The mall arcade visionary behind the famed Time Out brand was inducted into the Amusement Industry Hall of Fame. Tico Bonomo’s grandfather, Albert, had a candy business started in 1897 in Coney Island, N.Y., reported AAMA Executive VP Pete Gustafson at Bonomo’s induction.
“They sold saltwater taffy and hard candy to park visitors. Albert’s son, Victor, invented a new confection called Turkish Taffy, which quickly became one of the country’s most popular candy treat. People loved to crack the taffy to pieces before opening the wrapper.”
Albert’s son, Tico, sold the family business in 1970 to Tootsie Roll and began looking for a place to invest his money. “He recalled the midway on Coney Island and the arcades on the Jersey Shore, recognizing how they were similar in layout to the rapidly growing mall retail centers. He wondered if an amusement game arcade could succeed in a mall.”
The first Time Out arcade opened in Northway Mall in Colonie, N.Y., and was quite a success. The next year, Bonomo opened four more locations. By 1975, he was operating 20 locations and by 1987 it had grown to more than 120 locations. The business was sold to Sega that year and he remained as president and CEO.
“His revolutionary concept of the mall arcade led to an historic period of growth for our industry that still reverberates today, the roots of which can be seen in today’s location-based entertainment centers,” Gustafson continued. “Sadly, he passed away in 1999 but not before he was able to witness the transformative impact his concept had on an entire industry.”
Tico’s son Wayne accepted the honor on his dad’s behalf.