Lehigh Valley Live: Craft beer and video games: The quest to start the Lehigh Valley’s 1st bar arcade

May 14th, 2019 | In The News

Written by Sara K. Satullo for Lehigh Valley Live

Lehigh Valley native Dave Bracetty is on a quest to bring the region its first bar and vintage video game arcade.

These nostalgic hangout spots are proliferating around the country but none have popped up locally despite the area’s rapid growth.

Bracetty knows exactly what he wants COIN Retro Arcade + Bar Bethlehem to look like. He’s just having a hard time finding the perfect home in Bethlehem after searching for a space for more than a year.

“It is just me.” said Bracetty, a professional photographer who lives in Macungie. “I am not a developer with deep pockets.”

Over the last year, the married father of three has amassed a collection of 20 arcade games, many that he’s repaired and restored himself. He’s sick of them collecting dust in a warehouse, so he’s taken them on the road while he hunts for the perfect spot to open.

For all of May, you can try out the games at Historic Bethlehem Museum and Sites’ Design After Dark pop-up retro arcade event 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts, 427 N. New Street in Bethlehem.

Admission: $10 for HBMS members, includes two drinks; $15 for non-members, includes two drinks and $5 for non-member designated drivers.

Bracetty first saw an arcade bar on a trip to Los Angeles visiting a friend from William Allen High School. The idea stuck with him.

His photography gig takes him all over the country and every time he lands in a new city he Goggles for the nearest bar/arcade and checks it out.

“They are just everywhere and it is such a fun and different place,” Bracetty said.

He can rattle off a list of the varied vibes they all elicit.

Philly’s Barcade in Fishtown has a decidedly divey feel (in a good way), while L.A. has a minimalistic aesthetic with concrete floors, white walls, innovative cocktails and a DJ spinning house music. Boston is more like a club with a cocktail-driven menu.

“Through visiting all of them I’ve determined a flavor of what I think would work best locally here,” Bracetty said. “A good balance between signature cocktails and locally-sourced craft brews.”

He envisions a fridge filled with craft beer cans displayed like artwork, high ceilings and concrete floors. But it won’t be an open space where you can see every game. He wants visitors to discover new games and a lounge area for when players need a screen break.

He likes that the arcade concept gives beer enthusiasts another way to gather that doesn’t revolve around trivia or sports watching.

“It kind of gives your nerdy friends a reason to hang out with you and it’s ok for me to say that because I am the nerdy friend,” he quipped.

And there seems to be strong enthusiasm for such a business in the Valley. About 1,500 people have filled out his survey gauging interest in the concept: asking how far they’d drive, the ideal locations and the amenities they’d seek. The resounding answer was Southside Bethlehem.

Bracetty would love to deliver with a space on Third Street, but, faced with various roadblocks, he has expanded his search to Easton of late. He’s a one-man operation trying to stay true to his vision and his budget.

He’s drawing inspiration from the vibe and community that’s been created at Bethlehem’s Bonn Place Brewing. And he’s grateful for the support and advice many local restaurant owners have been willing to share with him.

In addition to being a freelance photographer, Bracetty is a partner at Banc7, a company that offers small business consulting and develops marketing and growth strategies fro many local businesses.

He’s hoping he gets a shot at translating that knowledge into his own endeavor.

“I am helping all these companies grow and I know these strategies are working,” Bracetty said.

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