Gaming

Gin games: New videogame bar to fully open soon featuring classic arcade games | Region


Flashing lights and pixilated graphics — along with plenty of alcohol — will soon flood a new bar in Temple.

The BitBar will be a combination of a bar and an arcade, allowing those who pay admission to play as much as they want of the classical games while drinking with their friends.

While the bar held a preview event Monday by inviting film and TV actor Anthony Michael Hall, owner Johnny Huang said he expects the bar to be fully open to the public by sometime in late February or early March.

This new bar is behind the Dynasty Chinese Restaurant, 2501 Airport Road, accessible through a pathway along the building.

While the BitBar will be a bar, Huang said it will mainly cater to a different type of crowd than traditional bars. Huang said he expects the bar to be less rowdy than its traditional counterparts, with patrons focused on playing games and having fun.

“It is very different from any other (bar),” Huang said. “All the games are on free play so you can just pay a cover charge and play. And, because it is right next to Dynasty, you can pay less than $20 and have all you can eat and all you can play within walking distance.”

Huang, president of Bell County Comic Con, said interest from those who liked the convention and wanted more activities throughout the year was one of the reasons for the bar.

The new bar will include a wide variety of vintage arcade games, including popular titles such as “Mortal Kombat” as well as lesser-known titles.

Huang said most of the machines came either from his own collection or his business partner’s.

“For me and my partner, half of the games in (the bar) are from our collections,” Huang said. “We are just sharing our games with other people, because we already do it at our house with our friends.”

Through his work with the comic con, Huang said he has made many contacts throughout the entertainment industry. Huang said he plans to try and have other events such as the meet-and-greet with Hall as long as the community is supportive.

While the bar is mostly complete, the business is waiting for its liquor license to be approved so it will be able to sell alcohol.

“All the games are set up and ready to go,” Huang said. “We have some last minute decor stuff (to do) but we are 95 percent of the way there.”





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