High 5 locations in Lakeway, Austin delay opening to June 1

High 5 Family Entertainment Center locations in Austin and Lakeway will reopen to guests slightly later than initially planned.

The High 5 Entertainment board of directors met and voted to postpone the reopening of its two Austin locations to June 1, according to information from Jenny Emley, High 5 Entertainment vice president of sales and marketing.

Emley said several of the company's more than 70 Austin-area employees who were furloughed at the end of March have returned to work, with the remainder slated to report back May 25 for training on new policies and procedures.

"Our number one priority is keeping our team members and guests safe and comfortable, and that starts with effective training and implementation," Emley said in an email to Community Impact Newspaper. "We have added new procedures to ensure less touchpoints. Lane Concierges will be taking shoes to the lanes for each group, helping with ball selection, and sanitizing and returning excess balls and shoes."

QR codes will replace menus on the table for guests to view menus from their phones, she said, adding the company is installing a touchless handwashing station placed near the game rooms for easy access to frequent touchless handwashing.

High 5 had originally planned to open both of its locations May 21 to 50% capacity, which is permitted under guidelines within Gov. Greg Abbott's plan to reopen Texas, but Emley stated May 1 that executive staff was carefully monitoring the situation as it developed to employ the safest possible strategy.

The company had also planned a soft opening for May 20 involving a free appreciation party for H-E-B employees at both of its Austin-area locations, including the center at Anderson Lane. Emley said the appreciation party is now slated for May 28 at the Lakeway location, located at 1502 RM 620 in Lakeway.