ParT Barn, a new restaurant and golf simulator venue, is expected to open this fall at the corner of I-94 and Hudson Boulevard in Lake Elmo. It will take over the building that was once the Machine Shed Restaurant.
Set for a soft opening around Nov. 1, the space will combine a full-service dining experience with nine high-tech GOLFZON simulators, allowing guests to eat, drink and virtually play world-famous courses like Pebble Beach and St. Andrews.
The project comes from Mike and Kim Whalen of Heart of America Group, the same developers who operate the Holiday Inn & Suites next door. They’ve spent months reimagining the former restaurant space into something new for the growing corridor.
“After being in business for 49 years, we said to ourselves, ‘these simulators look cool,’ but we also wanted to have the best versions available.” Mike said. “And not only simulators, we want to have quality food and beverages to go along with it.”
Though the group has opened dozens of restaurants and hotels across seven states, ParT Barn marks its first campaign into the golf entertainment space. Mike called the simulators “technological marvels” and said they’ve come a long way since the early days of clunky swing sensors and pixelated graphics.
“These things are like the difference between a Ferrari and a Model T,” he added.
Beyond casual play, the venue is also expected to host leagues, private lessons and events ranging from corporate retreats to birthday parties. Kim, who leads the architecture team for the company, said the interior is designed to create a blend of open space for large groups to connect but have simulators properly sectioned between each other to avoid that crowded feeling.
“It’s going to be a great amenity for our hotel guests to have something out of the ordinary, and they don’t have to leave their property,” Kim said.
The concept also arrives at a time when interest in indoor golf is surging across the east metro, with recent openings like the PGA Tour Superstore and Topgolf in nearby Woodbury signaling a strong regional appetite.
“We’ve been in this business for a long time and the excitement that we feel within our own company, we’re quite sure that that is going to be the same level of excitement brought to the community,” Kim said.
