Mike’s Arcade Shop, an arcade parts manufacturer, distributor and supplier in Circleville, Utah, recently had a building fire that resulted in major damage that is forcing owner Mike Haaland to rebuild and relocate. Friend and customer Andrew Dent of Twisted Quarter has set up a GoFundMe for the business. “The arcade community knows how valuable our vendors are to us to keep the arcade industry going,” Dent wrote. “Please step up and donate what you can to help Mike’s Arcade rebuild. If you cannot donate, a share is just as helpful!” He also noted that the building was a “total…
Author: Matt Harding
Construction has started on The Fringe, a 36-hole mini-golf course set to open in June just north of the Rantoul Family Sports Complex in the village of the same name – located just north of Champaign, Ill. According to the News-Gazette, there will be two 18-hole courses – nine holes of each forming the perimeter of the facility, which will eventually include an arcade and other fun center attractions. There will also be two multi-sport simulators that will offer golf swing analysis, PGA courses and competitions. Leagues and tournaments will also be held. The building will be 5,280 sq. ft.…
The Australia-based Dreamworld Gamesite recently partnered with Embed on the company’s self-service kiosk, smartTOUCH readers and point-of-sale and PRIZES redemption management systems. “The highly skilled technical team from Embed effectively handled the installation and training remotely with ease, enabling us to kickstart our operations on time and without delay for our reopening,” said Brett Aspel, Dreamworld Gamesite’s change and implementation manager. Added Embed’s global head of sales Daniel Hudson: “We are proud to partner with Dreamworld Gamesite to show what we’re made of and demonstrate the industry’s resilience. Embed’s integrated solutions and services have been created to help our operators…
Despite Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ recent executive order that essentially cancelled all local Covid rules, Orlando’s Disney World announced its health and safety measures – including face mask requirements – will stay put for now. “We are aware of the state of Florida’s plans to modify Covid-19 guidelines,” reads a statement on their website. “We will evaluate this latest guidance and maintain our current health and safety measures at this time, including face covering requirements. We will continue to make thoughtful adjustments to our policy. As Covid-19 vaccines become available, we encourage people to get vaccinated.” Universal Orlando also previously…
Arcades and bars are now able to open indoors in Los Angeles and San Francisco counties for the first time since the pandemic started as they’ve reached the state’s threshold to move into the “yellow tier,” the least restrictive of the state’s reopening guidelines. L.A. County has more than 10 million residents and San Francisco has nearly 1 million. According to KABC, arcades and bars can open at 25% capacity and many businesses will see an increase in capacity, such as wineries, breweries and gyms up to 50% from 25% and amusement parks up to 35% from 25%. Outdoor venues…
A new virtual reality arcade called The Gaming Lab is set to open later this month at the Birchwood Mall in Fort Gratiot, Mich. Co-owners Sam Clawson, Jaycee Clawson and Liam Gobeyn, told the Port Huron Times Herald that the venue will have 10 spaces for people to get immersed in VR. The trio has been working on the concept since January and have been planning for more than a year. Their space is 7,200 sq. ft. and each of the 10 play spaces is about 350 sq. ft. each with movable walls allowing up to 500 sq. ft. if…
The bowling entertainment center chain Bowlski’s, with current locations in Texas and Colorado, will open in Flagstaff, Ariz., late this summer. The Flagstaff Mall, where Bowlski’s will open, is transitioning itself to be a “multi-dimensional setting for social gatherings,” reported PRNewswire. “Bowlski’s emerged as the perfect operator to address the needs and expectations of the surrounding community as well as the greater Flagstaff area,” said Kirk Williams, managing director of Cypress Equities, the developer behind the shopping center’s transformation. He added: “We could not be more excited to have Bowlski’s as a significant component to our offering.” Learn more at www.bowlskis.com and www.flagstaffmall.com.
The Aloha Stadium in Honolulu recently announced its new BTR Karting space at the facility. The outdoor go-kart track attraction is open weekends from 8 a.m.-3 p.m., according to KHON. Rides cost $30 per person and include 25 laps around the track. BTR Karting offers single rider and “Super Car” options (the latter being an adult and up to two children). The Aloha Stadium – a swap meet and marketplace that has more than 400 different businesses and vendors – is open with Covid-19 guidelines and social distancing measures in place. Learn more at www.btrhawaii.com.
Longhouse Axe Bar, owned and operated by Jeremiah Reynolds, recently opened in Sheboygan, Wis. Known for his escape rooms, Reynolds wanted to make a unique experience – and that’s exactly what he did. “We set out to build something different, and we didn’t know what it was going to be until we were finally ready to open it,” he told Fox 6. “Our whole business isn’t centered around axe throwing. It’s not centered around escape rooms. It’s centered around something to do that’s fun, that’s a little different, that might get you out of your comfort zone a little bit, but…
New Jersey, New York and Connecticut will loosen most Covid-related business restrictions starting May 19. Businesses in the states can effectively open at 100% capacity at that time, as long as patrons can be socially distanced by six feet. The “distance-based” maximum capacities apply to FECs, gyms, retail businesses and more. In New York, live entertainment up to 250 people indoors will be allowed if all attendees present proof of full Covid vaccination or receive a recent negative test result. “The tide is turning against Covid-19 in New York, and thanks to our increasing vaccination rates, as well as our…