| Barcade | |
| Industry: | Bar, restaurant, and classic arcade games |
| Foundation: | October 1, 2004 in Brooklyn, NY |
Barcade is a chain of arcade bars with locations in the northeastern United States, Los Angeles, and Detroit. First opened in Brooklyn on October 1, 2004, the venues feature a mix of classic video games and pinball and serve American craft beers.
The first Barcade opened in 2004[1] in a former metal shop at 388 Union Avenue in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, and features a combination of vintage arcade games and American craft beers.[2] The company is owned and operated by four long-time friends: brothers Kevin Beard and Scott Beard, Pete Langway and Paul Kermizian (director of American Beer).[3]
The combination of classic video games and craft beer proved successful, and the brand expanded into Jersey City, New Jersey,[4] and the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[5] Barcade later opened two locations in Manhattan, including a location in St. Mark's Place.[6] Over the next two years, locations opened in New Haven, Connecticut[7] and Newark, New Jersey.[8] In the summer of 2017 plans were announced for two new locations that would expand the company to Detroit, Michigan[9] and Los Angeles, California.[10] The Los Angeles location opened in May 2019.[11] After a long delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Detroit location opened in August 2021.[12] The location in Newark, New Jersey became the first in the company's history to close, when it shuttered in September, 2022.[13] The company opened a second Philadelphia location in Center City, Philadelphia in December 2023 in the ground floor of the ornate, Gothic-style Hale Building, designed by Willis G. Hale in 1887.[14]
Barcade registered its name as a federal trademark in 2007, and has successfully defended it in court,[15] [16] while also becoming well known for aggressively pursuing any infringements on the mark.[17]
A number of world record holders for classic games frequent the Brooklyn Barcade location, including Hank Chien, who set the world record in Donkey Kong with a score of 1,061,700 in March 2010.[18] George Leutz set the world record on Q*bert in February 2013 with a score of 37,163,080 after spending years practicing on the machine in Brooklyn's Barcade.[19] Joshua Lombay set the world record for the 1984 Midway game Timber in June 2013 with a score of 9,767,550 after having discovered the game and playing for the first time at Barcade in Brooklyn.[20]
In June 2021, the Barcade location on St. Mark's Place in Manhattan was the site of a rare public date between Rhianna and ASAP Rocky.[21] The bar received some unwanted attention for checking the couple's IDs before eventually allowing them entry.[22]