In 2023, redevelopment at CityPlace in West Palm Beach took down the former AMC theater and several entertainment venues to make room for office buildings, and it closed the Palm Beach Improv, as CBS12 reported. For about three years, the county's best-known comedy club had no stage. It found a new one this September on the upper level of the Mall at Wellington Green, and according to the Palm Beach Post, shows in the 450-seat room have been selling out.
The Improv also brought other businesses with it. Since late summer, the mall at 10300 W. Forest Hill Blvd. has added a pub with a stage, a larger arcade with its own kitchen and bar, an indoor playground and a bakery. A 2008 vacancy on the property out front is being rebuilt as an indoor pickleball club. All of these sit next to one another, and together they make an evening in Wellington possible without driving east.
The comedy club came west and brought its bar
The Improv opened with a Labor Day grand-opening run on September 4 through 6, with Nate Jackson headlining. A month later its partner venue opened next door. The Town-Crier reported that Copper Blues Rock Pub & Kitchen held its public grand opening on October 16 and 17. It seats up to 275 guests, with bar and outdoor seating included.
Copper Blues is the Improv's official bar and restaurant, so you can have dinner before a show or a drink after one without moving the car. It also serves diners and live-music crowds on nights when you have no show tickets. The menu leans American pub, with Copper Nachos and Steak Frites. On the cocktail list you'll find the Strawberry Fields and the Champagne Supernova. There's a happy hour, and brunch is planned.
The Improv's holiday lineup is a good reason to plan ahead. Its calendar lists Adam Carolla for November 27 through 29, Damon Wayans for December 3 through 6, Trey Kennedy for December 18 and 19, and Gianmarco Soresi for December 30 and 31, so the year's last two nights are covered. Ticket listings for November shows on the Palm Beach Improv site ran $41.90 for general admission and $51.90 to $56.90 for VIP reserved seats, fees included. Prices change from show to show. Every guest in the showroom has a two-drink minimum, and nonalcoholic drinks count toward it.
A mall that stays open past its stores
A comedy club and a pub would be a nice pair on their own. The mall became a place to stay for the evening because other businesses there now keep late hours too.
In June, Arcade Time Entertainment moved from its second-floor spot into a 13,000-square-foot space on the first floor with a kitchen and bar, the Town-Crier reported. The Wellington Edit's fall business roundup lists its hours as 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. in Suite 122. That's hours after a late Improv set lets out.
The mall's management says this is the plan. Speaking to the Town-Crier about the Copper Blues opening, general manager Asad Sadiq said:
"The opening of Copper Blues, alongside Palm Beach Improv, is another important step in the Mall at Wellington Green's continued evolution into a premier destination for dining and entertainment, in addition to specialized retail. We're focused on creating more reasons for guests to visit, stay longer and enjoy experiences that extend well beyond traditional shopping."
The daytime shift
The same approach works during the day, with families and errands. Here's what has opened at the mall and its edges since summer, plus one store on the way:
| Spot | Where | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Kids Empire | Second floor, near the Grand Court | Open daily. $22.90 per child includes entry for two adults, with all-day reentry. A 10-visit punch card costs $159. |
| Arcade Time Entertainment | First floor, Suite 122 | 13,000 square feet with a kitchen and bar. Open 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. |
| Silk & Sugga | First floor, near JCPenney | Bakery that opened over the summer |
| La Coppetta Matta | 10660 Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 150 | Italian gelato, Italian ices, gelato pops and granita drinks. Opened September 6 |
| Miss A | Inside the mall | Beauty and lifestyle chain whose products are generally $1 to $10. Listed as coming soon |
Kids Empire is the biggest of these. The Town-Crier describes a 10,223-square-foot indoor playground with floor-to-ceiling climbing walls, ball pits, slides, go-karts, a dance room, a separate toddler area and a family snack bar. Infants under one get in free with a sibling, and active-duty military families get 10 percent off with ID. With all-day reentry, a family can leave for lunch at the mall and come back afterward on the same admission. During Wellington's wet afternoons, that matters.
The empty building out front
The clearest sign of the change sits in the Shoppes at Wellington Green, the plaza on Forest Hill Boulevard in front of the mall. The former Circuit City building there went up in 2002 and has been mostly vacant since the chain closed its stores in 2008. Several proposals for it never moved forward.
The new tenant is Diadem Pickleball Complex, at 10570 W. Forest Hill Blvd. In September, the Town-Crier reported a plan for 11 air-conditioned indoor courts, two pickleball simulators, two golf simulators, a pro shop, a private party area and a restaurant and bar. Gene DeVito, who runs pickleball at Diadem's Coconut Creek location, told the paper the company chose Wellington because of its established pickleball community and its limited indoor options. Diadem plans a soft opening in December and a full launch in January.
Wellington Planning, Zoning & Building Director Tim Stillings told the Town-Crier, "It's a benefit to fill a storefront that has been vacant for many years." Once Diadem opens, one parking lot will serve courts, a comedy club, a live-music pub and an arcade that's open until 3 a.m.
The holidays, from the mall to the Amphitheater
The holiday calendar connects the mall to the Village's free events nearby. Both are close to Forest Hill Boulevard, and on parade day the boulevard itself becomes the venue. Coming up:
- November 14. The free Weekend Concert Series brings The Long Run, an Eagles tribute band, to the Wellington Amphitheater from 6 to 9:30 p.m.
- December 3. The Village's free Holiday Cultural Celebration & Tree Lighting runs from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Amphitheater, with the tree lit at 6:30 p.m. The lineup includes the Wellington Jazz Band, Almost Carpenter, food trucks and more than 40 market vendors. That same week, Damon Wayans begins a four-night run at the Improv.
- December 5 and 6. The mall hosts Musicthon from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days, with students of the Palm Beach County Music Teachers Association. On December 5, the free Extraordinary Kids Holiday Fest runs at the Amphitheater from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with Santa photos, crafts, a petting zoo and sensory stations.
- December 6. The mall's Hanukkah Celebration with Chabad of Wellington runs from 3 to 6 p.m. in District Court, across from H&M, with treats, face painting and live entertainment.
- December 10. Thursday Nights: Holiday Bizarre brings 56 ACE to the Amphitheater from 5 to 9 p.m., along with more than 35 market vendors and food trucks. It's free.
- December 13. The 42nd Wellington Holiday Parade, themed "A Star-Spangled Holiday: Celebrating 250 Years as a Nation," steps off at 1:30 p.m. A holiday park opens at the Amphitheater at 10 a.m., and Forest Hill Boulevard begins closing at 1 p.m.
The parade-day closures fall on the road that leads to the mall. If you plan to go to both, get to the mall before 1 p.m. or wait until the parade route reopens.
If you're new to Wellington this season, or you own here part-time and want the area's evening and family options mapped out before your guests arrive, Stephanie and her team track openings like these as closely as they track the market. Stephanie Schwed is glad to share what's opening near you and on your calendar. Let's Connect.
