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Gabriel Gill, left, Jace Bauer, rear, Jared Einberger and his brother, Riley Einberger, play a video game during the grand opening of the Player 2 Arcade Bar in Appleton.(Photo: Ron Page/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)Buy Photo
Player 2 Arcade Bar opened Thursday in downtown Appleton with a long line and fortunate dry, temperate weather, making it tolerable to stand outside before temperatures dove back down into winter.
“I would have been out here even it if was freezing,” said Kyle Vanheuklon, 33, of Appleton, one of the first in line at the 21-and-older arcade bar at 215 E. College Ave.
He had an Atari growing up and was looking forward to playing the Burgertime game. “I grew up in arcades as a kid. I get to live my childhood again. I’ll be back Friday and Saturday.”
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About 75 people filled the bar in its first few minutes. They were like-minded “gamers,” mostly age 25 to 35, and mostly male.
Many smiled broadly as they walked through the place, which is a nostalgic throwback for children of the 1980s and ’90s with 45 retro video games and two pinball machines. Games include Rampage World Tour, Ms. Pac-Man and Guitar Hero.
Decor features ’80s and ’90s movie posters like “Back to the Future” and “Stand by Me,” movies from the same era playing on TVs and hand-painted murals of video game characters.
“It feels great,” said Houa Vang, 25, of Appleton. “You don’t get to play these old school games anymore. It’s excellent.”
“We saw ‘Ready Player One’ which was loaded up with eighties and ninties references,” said Roxanne Perreault, 26, of Neenah. “This is good timing for this bar being open.”
Player 2’s owner, Marissa Emerson, and fiancé Michael Joyce moved here from Minneapolis, where they were arcade bar regulars. They also were collectors who bought old video machines.
Emerson said the crowd grew through the evening Thursday. “We reached capacity a couple of times,” she said. Capacity is 170.
Hours: 2 p.m. to bar close weekdays and 11 a.m. to bar close on weekends. Info: Facebook, player2bar.com or 920-815-3556.
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