USPS Publication Number 16300
T h i s C om mu n it y Ne w s p a p e r i s a p u bl i c a t ion of E s c a m b i a-S a nt a Ro s a B a r A s s o c i a t ion
Se r v i ng t he Fi r st Jud icia l Ci rcu it Section A, Page 1
Vol. 22, No. 49
V isit T he S ummation W eekly O nline : SummationWeekly.com
December 7, 2022
1 Section, 8 Pages
TH E G RID ARC ADE : NEW ARC ADE
B A R O PEN S IN WE S T PEN S ACO L A by Nicole Willis
T
here is a new business in town, and it combines two beloved activities— playing nostalgic arcade games and drinking tasty beer. The Grid Arcade Bar offers a variety of vintage arcade games, video games and a bar that offers more than 30 different varieties of craft beers and other beverages.
months to prepare the buildDaniel Demeter is the brain behind this creative new ing and restore enough business venture. Deme- games to officially open for ter has been restoring and business. Prior to opening The Grid, collecting old games for several years and recently Demeter worked as a BMW decided to share the joy and automotive technician and nostalgia that these games for his father’s vending provide with the Pensacola machine company, where he community. also repaired machines. “The primary focus is to bring people back to The primary their younger age where focus is to bring they played arcade games,” Demeter explained. “Then people back to they get to pass that along their younger to their kids, friends, or age where they played whoever it is to experience what was early technology.” arcade games. The Grid opened its Then they get doors this past month at to pass that 2414 North Pace Boulevard along to their in Pensacola, which previkids, friends, ously served as home to a company called Pensacola or whoever it is Automatic Amusement that to experience restored old games and other what was early types of machines. Demeter technology.” said that the primary reason for selecting this location “I’m basically the 911 for the arcade was because technician when stuff there were already many old breaks,” Demeter remarked. games inside of the building “I’ve just always been that were left behind by the mechanically inclined and had a strong interest in elecold owners. Demeter had been restor- tronics, so I always wanted ing vintage and antique to repair stuff, take stuff games for several years and apart and figure out how it has since amassed quite a works.” collection; so, he purchased He decided to put the the building, finished restor- technical skills he gained ing the existing games in to good use and eventually began restoring old the building and brought and broken arcade games. in some games from his personal collection as well. Demeter strives to keep the It took Demeter about eight vintage feel alive for each of
Owner of The Grid Arcade Bar, Daniel Demeter & Gab Eden
the games featured in the bar, with each of the restored games running the original board sets and technology. Because of this dedication to preserving nostalgia, the restoration process can take quite some time. “New games are easy— you can just go online or call the distributor and duction of a World War I order parts. Old stuff is a brothel token, which depicts completely different story. Anything an image of an unclothed It takes dozens of hours that I get that woman on it that reads, of research sometimes on is new is always “heads I win tails you lose.” these older games to track going to be a After 9 pm, only adults are down par ts,” Demeter throwback type allowed to enter the bar. explained. of thing.” As for the drinks, The The oldest games at The Grid operates like a packGrid Arcade Bar date back age store, offering guests a to the early 1970s. Visitors The gaming area features selection of more than 50 will also find a selection lines of brightly lit LED beers, ranging from ales of new games which are lights running across the and sours to seltzers, malt vintage-inspired to keep up ceiling, and the walls are with the bar’s nostalgic vibe. adorned with a plethora of liquors and more. Demeter is working to hopefully “I got two brand new gaming-themed neon signs obtain a license to serve pinball machines, Godzilla nostalgic movie posters. Of and Star Wars Mandalorian. course, the flashing lights, draft beverages. Food trucks rotate in and out throughout The Godzilla Pinball is actu- bright graphics and unique ally the original Godzilla. sounds of the many differ- the week. Guests can also enjoy tasty bites from differIt’s got all the video and ent arcade games also add artwork and stuff from like to the ambience and throw- ent food trucks, which typically park at the bar one to the early Godzilla films,” back vibe. The interior space three times a week. Demeter said. “Anything features minimal, clean The Grid Arcade Bar is that I get that is new is design elements that give open Tuesday through Saturalways going to be a throw- the space a futuristic touch. day from 4 pm to 12 am, on back type of thing.” Despite having the word Sundays from 12 pm to 8 pm The theme and décor “bar” in the name, The Grid and is closed on Mondays. inside The Grid also reflects Arcade Bar is open to all this “throwback” style. ages until 9 pm. Demeter For more details on The Grid Demeter describes the bar’s does, however, warn parents Arcade Bar, visit thegrivibe as “a mixture of Tron of the not so child-friendly darcadepensacola.com or combined with a futuristic game tokens that are used. follow @TheGridArcade80s vibe.” The tokens are a repro- Pensacola on Facebook. •
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