A new arcade is set to open Friday, Sept. 22 in Evans.
Retro City Arcade is the brainchild of Robert and Kathleen Owens, who moved to the area in 2021. They had plans to open the arcade in Virginia where they were living previously, but COVID hit and immediately halted those plans.
“Because Virginia was locked down, any kind of entertainment couldn’t be open,” Robert said. “Then we full retired and moved down here in 2021, we just kind of, the business plan was written, we loved this area, it was kind of our demographic of what we were looking for as far as Evans, because we live in Evans and that’s what kind of what we’re looking to targeting, families, people our age…that grew up with this because some of these games are from the 70s and 80s.”
The games currently in the arcade are pinball and video games, such as Pacman, Asteroids, Mortal Combat, a virtual pinball machine and more. In storage, there is skee-ball, driving games, basketball shooting games, foosball, pool table.
Kathleen said that space was hard to find in Evans, so when they found the current location, they had to jump on it, even though the current location is not what the final space will look like.
“This is not going to be our full space,” Robert said of the current location. [A] wall will be gone and there’s another 3,500 square feet, so we’ll have that space, that’s demoed right now, so that’s got to be built out. We’re, the realtors telling me by the end of the year we’ll be done. This space [the current arcade] will actually be the party room for birthday parties and whatever, that’s all this will be. This space will still be the lobby, it’ll be a little bit bigger.”
Kathleen said when patrons walk in, they’ll be able to see a blueprint of what the larger space will look like so they can get an idea of what’s to come.
“When you come in the door, it’s small. But we’re maximizing as much space as we can until we bust out that wall and then we’re take over a lot of space,” Kathleen said.
Because they are going to be expanding and the current location is on the smaller side, not all of their games are out to be played. There are around 44 games in the current location, but plenty more in storage with a hope to have about 70 or so out.
Due to small size of the current location, there is a limit to the number of people that can be in there at a time or else the fire marshal could shut them down, Robert said.
“We have more [games] back here [in smaller rooms] and again with the fire marshal, he has mandated we can only have a certain number of people in each of these three little rooms,” Kathleen said. “So when we are able to get into the space next door, all of these walls on the outside will be gone and this [the current game room] is the room that’s going to remain as is.”
The cost will be $10 for an hour or $15 for two hours for free play, Robert said. The hour or two-hour passes are to help manage the amount of people in there since they can only have around 40 at a time. But when they finally get into the larger space there will be an all-day pass. Kathleen added that there is no ticket redemption and no prizes to win.
Kathleen said there will be a discount for police, fire, military and medical, the people just need to bring their ID.
The couple again stressed that the current space is not what the final space will be and asked for patience from patrons until that time. They are hoping everything will be done by the end of the year, Robert said.
As for what they’re looking forward to with it opening, the couple said it was to see the fun that people are having playing the games.
Hours, and other updates, will be announced on the Retro City Arcade – Evans Facebook page.
Retro City Arcade – Evans is located at 4446 Washington Road, Suite 7, Evans near Rally Point Grille and Shane’s Rib Shack.
Stephanie Hill is the managing editor and covers Columbia County government for The Augusta Press. Reach her at stephanie@theaugustapress.com.
