Milton, Pa. — Before the Internet, there were arcades, VHS tapes, and spending time with family and friends watching movies and playing games. The owners of Fizzy’s Arcade in Milton are attempting to bring that era back with their family business.
Fizzy’s Arcade, located on Route 405 just outside Milton Borough, has a number of arcade machines ranging from 1980s classics such as Donkey Kong to 1990s-era machines like Spider-Man. Around eight pinball machines line the front wall.
The owners, Bret and Christina Anderson, started the business after moving to north central Pa. and realizing there was a need for entertainment.
‘Daydreaming’ becomes a real business
“We moved out here three years ago from outside of Phoenix, Arizona. I had collected video game machines and pinball machines for 12 years. I had been friends with collectors out there. When we moved here, we noticed there was nothing like this,” Bret said.
The idea to start an arcade business came up about a year-and-a-half ago after Bret and Christina were having a conversation where they were “daydreaming,” according to Bret.
“We thought, wouldn’t it be cool if we could open an arcade. Christina had seen something about a small business center at Bucknell and decided to attend a workshop. We gave them the idea of opening an arcade and they liked it,” Bret said.
From there, the wheels were in motion and the Andersons found an empty building between Milton and Lewisburg to set up shop. By March, the arcade had their grand opening and they haven’t looked back. “It’s been busy most weekends,” Bret said.
On a recent Sunday afternoon, the arcade was a full house. Many families, teens, and adults were there to play games together for a few hours of fun. Bret noted that many people have also come out for the nostalgia. “Older adults come in and they see Space Invaders or Pac-Man and they say, ‘I remember when that came out,’” Bret said.
The good old days
Bret, 48, has been an avid video game player since childhood. He grew up in Wisconsin at a time when malls and arcades were the main form of family entertainment. His family often went to their local mall.
“They’d be like, here’s $5 to go to the arcade and my parents would go eat in the food court and my sister would go shopping or do her own thing,” Bret said.
Bret loved playing arcade games for hours. He vividly remembers being 7 and going to a friend’s house, who had an Asteroids arcade game in the basement.
“I loved the concept of having your own machine,” Bret said.
Eventually, Bret became a collector. Some of the games at Fizzy’s are from his personal collection. The others he bought from other other collectors and vendors. Bret reached out late last year to a collector in Buffalo to buy a game. “When I told him I was an opening an arcade, he said he had 20 games to sell,” Bret said.
The pinball machines are another throwback to decades past. The age of the machines span several decades including the mid-80s, along with the pinball game Comet, and some from the ’90s such as No Fear. A few of the machines are more recent. “They still make pinball machines,” Bret said, adding there’s a pinball supplier in Sunbury called Coin Takers. He recently ordered a King Kong pinball machine.
One wall is lined with video game consoles, each with a television, two game controllers, and a couch. Video game consoles available to play include a mini Atari, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo, Super Nintendo, Sega, Atari, and PlayStation. Bret decided to bring in the couches and game consoles so guests at Fizzy’s could have that same experience of camaraderie while playing games.
“When we grew up, we didn’t have the Internet. We had to go to each other’s houses to play games together,” Bret said.
No coins are needed for the machines. Admission is $15 for unlimited time. For families, a discount is offered of $15 for the first two people and then $10 for each child under age 18. Children under 5 are free with a paid adult. Guests get a punch card. After five visits, the sixth visit is free. Fizzy’s makes sure to occasionally rotate games. “We don’t want people to get bored,” Bret said.
So what is Bret’s favorite game?
“The game I enjoy right now is pinball. We have a Stranger Things pinball machine that I’ve been playing. I got the high score and then one of our regulars came in and beat it,” Bret said.
And for his favorite video game?
“I’d say Donkey Kong is my all-time favorite. It’s just classic, and it’s a hard game.”
Not just video games
Other activities at Fizzy’s include a pool table, air hockey, and an interactive dance game called Dance Dance Revolution. The day a reporter went to Fizzy’s, two little girls were dancing on the interactive floor pads playing the game. “I got it because I thought it was something young kids would enjoy,” Bret said.
Adding to the retro feel of the Fizzy’s is the large screen television in the back that shows music videos from the ’80s and ’90s. Framed movie posters from those decades line the walls, including posters for Clueless, Mallrats, Heathers, Wizard, Ghostbusters, and Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. The movies are ones that Bret and Christina have enjoyed. It surprised Bret when a little girl came up to him one day and asked him to put on the Pee Wee’s Big Adventure movie.
“It’s amazing that young kids know who people like Pee Wee Herman are,” Bret said.
The movies at Fizzy’s are actually played on a media format that almost seems forgotten — VHS tapes. A cozy corner sitting area has a television with a VHS player and a shelf full of movies with everything from Adventures in Babysitting to Willow.
“We wanted to provide a space where people could relax and watch movies,” Bret said.
Electronic games aren’t the only type at Fizzy’s. A shelf with board games is in the back of the room, along with several tables. Surprisingly, some people come there just to spend time playing the board games. “I have two kids, one who is almost 13 and one who is almost 18. Their friends and other kids they go to school with will come down sometimes to play board games,” Bret said.
If you get hungry while playing at Fizzy’s, the Andersons have you covered. A snack bar there sells snack foods, sodas, and specialty sodas with names that reference ’80s and ’90s pop culture such as Jessie’s Girl and Camp Crystal Lake. Fizzy’s also has food trucks in the parking lot sometimes and will allow guests to bring in food from outside.
What lies ahead
For now, the Andersons are enjoying the ride, but are hoping to launch some new events in the future, including competitive pinball tournaments and leagues.
“Competitive pinball is such a fun and welcoming scene, and we’re hoping to introduce it to more people in the area,” Bret said. The couple also may eventually host theme nights and movie screenings from the ’80s and ’90s.
Bret said he and Christina have been “blown away” by the support they’ve received from the community so far. “Since opening weekend, it’s been incredible to see families, longtime arcade fans, and curious newcomers all coming through the doors and connecting over these classic games. It’s been especially meaningful to watch different generations sharing the space together, reliving old memories or making new ones.”
“It’s been a whirlwind start, but we’re so grateful to be part of this community and excited for what’s ahead,” Bret said.
Fizzy’s Arcade is open on weekends: 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. Fridays, noon to 12 a.m. Saturdays, and noon to 8 p.m. Sundays. Find updates on Fizzy’s Facebook page.
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