Old North Arcade is doubling their space and game collection this Friday when they expand into a neighboring building.
Old North Arcade, which opened about a year ago, began renovating the space next door to their bar and arcade back in March after long-time Old North restaurant Cafe Bella closed in February. The building was the original bank for the Old North Neighborhood over 100 years ago — the Fireside Loan and Savings safe is still in tact and visible in the new space. Old North Arcade worked to restore the original hammer tin ceiling, expose the brick and polish up the marble floors to create a space seeping with old-world character.
The two spaces are connected through a small courtyard patio which houses corn hole, jumbo Jenga and a projector screen for retro movies which the bar regularly shows. Owner Ben Morgan says they evaluated connecting the two spaces inside, but the floor height differential and thickness of the two walls made it an unattractive option.
In addition to about 20 new video game cabinets plus skee-ball and air hockey, the new side of Old North Arcade features a console lounge which houses virtually every home game console, except maybe ColecoVision.
The expanded Old North Arcade will open this Friday, July 29. Old North Arcade is located at 2591 N High Street.
