Slackers, an arcade bar in San Antonio, Texas, will reportedly move one of its locations soon. They will take over a space formerly occupied by Limelight, a bar and music club. The first Slackers location on what locals call “The Strip” opened in 2017, making it the third location for the local chain. A sign was put up recently at Limelight noting “Slackers Coming Soon!” but details are scant at the moment. The former live music venue, Limelight, quietly closed during the pandemic – apparently permanently, which is news to the community.
Author: Matt Harding
Semnox has implemented its offerings in 15 new amusement locations in the United Kingdom in the past year, the company reports. Well-known venues like M&D’s Scotland Theme Park and Codona’s have been among the most recent. Semnox said it’s seen a “tremendous response” from the U.K. market with the post-Covid demand for touchless, cashless and contactless operations. “We have been seeing an increasing demand in businesses looking at online sales platforms like websites and mobile apps to support their physical ticket sales,” said Ashish KS, group client manager of Semnox Solutions. “The growth was expected but the pandemic has pushed…
AAMA’s members-only Annual Meeting will be held at the Westin Chicago Lombard Hotel next week from Sept. 21-22. It will celebrate the association’s 40th anniversary and provide opportunities for members to network, learn, share and have some fun. If you’re not a member and were considering attending, keep in mind that dues have been comped for 2021 – reach out to Tina Schwartz at [email protected] or visit the association’s website to become a member. The state of Illinois is under an indoor mask mandate regardless of vaccination status, so attendees should keep that in mind as well. Click here for…
North Coast Pinball, a pinball lounge (and kite shop), recently opened in Nehalem, Oregon – a town on the coast within a two-hour drive of Portland. According to the Tillamook Headlight Herald, the space has 16 pinball machines and two arcade games. They range from 1978 pins to modern games released in 2020. Jurassic Park and Attack From Mars are among the favorites, said owner Will Irace. “I grew up in the heyday of video arcades, but it’s pinball I’m especially interested in because of its unique combination of mechanical and electronic parts,” he said. “Keeping the games running is…
High Caliber Karting and Entertainment opened its 25,000-sq.-ft., $2 million expansion at the Meridian Mall this month in Meridian Township, Michigan, according to the Lansing State Journal. The opening comes 18 months after the plans were announced. The expansion, delayed by the pandemic, includes a new bar, an “Assault Arena” (Nerf guns, bows with padded arrows, etc.), gamified axe-throwing with digital targets and two VIP rooms. The business now takes up 105,000 sq. ft. and is one of the mall’s anchor tenants. An official grand opening event is planned for Sept. 18. Learn more at www.highcaliberkarting.com.
Goldfinger Monitors recently shifted production of its monitors to Vietnam, where the company says it’s been “received with open arms.” Now they’re working to give back – starting with stepping up to support the community with food donations. “We view our factories as an extension of the company and true partners in our production process,” said CEO Daniel Hartmann. “I’ve personally overseen the production at our Vietnam factory and have seen first-hand some of the issues facing the local community. I knew it was important to give back because we can help.” The Goldfinger team has been able to support…
Main Event opened its newest center on Sept. 1 at The District at Chesterfield in the St. Louis area. Intercard, whose home is in St. Louis, welcomed their longtime customer to the area on Aug. 29 at the VIP opening of the facility (pictured at right is Intercard CEO Scott Sherrod with Main Event COO Tony Wehner). The 50,000-sq.-ft. facility has 22 bowling lanes, a multi-level laser tag arena, rock climbing wall and more – including their 100-game arcade and restaurant-bar. “For more than 20 years, Intercard has been proud to help Main Event bring its leading brand of family…
In the words of AAMA’s Pete Gustafson, “Gene Lipkin has left the arcade.” Gene – known both for his huge talents in all things coin-op as well as for some character defects that out of respect will not be detailed here – was without doubt one of the most colorful of industry figures ever to make and sell amusement games. He finally succumbed to the cancer he’s suffered on and off for several years on Saturday night, Sept. 4, at his home in Tucson, Arizona. He was 74. His brother Bruce, president of New Jersey’s Universal Vending, advised that Gene’s…
Let this be your final reminder that Captain’s Auction Warehouse will be selling off inventory from the shuttered Museum of Pinball starting today, Sept. 10, through Sept. 12. The historic auction will take place from Sept. 24-26 as well and it’s a big deal – even getting recent coverage in The New York Times. They reported that the roughly 1,700 pinball machines and arcade games could be worth as much as $7 million. Chris Campbell, the owner of Captain’s Auction Warehouse, told the Times: “Personally I’m sad about it, but I’m optimistic that the equipment will move to good places.”…
Interested in the new Jukebox Jams Promotion program? If you don’t know, it’s that cool new initiative AMOA, AMI and TouchTunes have put together to help shine the spotlight on this industry staple. To help get the ball rolling, educating operators on what it is and how they can make it work to increase jukebox play and revenue, the association is hosting a webinar on Sept. 14 (that’s this coming Tuesday) at 10 a.m. Central time. It’s free and all are encouraged to tune in, AMOA members and non-members alike. Register in advance here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qd-uXHf_S7imgprElNX9yA. (By the way, AMOA members will…