OHIO CITY, Ohio — The season is finally changing here in Northeast Ohio, and many of us are just itching to try new things. Well, there’s a new spot in Ohio City that is definitely worth the visit – Pins Mechanical Co. and 16-Bit Bar and Arcade cover nearly 30,000 feet of entertainment and also drinks.
3News’ Jason Mikell met up with founder and CEO of Rise Brands Troy Allen for the scoop. He says, Ohio City has long been on the company’s radar.
“For me, Ohio City, I used to live here 20 years ago. It was always a goal for me to be here,” he said. “18 years later, now we're here on the street on West 25th, opening up two of our brands.”
Rise Brands previously had a 16-Bit location in Lakewood, which closed in 2021, but Pins Mechanical Co. is new to Northeast Ohio. Plans to open the combined space were delayed by the pandemic, but the expansive space officially opened last week. And Allen says, there’s a game for everyone here.
“Bocce ball, anything from foosball, pinball, ton of arcade games, bubble hockey, approximately 50 games in total. We always say that when you come in here, if you don't have a smile on your face, there's something wrong with you.”
There’s also no shortage of the nostalgia factor.
“We surround people with, not just the music, the television shows that are on down to our wall paper. There's so many visual cues and sounds that when you walk in for me, it always takes me back to my childhood,” Allen said. “I grew up going to the arcades.”
Above all - there's a definite sense of fun.
"We always say that when you come in here, if you don't have a smile on your face, there's something wrong with you."
And if you’re wondering if this is more of a family friendly – or, adults only vibe – the answer is simply, both. Allen says he wanted to create a place for everyone to enjoy.
“We're super family friendly during the day, and after 8:00 PM, we become an adult establishment." Allen said. "The other thing that we find is when people come here with their families and enjoy that experience the parents are always like, 'heck I want to come back myself' and so we find that transition from during the day to night, it's a seamless transition for us. Lights go down, music goes up a little louder, but it's an experience truly for everyone"
They do not serve food. Instead, they encourage patrons to bring in food from other neighborhood businesses. But they offer plenty in the way of drinks.
“We have three bars throughout this space, 36 local and other craft beers on tap. And then we have our signature cocktails.”
Make sure to try the Hulk Hogan – a blueberry vodka lemonade that comes complete with a red white and blue bomb pop popsicle. Or, maybe the Carrie Fisher, a coconut rum and pineapple juice concoction with a rock candy garnish is more your vibe.
Jason also tried his hand at their signature Duckpin Bowling and plenty of arcade games. His verdict? A ton of fun.
Pins Mechanical Co. and 16-Bit Bar and Arcade is located at 1880 W. 25th St. - you can find more info here.
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