Texan entrepreneur Darren Spohn is about to embark upon an ambitious new project, Pinballz Kingdom – the second in what he hopes will become a national chain of family entertainment centres that combine both new and classic amusements.
DARREN Spohn’s entrance into the amusement industry did not take the typical route. A “collector-turned-proprietor,” he successfully runs a number of telecom, IT and consulting companies. At the same time, however, he also oversees the management of Pinballz Arcade in Austin, Texas, a 13,000sq.ft arcade boasting a staggering array of classic pinball and video games, as well as the latest ticket redemption equipment. This year, he will open his second location, the multi-attraction Pinballz Kingdom, in Buda.
Spohn’s interest in pinball began when he bought his first pinball machine, Bally’s 1978 title Star Trek, four years ago. He swiftly followed this with the purchase of another 1970s Bally classic, Mata Hari. From here, his “obsession” to own more pinball machines “truly kicked in.”
Originally, he had planned to operate his pinball machines on a route and use them to teach his children how to run their own business, but instead he decided to concentrate the games in one central location where he could mix the newest games with classic older models. Relocating his technology business to a new building on Research Blvd provided the perfect opportunity to open the fledgling arcade on the floor below.
“We are now coming up to our fourth anniversary this November,” Spohn told InterGame. “The arcade continues to grow and we have a large number of tournaments and events. Our services have expanded to game sales, rentals and repairs.” Pinballz Arcade offers a variety of games – over 200 operational at any one time - to cater to all ages and demographics. Among them are more than 100 pinball machines, an inventory of which reads like a pinball enthusiasts’ wish list and includes genre-defining games from the likes of Data East, Gottlieb, Williams, Sega and Stern.
Read the full article in the September issue of InterGame
