Up-Down Arcade Bar
Up-Down Arcade Bar operates a chain of eight 21+ retro arcade bar venues across the U.S. Midwest and Southeast, offering classic 1980s/1990s arcade games at $0.25 per play, alongside craft drinks, house-made pizza, private events, and branded merchandise.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersDes Moines, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Up-Down Arcade Bar does
Up-Down Arcade Bar operates a multi-location chain of 21+ retro arcade bar venues across eight U.S. cities: Des Moines (IA), Kansas City (MO), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Nashville (TN), Oklahoma City (OK), St. Louis (MO), and Birmingham (AL). Each location functions as a combined bar and arcade, offering 50–80+ authentic 1980s/1990s arcade cabinets, pinball machines, Skee-Ball alleys, Nintendo 64/GameCube/Sega console stations, and life-size games (Jenga, Connect Four). The technical footprint is hardware-centric rather than software-centric: classic arcade and pinball machines are the core asset, with off-the-shelf SaaS (Toast Tab for online pizza ordering, BeerMenus for digital drink menus, Shopify for merchandise e-commerce) handling back-of-house and digital commerce. There is no proprietary software, mobile app, or AI/ML capability disclosed. The customer base is consumer (adults 21+), with secondary segments including families during monthly designated family hours and private event planners booking corporate, birthday, bachelor/bachelorette, holiday, and team-building events.
The business generates revenue across four streams: usage-based arcade play (all games priced at $0.25 per play), transaction-based food and beverage (house-made 18-inch pizza, craft beer, cocktails, and location-specific drink specials), transaction-based event venue rental (ranging from reserved tables to full buyouts), and a smaller transaction-based merchandise line (t-shirts, hoodies, beanies, tank tops priced $20–$35) sold through a Shopify storefront at shop.updownarcadebar.com. Pricing is uniformly per-transaction — no membership or subscription fees gate core play — though a free VIP program offers exclusive specials and early event access. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via walk-in traffic and online merchandise, supplemented by an event-driven motion targeting corporate and group bookings at each location. Marketing relies on the corporate website (updownarcadebar.com), organic social media, an email newsletter, tournaments (e.g., Milwaukee Skee-Ball Tournament), and the VIP/loyalty program. There are no disclosed funding rounds, parent company, or institutional investors; the company appears to be privately held and bootstrapped to its current 8-location footprint.
Up-Down Arcade Bar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Up-Down Arcade Bar
- Legal name
- Up-Down Arcade Bar
- Website
- https://updownarcadebar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Up-Down Arcade Bar operates a chain of eight 21+ retro arcade bar venues across the U.S. Midwest and Southeast, offering classic 1980s/1990s arcade games at $0.25 per play, alongside craft drinks, house-made pizza, private events, and branded merchandise.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Up-Down Arcade Bar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Arcade Bar Entertainment
- NAICS
- Amusement Arcades (713120), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Gaming Café/Bar Hybrid Venues (Food & Beverage + Competitive Play) (MPAFALAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Coin-Operated Entertainment (Pinball, Crane/Claw, Jukebox, Darts/Billiards) (MPAEAJAF), Bars & Pubs (Non-Music) (MPAGAIAC), Neighborhood Bars & Taverns (CRANACAA)
Keywords
Where Up-Down Arcade Bar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Des Moines
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices8 records
Markets served
Up-Down Arcade Bar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Arcade Gaming Revenue: All arcade games cost 25 cents to play. Games include classic arcade cabinets, pinball machines, and Skee-Ball. Token-based pricing model with various specials like 2-for-1 tokens and 10-cent token nights.
- Food and Beverage Sales: Extensive craft beer selection, bottles and cans, cocktails, and house-made pizza. Pizza is made to order, 18 inches, feeds 3-5 people. Various drink specials including happy hours and location-specific beers.
- Merchandise Sales: Branded merchandise including t-shirts, hoodies, beanies, and tank tops sold through online storefront at shop.updownarcadebar.com. Products range from $20-$35.
- Event Venue Rental: Private event bookings including corporate events, birthday parties, bachelor/bachelorette parties, holiday parties, team building, and wedding events. Locations can accommodate small groups to full venue buyouts.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Pay-per-play arcade gaming at 25 cents per game |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pizza by the slice with various toppings |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Happy hour and drink specials |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Branded merchandise apparel |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Up-Down Arcade Bar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Up-Down Arcade Bar operates a chain of retro arcade bar venues across eight U.S. cities, providing pay-per-play access to 50–80+ classic 1980s and 1990s arcade cabinets and pinball machines (all at 25 cents per game), Skee-Ball alleys, Nintendo 64 and GameCube console gaming, and life-size board games, alongside craft beer, cocktails, house-made pizza, and private event hosting. The company also sells branded apparel through an online Shopify storefront and operates a VIP membership program.
Product overview
Up-Down Arcade Bar is a chain of retro arcade bar venues offering classic gaming entertainment across 8 U.S. cities. The core product is an arcade gaming experience featuring over 50-80 classic arcade games from the 80s and 90s, pinball machines, classic skee-ball alleys, and console gaming (Nintendo 64, GameCube, Sega). All games cost 25 cents. The company operates as a unified venue concept with consistent offerings across locations, supplemented by food service (house-made pizza), craft beer and cocktails, event planning services for private parties, and VIP membership. Merchandise including apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, beanies) is sold through an integrated Shopify e-commerce store. The business operates on a multi-location model with each city offering its own daily specials while maintaining the same core entertainment product.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Up-Down Merch: Merchandise e-commerce store selling branded apparel including t-shirts, hoodies, beanies, and accessories
Products and services
- Arcade Gaming Experience The core entertainment offering at every Up-Down Arcade Bar location: access to 50–80+ classic arcade games and pinball machines from the 1980s and 1990s, Skee-Ball alleys, Nintendo 64 and GameCube console stations, and life-size Jenga and Connect Four. All games cost 25 cents per play, and guests purchase tokens or pay directly. Target audience is adults 21+ seeking nostalgic social entertainment.
- Food and Beverage Service In-venue food and beverage service featuring house-made 18-inch pizza (with by-the-slice pricing at $2 until 8 PM on select days), an extensive craft beer selection, cocktails, and location-specific drink specials such as happy hours and signature beers. Available to walk-in guests at every Up-Down location, with online ordering for pizza via Toast Tab at select venues.
- Private Event Hosting Event planning services for private parties and corporate events at each Up-Down location. Options range from small reserved tables to full venue buyouts and include team-building experiences, birthday parties, bachelor/bachelorette parties, holiday celebrations, and wedding events. Coordinated through dedicated "Plan an Event" pages on the Up-Down website.
- VIP Membership Program Loyalty program for frequent Up-Down patrons providing exclusive benefits, member-only specials, and early access to events and promotions across all Up-Down Arcade Bar locations.
- Branded Apparel and Accessories Online merchandise store selling branded Up-Down apparel and accessories, including t-shirts, baseball tees, tank tops, pullover and zip-up hoodies, beanies, and limited-edition designs such as the Arcade Frog Tee. Prices range from $20 to $35, and orders ship within 1–3 business days via USPS First Class.
Companies that use Up-Down Arcade Bar
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Up-Down Arcade Bar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Up-Down Arcade Bar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- DCR (Parking Services)minorDCR provides parking in their lot between 3:00PM – 3:00AM Monday – Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday at the Nashville location. Overnight parking is not allowed. Violators will be towed at own expense.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Up-Down Arcade Bar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Headquarters Beercade: Midwest-based arcade bar chain pairing classic arcade games with craft beer. Highly comparable to Up-Down on regional footprint, retro arcade focus, and adult-skewing bar experience.
- Barcade: Pioneering retro arcade bar chain combining classic arcade and pinball machines with full bar service. Most directly comparable to Up-Down in concept (nostalgic games + alcohol) and in physical venue format.
- Punch Bowl Social: Multi-location experiential dining and entertainment venue combining games (bowling, ping pong, arcade) with bar/restaurant service. Comparable to Up-Down on the experiential 'eatertainment' venue model and private event focus.
- Emporium Arcade Bar: Multi-location arcade bar featuring classic pinball and arcade games alongside a full bar and food menu. Closely comparable to Up-Down on hybrid venue format and adult-skewing entertainment positioning.
- Player 1 Video Game Bar: Independent arcade bar concept centered on classic video games and console gaming with a full bar. Closely aligned with Up-Down's emphasis on retro console gaming (N64, Sega) and adult-only entertainment format.
- Free Play Arcade: Multi-location arcade bar offering classic pinball, video games, and console gaming alongside a full bar. Closely comparable to Up-Down on retro/console game curation and adult entertainment format.
- 16-Bit Bar+Arcade: Regional arcade bar chain offering classic and modern arcade games with craft cocktails and bar food. Directly comparable to Up-Down on game-first/bar-second format and multi-market expansion strategy.
Emerging players
- Nerd Bar: Independent arcade-and-gaming bar concept focused on retro and modern games with craft cocktails. Comparable to Up-Down on hybrid game/bar format and adult-only positioning, but operates at single-venue scale.
Broad incumbents
- Main Event Entertainment: National family entertainment center chain combining bowling, laser tag, billiards, karaoke, and a large arcade with food and beverage. Comparable to Up-Down on multi-attraction venue model and event hosting, though broader and family-targeted.
- Dave & Buster's: Large publicly-traded eatertainment incumbent with hundreds of arcade and amusement venues nationwide. Comparable to Up-Down on the arcade+bar+events value proposition but at vastly larger scale and broader demographic targeting.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Up-Down Arcade Bar social profiles
Digital presenceUp-Down Arcade Bar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Up-Down Arcade Bar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Up-Down Arcade Bar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Up-Down Arcade Bar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Up-Down Arcade Bar
What does Up-Down Arcade Bar do?
Up-Down Arcade Bar operates a chain of retro arcade bar venues across eight U.S. cities, providing pay-per-play access to 50–80+ classic 1980s and 1990s arcade cabinets and pinball machines (all at 25 cents per game), Skee-Ball alleys, Nintendo 64 and GameCube console gaming, and life-size board games, alongside craft beer, cocktails, house-made pizza, and private event hosting. The company also sells branded apparel through an online Shopify storefront and operates a VIP membership program.
Is Up-Down Arcade Bar a public or private company?
Up-Down Arcade Bar is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Up-Down Arcade Bar founded?
Up-Down Arcade Bar was founded in 2013. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Up-Down Arcade Bar based?
Up-Down Arcade Bar is headquartered in Des Moines, United States, in the North America region.
How does Up-Down Arcade Bar make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Arcade Gaming Revenue is the primary driver. The others are food and Beverage Sales, merchandise Sales and event Venue Rental.
Who are Up-Down Arcade Bar's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Headquarters Beercade, Barcade, Punch Bowl Social, Emporium Arcade Bar, Player 1 Video Game Bar, Free Play Arcade and 16-Bit Bar+Arcade. Nerd Bar is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Main Event Entertainment and Dave & Buster's.
Does Up-Down Arcade Bar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Up-Down Arcade Bar.
What industry is Up-Down Arcade Bar in?
Up-Down Arcade Bar's product category is Arcade Bar Entertainment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFALAD, Gaming Café/Bar Hybrid Venues (Food & Beverage + Competitive Play), with a secondary code of MPAEAJAF, Coin-Operated Entertainment (Pinball, Crane/Claw, Jukebox, Darts/Billiards). Its NAICS code is 713120 and its SIC code is 7900.