Games On For New Bar

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Scott Davids is turning his personal collection of arcade games into a business.

Davids, founder of downtown L.A. visual effects company Level 256, and business partner Noah Sutcliffe are opening EightyTwo, a 3,900-square-foot bar and arcade on East Third Street in the Arts District. The arcade, with two rooms and a patio, aims to open for private events at the end of December and to the public in mid-January.

Davids said he will rotate about 25 of his 40 arcade machines – ranging from classics like Space Invaders to more contemporary titles Street Fighter II and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, all of which were restored by him – through the bar at one time.

“We’re not trying to jam the space full of arcade games like an ’80s arcade,” he said. “We want people to appreciate the aesthetic of the games.”

The two said they will also host leagues for pinball and the other games the arcade offers as well as other events.

While traditional arcades have been in decline in the last decade, the arcade bar as a concept has been on the rise nationally. EightyTwo will join Koreatown’s Blipsy as the only arcade-themed bar in the city.

Davids, who said permits for the business were pending, believes the timing is right for an arcade bar in the Arts District.

“I live in the neighborhood,” he said, “knowing how things are growing, seeing the people, the energy of the Arts District. It’s a good fit for the location.”

– Justin Yang

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