Earlier this morning, Super Arcade owner Mike Watson made the very sudden announcement that this week will constitute their final days at their current location. While not leaving the town of Walnut, California altogether, they will be leaving behind a venue that has housed them throughout the four years of Watson has been a part of the operation and many more before that.
As one of the last remaining arcades in the United States, Super Arcade stands as a final testament to the game centers that nurtured our scene during its infancy, making it an important piece of the fighting game community both in Southern California and across North America. Add to that the recent conclusion of a major remodeling project that was funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign, and it’s easy to see why folks were left with a ton of questions.
We recently caught up with Watson to discuss their decision to move, what brought it about in the first place, where he sees the arcade going in the coming days, and, most importantly, what’s going to happen with that new toilet.
Shoryuken: First off, what prompted the move?
Mike Watson: The main thing that prompted the move was being forced into signing a long-term lease. I was very fortunate to sign a month-to-month lease when I first took over two years ago, but since we remodeled I’m guessing the landlord figured he could “hold us hostage” in a sense and alter our agreement.
SRK: Where will you be setting up shop next?
MW: The new Super Arcade will be showing up again in the City of Walnut and very near our current location. This is due to business licensing and just the fact that keeping our location between Los Angeles and Orange County would continue to make sense.
SRK: How long have you known that Super Arcade’s location needed to change?
MW: I honestly wanted to keep the arcade in the same location for a few reasons aside from the obvious hassles of moving and nostalgia. The lease here is very high and the landlord was not willing to reduce our rent at all. I am positive that the surrounding stores have benefited greatly from all our foot traffic and never once complained, yet the landlord still wouldn’t budge, so we were left at a standoff.
As far as it needing a change…I think from a financial standpoint it probably needed a change a long time ago.
SRK: You just finished a huge remodeling effort with help from the community. How much of the refurbished equipment will be transferred to the new venue?
MW: All the equipment can and definitely will be moved. Does it suck that I wasted so much time and effort overhauling the current spot? Of course, but in the long run this is obviously for the better for myself and hopefully for the community. We will be moving the new toilet and amenities from the restroom, so not all is lost!
SRK: Will there be changes to the weekly events you currently hold?
MW: We will be keeping the same schedule for our new location. In addition, we will also be trying to schedule things for Mondays and Tuesdays.
SRK: What are you looking for in a new location?
MW: We have a few options currently and a decision needs to be made soon. The main goal in the new location is to provide enough space for everyone and also have ample parking for all our customers. One issue that we are currently running into though is that we run events till 4am on weekdays and that is frowned upon by some locations I have looked at, so those places are obviously out of the question.
SRK: The arcade business is tough as it is, so do you see this harming the future of Super Arcade?
MW: I actually see this as an improvement, and with the lower cost of rent we will be able to have the flexibility to expand and create a greater venue that will benefit everyone.
SRK: Anything else you’d like to relay to community members about this development?
In closing, I want to make a few statements. Although we did spend money remodeling our current location, it wasn’t all for nothing. Granted, we are not going to be able to bring the new paint job or flooring with us, but the new location will be fully renovated already and not out of our budget. We will also have a chance to pretty much start fresh and not have any issues, such as power outages and faulty wiring, which does hinder us at our current location.
I can’t make it any more clear, and I do see a bunch of negative comments already in regards to our moving, but we are not closing! We are moving to save money on rent and also because I do not want to sign a new long-term lease with the current location (which charges over $6000 per month).
If people have any questions, feel free to come chat with me this week at the arcade. Come out and have some fun for our last week at this current location! We are running things as usual, including:
- Wednesday, December 17 – Wednesday Night Fizz Zights (USFIV, TTT2)
- Thursday, December 18 – The Run Bizzzack (UMvC3, KI, MvC2)
- Friday, December 19 – Friday Night Console Casuals
- Saturday, December 20 – Super Smash Weekends (SSB4 Wii U)
- Sunday, December 21 – Super Smash Sundays (SSBM)
Thank you all and see you soon!
Super Arcade is currently located at 1211 N. Grand Avenue in Walnut, California. We will be sure to relay their new location as soon as they settle in.
