Tim has done all the heavy lifting on the announcement front via Facebook—and the response has been truly heartening. But I figured started to formally record the process on this little old bava blog was in order. Tim and I will be officially opening an old school 80s arcade in Fredericksburg, VA in Spring of 2020 which will be known as Reclaim Arcade. We even have a bitching icon/logo now:
It’s kind of wild to think a random trip to get a Centipede cabinet for CoWork a year and a half ago so quickly escalated to a full blown arcade. But I am so glad it has! I just got down locking in a mint Donkey Kong Jr cabinet, and my brother picked up a cocktail Rally-X last week on Long Island, so the machine is in full swing with nearly 40 vintage games thus far, and more on the way (Venture could be a reality on my return from LA). I think the idea with Reclaim Arcade is to many of the factors we have been exploring for a while: Reclaim Video will be my new office on the ground and the entry point for Reclaim Arcade; we will re-create a 80s console Living room a la the UMW Console in the space, and then explore a new aesthetic for the maker space/garage idea we have built into the plans. It is going to be sick, and after extended time abroad, it is high time to return full-time to the US to live out competing fantasies of running a video store and an arcade. It’s crazy, but I love it.
As far as the details, there are many, many to discuss over the coming months as we gear up for a late Spring launch: the redesign of the space; the exploration of the self-pouring taps for the bar; and creating a designated office for Reclaim Hosting in the wake of CoWork to name a few. But I might be most excited about teaming up with Will’s Place to bring you some groovy 80s flavors for the palate. Partnering with Will and Maria on this venture is super special given how indelibly Will is linked (at least in my mind) to the work we did at UMW. I remember first meeting him when he was part of Martha Burtis‘s Digital Identity course, and both being from NY we hit it off immediately, and have remained in touch via social media since. Will and Maria have been a huge force for good in Fredericksburg over the years, and the idea of partnering around food for Reclaim Arcade speaks volumes for the community we are trying to create and checks off another box of a long list of dreams coming true in this venture—it just all feels to be coming together so perfectly. So, I will return to my LA, but not before recognizing “It’s Happening!”
Hmmm, 8 hour drive. Now to convince the family that we need to vacation somewhere on the east coast in the next couple of years.
They’ll be waiting or you 🙂