EightyTwo Arcade
Scott Davids and Noah Sutcliffe know how to get the nostalgia glands dripping - buddies and co-owners bring classic arcade games to the Arts District. Pac-Man, Donkey Kong and Street Fighter are among 40 games and pinball machines that fill EightyTwo Arcade on the corner of 4th Place and 3rd Street. In the sleek and industrial space, vintage consoles stand tall in it’s neon glory like a contemporary gallery exhibit, making primitive vector graphics a thing to admire.
Remember when after school hang outs at the arcade was the sole activity that made adolescent troubles disappear into a realm of 1-ups and high scores? EightyTwo arcade revisits these fond memories - just fueled by a pint of beer and a stiff cocktail. The full bar and dj is a friendly reminder that having a curfew and waiting half a block away to get picked up in mom’s minivan is a thing of the past. This is big kid territory.
If the flipping sound of a launched pinball is what gets you excited then join the weekly pinball leagues hosted in the second room. This is the opportunity to exhibit a gamer’s mating call - get a high score, alarm the analog bells, impress your sweetheart then grab a couple slices of victory pizza from one of food trucks parked out front. At that point, you might want to take a break and rest those victorious fingers in the outdoor patio - give your opponents a chance to catch up because for a quarter a game, every skill level gets a turn.
Written by:
Janica de Guzman
Photographed by:
Janica de Guzman
