Kyle Seller knows games — arcade games, to be exact. He even learned how to fix them at 16.
Fast forward several decades, and you'll find him at Industry Arcade in New Westminster.
Industry is a private arcade shop available for rent for up to two hours. Space can be reserved online for small gatherings.
Inside, there are nearly 50 classic and modern arcade games, including 24 pinball machines, bubble hockey, Skee-Ball, and four-player Pac-Man Battle Royale.
No need to scrounge up loose change, it's free play for the duration.
The story of Industry Arcade began in 2013, when Seller started East Van Amusements. He had been a game designer at EA Sports for 10 years before that.
The company provides pop-up arcade rentals for bars and restaurants, corporate events, and various parties.
Then COVID-19 hit.
Once the pandemic began, rentals stopped at East Van Amusements, resulting in a 95 per cent drop in revenue.
That gave Seller the idea to bring people to games in his own space. In August 2020, the entrepreneur opened Industry Arcade in New West's Braid Industrial Park.
"I really had no intention to do something like this until COVID came and completely turned our business upside down," he explains.
Seller says the tactile nature of arcade games is what makes the experience so unique.
"I have a lot of physical games in here. It's hard to replicate at home."
Industry is currently open four days a week, but Seller hopes to expand the hours as business slowly bounces back.
For now, his pivot is paying off.
"I didn't really think it would get the kind of wow factor it did when I rolled it out. It's been rewarding."
