Employees photograph / Hailey Rogenski Brian Murphy performs Robotron Thursday on the grand opening of the Previous Occasions arcade at 419 N. State St. from Girard.
GIRARD — The Previous Occasions Arcade opened Thursday after two years of building, permitting patrons to play historic and present video games.
The arcades and museum at 419 N. State St. affords varied pinball machines, video video games and lively video games akin to air hockey.
The arcade was based by proprietor Rob Berk, an avid pinball machine collector, who mentioned he invested greater than $500,000 within the construction.
Berk mentioned he has been accumulating pinball machines for greater than 50 years and that these machines influenced his choice to open the arcade.
“Someday I used to be strolling round my warehouse and I noticed all these video games and I assumed to myself, ‘What am I going to do with all these video games?'” he mentioned. “For years I drove previous Santisi’s IGA (grocery retailer) and it was vacant and I assumed to myself, ‘I ponder if I might purchase that constructing and switch it right into a museum and an arcade.”
He mentioned he named the arcade Previous Occasions as a result of the machines he collected reminded him of his childhood.
“I could not consider a greater identify to relive all the nice previous days rising up,” he mentioned.
Reilly Berk, Rob’s daughter and the present CEO of Berk Enterprises, mentioned the arcades can have concessions.
“Proper now now we have classic snacks and sweet,” she mentioned. “We additionally serve milkshakes and float and from subsequent week we can have Cocca’s Pizza. We’re partnering with them and we’ll even have meals vehicles right here each weekend.”
Mayor James Melfi attended the grand opening. He mentioned regardless of the constructing opening, there may be nonetheless exterior work to be executed.
“We now have some interpretations of the artists’ exterior work that can happen with additions and leisure outdoors,” he mentioned.
Venture chief Mike Hale mentioned there are a number of video games from totally different many years.
“We now have very previous video games from the 1930s and plenty of from the 1960s and 1970s,” he mentioned.
Reilly Berk mentioned the arcades will affect native residents.
“I am very enthusiastic about what this can convey to town of Girard,” she mentioned. “I believe it will convey lots of people collectively, even outdoors of Girard.”
Rob Berk mentioned the arcade additionally has a online game retailer.
“We purchase and promote video video games,” he mentioned. “We now have Wi-Fis on the market and previous Nintendo programs.”
He additionally mentioned the enterprise additionally hosts events.
Opening hours are Thursdays, between four and 9 p.m.; Friday, from 16 to 23; Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.; and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m
hrogenski@tribtoday.com
