Vintage Arcade Games Come to Checker Bar in Downtown Detroit

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The owners of Grand Trunk Pub, Whisky Parlor, Checker Bar, and Pop have partnered with Offworld Arcade to create Pop + Offworld, which will feature New York style pizza, a full bar, live entertainment, and an immersive arcade experience. The venue will be located on the second floor of Checker Bar, and open next month.

Though Offworld has been sharing its collection of arcade classics with Detroit since 2014, the project marks the company’s first brick and mortar location for their selection of more than 30 original arcade games from the 1970s onward.

“At the heart of our passion for Detroit is preserving and presenting the history of our great city. As we restore our buildings and expand our businesses we view each project as a time capsule — full of artifacts, stories, and inspiration from the past,” say the owners of Pop + Offworld in a press release.

“We are excited to move forward in history as we open the newly restored and remodeled second floor of Checker Bar. From the collage of fashion magazine ads that were uncovered on the walls, to the vintage video games, and the 80’s inspired murals by Michelle Tanguay, POP is sure to transport all that enter.”

Pop began on the second floor of Checker Bar more than two years ago as a pop-up venue for culinary events, live music, theatrical performances, art shows, and entrepreneurial activities. Pop + Offworld’s collaborators have worked to incorporate historical pieces into the renovation.

A VIP and media preview is scheduled for Tuesday, September 5 and Pop + Offworld will open to the public after that. Checker Bar is located at 124 Cadillac Square.