The Garcade, a vibrant and delightfully retro arcade located in Menomonee Falls (N85 W15920 Appleton Ave.), celebrated its one-year anniversary this summer. Gar and Mara Nelson co-own and run the business with their friend, Tim Byron. They opened with 55 game machines and now have 135. Off the Cuff spoke with Gar about how he turned his long-time hobby into a thriving business.
Do you remember the first arcade game you played?
One of the first games I remember playing was Battlezone, and we’ve got it at the Garcade. I remember being really little, and my parents would hold me up, so I could see through the periscope to be able to play. It was very fun.
How long have you been collecting arcade games?
I’ve been collecting for about 15 years. Around 2012, we established our arcade in the basement among home collectors and started our Facebook page. My kids have grown up going on road trips to pick games up and helping me repair the machines. It was something good for my family and me that turned out to be a business.
Do you remember the first one that you acquired?
It was an Asteroids Deluxe, which took me a couple of years to get up and running, but it became a staple in my collection. I have a degree in electrical engineering, and it was something where I could keep those skills fresh while working in IT to earn a living.
Have you always wanted to run your own business?
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I always wanted to do something for myself but never really knew what I wanted to do. As I got more and more involved in the hobby, I saw a business opportunity, and we all decided to jump on it.
What’s the usual clientele like?
It’s interesting. All day long, it’s a lot of families with kids. Then, about dinner time, it starts to shift, and people usually start coming out for date night, the kids go home, and it becomes more adult.
What events and new games can people look forward to?
We host an all-ages, monthly pinball tournament where you can rank internationally. There’s also a monthly DDR meetup, and it’s absolutely a riot. What participants can do with their feet boggles my mind. We also want some events around our new Cosmotrons machine. It was developed in Sussex, Wisc., by Arcadeaholics, LLC, and the cabinet in the Garcade is serial number one. Total Nuclear Annihilation, by Spooky Pinball, is also from Wisconsin.
What’s your favorite part of running the Garcade?
When people first walk in the door, their eyes get really wide, and their jaws drop. They get these big smiles, and that’s the best part. People are astonished, and then they come in and have a blast. It’s fun to see families and friends playing together and spending time.
Learn more about the Garcade at thegarcade.com and at facebook.com/thegarcade.
