A new sports bar concept from the team behind Hardwater Cocktail Room is almost ready to open at 8th Street Market.

Parlay on 8th, a sports-focused restaurant and lounge concept featuring bar food, games and live music, is on track to open this month, although an exact opening date has not been announced. A soft opening event was held on Super Bowl Sunday in preparation for the official debut, giving staff the first chance to work with the full food and drink menu. 

“The first impression is everything,” Director of Operations Claire Thompson said. “So we want to make sure we’re prepared and ready.”

This is the latest concept from Bentonville natives Cole and Jenny Campbell, who opened Hardwater Cocktail Room in 2024 as well as a pub in Chicago called Lone Owl the year prior. 

Parlay on 8th is located at 801 SE 8th St., Ste. 21, in the space previously occupied by The Holler, which closed in late 2020 after 3 years in business. The shuffleboard floor, a popular feature of the former operation, remains a focal point of the redesigned space.

“It’s a cool shuffleboard that gives this big space something unique,” Thompson said. “We tried to pay a few odes to The Holler, for sure.”

Gabby Cottrell, events manager for Parlay on 8th, described the concept as a “high-end version” of a traditional sports bar, with an elevated game-day atmosphere. In addition to shuffleboard, the space will include pool tables and multiple TVs showcasing live sports.

Parlay on 8th plans to be open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. The location can host private and corporate events, said Cottrell, who has already received inquiries about hosting.

The menu blends sports bar staples with Cajun and Creole influences, offering a wide range of burgers, rabbit gumbo and salmon dip topped with roe. Thompson described the food selection as “pretty eclectic.”

The drink menu includes unique offerings from beverage developer Evan O’Callahan, who also created the cocktail menu for Hardwater Cocktail Room. Among the featured beverages is an on-tap nitro Old Fashioned and the Jade Protocol, a piña colada riff with matcha to create “a really fun green color,” said Thompson.

“I want the menu to be approachable,” she said. “The drinks should be familiar enough but still pushing the edge for a sports bar — easy to execute, but still something you’d want to have another of.”

As final details come together, Cottrell said the team feels ready.

“We have all we need to fully open,” she said. “Now it’s just making sure we’re ready to showcase what we know we’ve got here.”