The Ping-Pong Restaurant You Probably Forgot Susan Sarandon Owned
Susan Sarandon is a multi-award-winning actress who has graced the silver screen for decades in a number of beloved roles, including Janet Weiss in the '70s cult classic "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," Louise Sawyer in the female buddy dramedy "Thelma & Louise," Reggie Love in the legal thriller "The Client," and Vinnie in the comedy "The Banger Sisters," just to name a few (per IMDb). She is also a passionate activist, supporting social justice, environmental, and economic causes. Sarandon became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1999 and was given the Action Against Hunger Humanitarian Award in 2006, per Biography.
Outside of her legendary acting credits — and not-so-legendary (but still delightful) ones, like the time she brought Amy Sedaris anniversary cupcakes – and her humanitarianism, Sarandon has partaken in other impressive ventures, some of which her fans may have forgotten about. For example, a little over a decade ago, the Hollywood icon added business owner to her résumé, co-founding an international table tennis club franchise in New York City's Flatiron District.
Susan Sarandon co-founded the SPIN ping-pong restaurant chain
Susan Sarandon and ping-pong: two global phenomena. And when they're combined, something just short of magic happens. Back in 2009, Sarandon launched SPIN (sometimes stylized as SPiN), a table tennis social club and bar/restaurant, with her then-boyfriend, American film producer and cinematographer Jonathan Bricklin, actor Franck Raharinosy, former tennis pro and retired investment banker Andrew Gordon, and tennis table pro Wally Green, according to Startup Savant.
In addition to hosting ping-pong parties and tournaments, SPIN serves tasty food and drinks. So, what makes SPIN different from other bars and eateries? The establishment's official website describes the concept as, "your offline social network, the only one that doesn't require a membership." The company states, "We encourage human connections through a game that transcends age, gender, and any boundaries. SPIN welcomes diversity and embraces the unconventional." SPIN's restaurants offer a variety of shareable grub, including appetizers, sandwiches, pizzas, tacos, and desserts, many of which are made with ingredients from each city's local farms, according to the website. Customers can also imbibe beer, wine, and cocktails while challenging their opponents to a game of table tennis.
SPIN currently has locations in Boston, Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington D.C., and Toronto. If Sarandon's story doesn't inspire you to turn your hobby into a hustle, we're not sure what will.