I enjoy bringing a friend to the VIP room. It's a private area in m Wally's, and I am trying to better my bowling skills, so, oh, that's, yeah, that's what [00:22:00] I would pick.
Melissa: Yeah. I mean, bowling, I feel like is just something that is good for everyone because. Unless you're a pro and you do it all the time, it's kind of a level playing field.
Yeah. Mm-hmm. Um, I, I say that I'm not good. So I would say that I'm a level playing field, but I'm always the, the last on the scoreboard for sure. Um, so for someone thinking about starting a business that's so different than their normal everyday life like you did mm-hmm. Outside of dentistry. What kind of advice would you give for them?
Because I, I do feel like people might have dreams, um, and ambitions, but it's actually, um, a totally different thing to go for it. It's intimidating.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah. Yeah. I think just working with people that, you know, that. In that field.
Melissa: Mm-hmm.
Dr. McCormick: You know, 'cause for me, I had no [00:23:00] experience, um, you know, running a bowling alley, what that looked like.
And so working with the, you know, the management team to help, you know, guide and just, just help make decisions. Um, and that's, you know, the experience of working with people that know what they're doing is, is key to a successful project. That's why we picked the builder. You know, that's all the, the only space that they work in is family entertainment centers.
So I interviewed four or five different builders, um, and they were the only ones, so that this is all we do, family entertainment centers. Mm-hmm. And so they were a little bit more expensive, but I wanted to go with them because I knew that if I, there was a, they'd seen all the problems.
Melissa: Yeah.
Dr. McCormick: And they, they would know how to fix 'em.
And there's always problems on construction projects. And we had our share of 'em. But they were great to work with. They really helped mitigate. A lot of what could have been pretty big problems and, and work through them and not, you know, cost too much.
Melissa: Well, and it sounds like too, they also knew how to, [00:24:00] um.
You know, shave off some cost here and there, like you said, with Absolutely. With the height of the building. Yeah. Things that a, a lay person like myself would never notice or think of,
Dr. McCormick: right?
Melissa: Mm-hmm.
Dr. McCormick: Right. No, that was, you know, in trifecta. So they manage, you know, multiple bowling alleys, so I was comfortable with them.
Mm-hmm. 'cause they have this, you know, decades and decades experience that I can rely on for bouncing questions off of and, and helping. With the management side of things and picking vendors and, um, and so that, you know, just working with people that, that are, you know, skilled and competent. That would, that'd be my, my biggest definition.
Yeah, that's definitely good
Melissa: advice.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah.
Melissa: Let's say you have an unlimited budget, either of you, um, and, and you had unlimited physical space because, you know, you've obviously run out of space mm-hmm. And you've utilized every inch of what you have, but you have. Plenty of space, plenty of money. And you wanted to add [00:25:00] one more fun element?
Dr. McCormick: Go-karts.
Melissa: Oh yeah. Yeah. That would take up quite a bit more space though. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Dr. McCormick: I wish I could do it like a mini putt putt maybe.
Melissa: Oh, yeah.
Dr. McCormick: But like go-karts would be the bomb.
Melissa: Yeah, it would be. But that, yeah, that would take up too much space, I guess. Yeah. And, and be quite substantial with cost. But I did give you an unlimited budget, so.
Dr. McCormick: Mm-hmm.
Melissa: What about you?
Emily Jones: I would say go-karts too.
Melissa: Yeah.
Emily Jones: Yeah. I think that would be really fun at Mc Wally's.
Melissa: That would be fun. Is there, is there any, I like thoughts that you might expand one day. Do you have the room to expand?
Dr. McCormick: Not, I don't know about there. I think we're, we're kind of locked in at that site.
Mm-hmm. Um, but we do, we do have dreams of, you know, 2.0 m Wally's 2.00,
Melissa: okay.
Dr. McCormick: So we, you know, we're. We, we need to digest and, you know,
Melissa: take a little rest.
Dr. McCormick: Take a little rest. Yeah. You know, but within a year or two, um, you know, 'cause it takes a couple years to, from, you know, the planning to actually [00:26:00] opening at least, you know, a couple years to, to get through
Melissa: process.
Well, now you're a pro, so hopefully you've kind of sorted out the kinks and you can not, not have so many,
Dr. McCormick: you know?
Melissa: Yeah.
Dr. McCormick: I think every time I do a project there's always, there's always something new that comes along.
Melissa: Yeah.
Dr. McCormick: But yeah, no, we're, we're definitely. Have eyes on, on a on a second location.
Melissa: How do you manage a Saturday and Sunday Emily with so many people, so many personalities too that come in.
Emily Jones: Yeah, I would say I definitely start the morning with a prayer.
Melissa: Mm-hmm.
Emily Jones: And then I would say definitely
Default_2026-03-27_1: a
Melissa: big bowl of
Emily Jones: coffee. Yeah. Yeah. Yep. Honestly, just taking things at a time.
Melissa: Mm-hmm.
Emily Jones: You know, one thing at a time for sure. Things can go wrong from one second and then five minutes later everything is perfect.
So
Melissa: yeah,
Emily Jones: it's definitely just taking one thing at a time. And doing the best that I can.
Melissa: What are you guys most excited about? Heading into year two? Almost year two.
Dr. McCormick: I'm excited to see what this summer brings.
Melissa: Mm-hmm. [00:27:00]
Dr. McCormick: You know, it's, it'll be new territory. Um,
Melissa: yeah. It's your first summer.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah. I'm really excited to see what, what, you know, how busy stays.
Um, we got. Wake County has spring break this upcoming week, so it'll be interesting to see, you know
Melissa: mm-hmm.
Dr. McCormick: What business does during that, that time off, um, for the kids. And then, you know, summertime, I'm really, it's a, you know. Hmm. Curious
Melissa: every day could feel like a Saturday during the summer when the kids are out of school.
Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And people trying to beat the heat, get inside to do something fun.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. We had like Christmas break, um. Was wild. I mean, it was lines every day. I was shocked every, we'd have a line at 11 o'clock when we opened down the steps waiting to come in, um, every single day during Christmas break.
I'm
Melissa: not surprised at all.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah. So it was so cool. I mean, it was just like. Wow, that's,
Melissa: it just shows how much our area really did need something like
Dr. McCormick: this. Yeah, absolutely. Mm-hmm. 100%. Yeah.
Melissa: Well, thank you guys both so much for being here today. Mm-hmm. [00:28:00] Let everybody know where we can follow you on social media, Emily.
Emily Jones: Sure. Our Instagram page is Mc Wally's. Fun.
Melissa: Okay. Mc Wally's fun. Okay. And
Emily Jones: then Facebook, just mc wally's
Melissa: mc Wally's. And um. How do we book a party?
Emily Jones: You can visit the website m wallys.com/party, or you can email me at emily@mwallys.com.
Melissa: Okay, perfect. Well, thank you guys so much and congratulations on all that you have created.
Dr. McCormick: Yeah, thanks for having us. This was great.
Melissa: Perfect. [00:29:00]