Dubbed “the Valley’s only nerd bar,” Phoenix’s Bonus Round has shut down permanently due Covid-19. “In 2015 we set out to build a place for the nerds, gamers, geeks and underdogs of Phoenix, a place where we could feel safe to be ourselves,” reads the bar’s Nov. 10 Facebook post. “It’s been an amazing run, but the pandemic has forced us to shut our doors permanently.”
The message was signed by founders James Goshow and Jacob Rendel, and owner Nick Lewis. The arcade bar briefly reopened in June, but the operations weren’t sustainable and the business’s lease – up in October – was not renewed.
In addition to classic arcade games, the venue was a social space designed to allow for table games. They also hosted groups like a monthly comic book club meeting.
Share your memories or well wishes on the Bonus Round Facebook page: www.facebook.com/BonusRoundPhx.