Ellsworth Candlepin Alley in the Maine city of the same name is undergoing some renovations after receiving more than $340,000 in donations, the Bangor Daily News reported. Following a CBS News Sunday Morning feature in August, more than 4,000 donors took to the GoFundMe campaign created by the alley’s owner Autumn Mowery, who was only 18 when she took over the center in 2021. She also offers behind-the-scenes tours of the bowling alley’s historic pinsetters. Much of the candlepin alley’s equipment dates back to the 1940s, though the venue itself has operated since 1974 under various names. The business said…
Author: Matt Harding
TouchMagix will be in booth S217 at the upcoming IAAPA Expo with a brand-new game that’s yet to be unveiled. The company will also have other recent machines like Pickleball Toss, Knock ‘A’ Duck, Treasure Chest, Boxed Up! and Crazy Prize. If you won’t be heading out to Orlando this year, be sure to check their website after the show to see the debut game and their entire lineup: www.touchmagix.com.
Monster Mini Golf has teamed up with Special Olympics for a nationwide fundraising campaign throughout the month of November. Guests visiting any of the 43 Monster Mini Golf locations in North America will be able to add a $1, $3 or $5 donation to their purchase at check-in. “The opportunity to work with Special Olympics feels personal to me,” said Chris King, CEO of Monster Entertainment. “I grew up seeing firsthand the impact Special Olympics can have on athletes and their families, and those experiences have stayed with me. At Monster Mini Golf, we’ve always strived to make fun accessible…
Launch Family Entertainment is scheduled to open their 31,400-sq.-ft. location in Pensacola, Florida, on Nov. 14. The grand opening event will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony and giveaways like free jumping for a year for the first 150 guests. “Pensacola represents an important addition to our growing Florida footprint and reflects our commitment to bringing a more comprehensive family entertainment experience to communities across the country,” said CEO Craig Erlich. “We’ve built Launch around the idea that families want more than a single attraction. They want a destination where they can spend time together, enjoy great food and create lasting memories.”…
Eric Covert of Claw Machine Buddy recently published a report that offers insights into the many crane arcades that’ve popped up in the U.S. By their count, there are 335 dedicated “clawcades” in the country, at least 20% of which have opened since 2024. Texas has the most with 73 such locations, 22% of the national total. Metro areas with the most venues are Houton (28), Las Vegas (23), Los Angeles (19), Dallas-Fort Worth (17), New York (14), San Antonio (10), Minneapolis-St. Paul (9), Atlanta (8), Denver (8), Phoenix (8) and San Francisco-Oakland (8). The full report, rankings by metro…
Level Up Arcade+Bar is scheduled to open Nov. 20 in Bristol, Pennsylvania. According to its Instagram, the venue will have “retro favorites, Killer Queen, milkshakes, signature drinks, sharables, parties and plenty more.” Philly Burbs reports that the two-story Level Up will feature more than 30 pinball machines (Dracula and Jurassic Parkamong them) and arcade games, such as Tron, Defender and Gauntlet II. There is also patio space and outdoor seating. The business is online at www.level-up-arcade.com or @gottolevelup on Instagram.
Dave & Buster’s recently announced the grand opening of its location in College Station, Texas, was Oct. 26. “From our state-of-the-art sports viewing setup to the energy on the gaming floor, we are ready to become the go-to spot for unforgettable experiences,” said the venue’s general manager Matt Shoemaker. To date, the company now operates 251 venues across North America – 185 D&B’s and 66 Main Event locations. Learn more at: www.daveandbusters.com.
Betson Enterprises invites IAAPA attendees to visit booths S2907, S3007 and S3207 to “be among the first to experience exciting new Betson-exclusive games debuting at IAAPA.” The company also said they’ll have new special leasing and financing offers available during the show. Expect new releases and fan-favorite titles from Raw Thrills and Play Mechanix. Go to www.betson.com for additional info.
Delta Strike will be at IAAPA Expo in booths S4278 and S4281 talking about laser tag, Delta Matrix and their all-new Delta Golf attraction. Among their staff at the show will be North American sales consultants Andrew Roth and Nate Murray and the marketing and sales manager for Oceania, Asia and Europe, Mitch Robertson. Click here to read more about what they’re bringing and visit www.deltastrike.com for more.
The Fun Factory at Florida Mall in Orlando was once again selected as a Readers’ Choice “Best of the Best 2026” in the Family Entertainment category by Orlando Family Magazine. Fun Factory offers indoor carnival rides, carnival games, video games, redemption machines, cranes and more. They also initiated an Honor Roll program 20 years ago “as a way to motivate and recognize our youth and their efforts to achieving academic excellence.”