A look at ‘The Underground’

Technology had promised to connect us and to facilitate the creation of like-minded groups who could share the things they have in common, but many complain that while it has connected us, it has created too many silos of individuals who rarely interact with one another or meet in person. Except for The Underground in the Glenwood-Vernon, NJ, area.

Begun by Scott and Sinéad Naughton, a couple from England and Ireland, respectively, who accidentally met while they both moved to New York City, The Glenwood is a restaurant and event space in northern New Jersey, with a unique downstairs bar called The Underground where guests can enjoy technological entertainment such as augmented darts, smart darts, trackman golf simulators, shuffleboard, and pool.

“When guests enter the space,” remarked Scott Naughton, “they get a good dose of the wow factor ... some of them are a bit skeptical of the darts at first, but once they pick it up and they realize it’s got the same weight as a regular dart, they’re blown away.” Manufactured by Unicorn, the system uses a real dartboard and darts. The dartboard is made to the same standards as the Unicorn HD Eclipse 2, the board used in all professional darts events, except that the scoring and record-keeping is done electronically, so all guests have to do is enjoy themselves while throwing the darts.

Scott had a conversation with the manufacturer’s headquarters while he was in the UK and convinced the company to make its first foray into the U.S. gaming market at Scott and Sinéad’s place, in The Glenwood. Based on the success of that first installation, the company went on to sign up venues in Las Vegas and elsewhere in the country. “The whole experience allows people to interact with one another in a soothing environment where they can order food and enjoy any beverage of their preference,” added Scott.

The Trackman Golf Simulator is another game system in The Underground. It features simulated weather, atmospheric changes, and life-like depictions of famous courses. The Trackman Gold simulator has partnered with the PGA and has trained thousands of its pro golfers who have played on its virtual courses in Ireland, the Carolinas, California, and New York.

The Underground has begun to accept larger groups who have even wanted to take over the entire space for an evening or a day. It’s even become an attractive alternative for companies who want to teach their employees about team building and collaboration.

“Companies are definitely all in when it comes to encouraging a good team bonding session as well,” commented Scott, “and this is a real-life activity that can easily facilitate the formation of all kinds of relationships. Our objective was to have a place where people could have some fun in doing something else, you know, that’s a little different.”

The Underground at The Glenwood (TheGlenwoodNJ.com) is at 2 Vernon Crossing Rd, in Glenwood, NJ. It is open Wednesdays through Sundays and is available for booking individuals, couples, or groups. They offer catering, full bar, large screens for enjoying your favorite teams, as well as shuffleball and billiards.