Tyler Street Arcade to deliver video games, household enjoyable and nostalgia to Pittsfield | Enterprise

PITTSFIELD — As an early ’90s child, Robert Williams used to go to the arcade to hang around along with his buddies within the afternoons.

Now he’s hoping to deliver that very same sense of enjoyable and security for native youngsters to Pittsfield’s Tyler Street.

Williams is opening Tyler Street Arcade, a family-friendly recreation middle at 214 Tyler St., within the former Fin and Feather constructing. After two years of renovations, the arcade is nearly able to open its doorways.

“It’s about giving kids something to do besides wandering around the street,” Williams mentioned. “It has a lot to do with, you know, giving back to a neighborhood that doesn’t really get much. So it’s nice for [kids] to see, ‘hey, someone’s interested in investing in us.’ That may change a mindset.”

The arcade will characteristic a mixture of classic and fashionable video games, rotated often to maintain issues contemporary. Williams sourced the machines from throughout New England, and the shop owns all of them.

“We pretty much got, like, the best of the different genres,” Williams mentioned. “There’s fighting games … ‘Mortal Kombat,’ and ‘Street Fighter.’ Sports games we have ‘NBA Jam,’ ‘Big Buck Hunter’; driving games … ‘California Speed’ and and ‘Fast & Furious’; [and] redemption machines like ‘Cyclone’ and ‘Ball Drop.’”

Game tickets can be redeemable for prizes as large as an Xbox Series S.

The Licensing Board authorized the arcade’s Family Center License earlier this week, and Williams mentioned he’s ready on a number of ultimate machines earlier than formally opening in mid-October.

Hours will run 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Williams mentioned he plans to rent 10 to 12 part-time staff.

The constructing itself was bought in May 2023 for $115,000 by Krzysztof Properties LLC. The proprietor, who grew up in Pittsfield however prefers to stay nameless, partnered with Williams to deliver new life to the long-vacant property.

“He wanted to invest back in the city where he grew up,” Williams mentioned concerning the proprietor. “So we were trying to think what would be a positive thing for the community, this neighborhood, because it’s very neglected.”

While the arcade is designed to be welcoming to individuals of all ages, Williams emphasised construction. School-aged youngsters gained’t be allowed in throughout faculty hours in accordance with state regulation, and he’s contemplating requiring anybody beneath 16 to be accompanied by an grownup after 10 p.m.

“So instead of having that group of kids hanging out on the corner at 10 p.m., they could be here, where there’s adults, there’s no alcohol,” Williams mentioned. “I’m pretty big [on] how to deal with those kind of kids … if you treat him with respect, they’ll treat you back with respect.”

But Williams made it clear that the arcade is for recreation lovers of all ages.

“It’s not just for kids,” he mentioned, including that they’ve darts and coin pushers. “It brings back a lot of nostalgia for a lot of older people, too.”

Williams mentioned the group response has been overwhelmingly optimistic. Neighbors often cease in to test on progress and ask when the arcade will open. One mother even introduced him a plate of meals whereas he was working late.

“Ever since we started working on here, the neighbors have been coming up,” Williams mentioned. “About 10 [kids] ran over from across the street to help me bring the carpet in. I got three of them that are going to apply here.”