Page 4 - Dresden Buzz 11/14/2025

PAGE 4 | LOCAL NEWS NOVEMBER 14 - 27, 2025
Smashing Barrels Retrocade celebrates a decade of providing

affordable family fun BY LYNETTE DOTSON | DRESDEN BUZZ

Deb and Adam Kurtz, owners of Smashing Barrels Retrocade located in the Colony Square Mall stand behind the prize counter. Lynette Dotson

There is nothing like a trip to a classic Donkey Kong arcade cabinet, the largest is one popular area that offers a com- er options.' I'm like, I don't see this being
arcade; the flashing lights and mixture of coin-operated arcade machine in Ohio! pletely different experience from what a big deal. 'You'd better just give me the
sounds emitting from the various pinball "That thing took an army to build to you may remember; they call it the fish- six-player.' They shipped it out. We can't
and arcade cabinets draw you in. Games stand up. We got that thing in here. Obvi- ing room. Two standing height tables, keep up. Boy, was I wrong. I should have
such as basketball, skeeball, claw ma- ously, it's 11 foot tall. Ceilings are 11 foot one for kids and one for adults, allow taken the eight-player table," explained
chines, and air hockey fill the rest of 1. We got it in here laid out. We rolled players to "cast their reel" into a digital Adam. "It got to the point where we
the room, leaving aisles leading to fun it in on furniture rollers on its back. We body of water and hook fish and "reel" needed a second table because all these
at every turn. The desire to beat your knocked on the army guy's door down them in to score tickets and points. kids wanted to stand there, and they
last score and proceed past the dread- there. They brought five, six, seven volun- "People were just going crazy about wanted to stand on the stools and ev-
ed "continue?" screen is just enough teers to grab and stand that sucker up. these fishing games and everything. erything, playing. We'd better bring one
to make you reach into your pocket for It literally took an army to stand up," We I'm like, well, I can talk to my suppli- in for the little kids. They go crazy for it!
just one more quarter. A counter lined tell that story to everybody," said Adam. ers and everything like that. They said, Other games include basketball, foot-
with prizes awaits after you've amassed Most games in Smashing Barrels 'Oh, yeah, we do well with those things. ball, golf, skeeball, a Rambo Shooter,
enough tickets to cash in. Smashing Bar- are classic or retro-inspired, but there There's six-player and there's eight-play- pinball, a separate room to shoot pool,
rels Retrocade brings the nostalgic vibes and play air hockey, retro shooters like
of the 80s and 90s to a new generation. House of the Dead, racing games, a
Pure classic coin-operated arcade joy! whack-a-mole style game, a punching
The retrocade, located in the Colony game, claw machines, Deal or No Deal,
Square Mall (3575 Maple Ave, Zanes- Wheel of Fortune, and so many more.
ville) across from TJ Maxx, is owned by Smashing Barrels secured its liquor
Adam and Deb Kurtz. This is the second license a few years ago, so adults, 21
location they have had in the mall; the and up, can purchase alcohol while they
first was about 1,000 square feet and are enjoying their time at the arcade.
was located in the food court. The space "The bottom line is we want to keep it
where Smashing Barrels is currently safe around kids. So we do have a three
measures about 5,800 square feet, near- limit, and that's our rule," Adam ex-
ly six times the size of their old space. plained. "We're a family establishment."
"We're dead set across from TJ A private kids' party room is locat-
Maxx. You can't have a better spot in ed in the back and is equipped with a
the mall. Center of the mall, you've large Roku-enabled TV, two free-to-play
got a playground right out in front multicade machines, tables, chairs,
of you. It's perfect," said Adam. and several themed photo booths with
"We are a retrocade, so we keep it props. All you have to do is bring the
more behind the times than ahead food, cake, and ice cream! Reserva-
of the times," said Adam. "Which is tions fill up fast, so be sure to get yours
why we do not do card systems. Well, booked ahead of time. The room is
two reasons we don't do card sys- very affordable at only $50 per hour.
tems. It wasn't around back then, The arcade is open Monday through
and I don't want to rip people off." Thursday from 10:00 a.m. until 7:00
Every game at Smashing Barrels Ret- p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10:00
rocade takes quarters, even the mod- a.m. until 8:00 p.m., and Sunday from
ern ones. All games range in price from noon until 6:00 p.m. Follow Smash-
$.25 per play to $1. So, you can spend ing Barrels Retrocade on Facebook @
a lot of time and very little money en- smashingbarrels.
joying everything from a new and highly
addictive fishing game to a custom-built