The last few weeks we’ve been covering the state of pinball in 2022. Some might say this is an ill-advised internet fame grab, but we’d like to defend the meaningless award. Some of my favorite moments came on meaningless awards shows, like when Blink played the teen choice awards or when Ricky Gervais made all those celebrities mad. Look, if pinball is anything, it’s frivolous. Right?

In the meantime, we also get to call attention to some daupe arcades. Even in terms of small businesses, these places are often scrapin’ by on the skin of their teeth. Go to these places, drink a lot, play a lot, eat hot wings (after you’re done with pinball, you little piggy), and then take an uber home. You’re doing what douchebags call “Stimulating the local economy.” Do that.

The Northeast: OG Pinballers

Pinball in the northeast is gritty, and that’s exactly the way we like it. From NYC’s Temkin’s to Holy Frijoles in Baltimore, it’s full of the realness and tactile sensibilities that pinballers dig. What do we mean? Well, they’re dirty. And they’re loud. And they’re full of dope people who are drinking and having fun. Sure, your basement is cool and it has air conditioning and you put up a really high score on your Rush Premium last night but – c’mon. There’s no competition. Unlike your house, you actually have a chance at getting laid at these places. I said what I said.

Temkin's - New York City, NY

The first pictures Gina Collecchia gave to us were of a night out at Temkin’s. They were phenomenal. The way she shot them made the place looks like a 1980s punk club, except, you know, Pinball. Located in an old Tile factory, this is the sort of gritty New York pinball experience you’re looking for. Plus, I saw they now have a 007. And as far as pinball spots go, this has to be one of the most photographed locations in New York at this point. I know that Sunshine Laundromat is also daupe in terms of vibes, but I’m going to be real and tell you we don’t have pics of that spot. So in this case, Temkin’s wins vibiest by a landslide.

Holy Frijoles - Baltimore, MD

Another Gina Collecchia Nudge haunt, Holy Frijoles is a Mexican restaurant in Baltimore, MD. It’s also the epicenter of a very cool art-rock-pinball movement happening in Baltimore right now. Besides being the hub for Pinbaltimore (an extremely dope and under-the-radar pinball con), it also employs a ton of cool creatives who use the space as their tableau. I know, I hate myself for using the word tableau too. If you’re looking for new sterns, this might not be the place. But if you’re looking for an amazing collection of retro pinball machines, including a ridiculous Galaxy 2021 — Holy Frijoles is your spot.

If you want to read more about that, or about what Jake Peterson is doing to give fresh beatz to old pinball machines – go pick up a Nudge 2. It’s the feature. I don’t wanna burn too many of the amazing photos Gina took, but this gives you an idea. Man, so daupe.

Roxy's A4cade - Cambridge, MA

Located in a secret room behind a grilled cheese shop lies one of the many cool pinball spots run by Pinball Mitch (You might know him as Boston Pinball on insta). He’s the exact kinda guy you want running a pinball spot - hidden behind a grilled cheese shop, or anywhere else. Mitch hosts monthly pinbrawls with ridiculous names like

Pinbrawl 25: Loose Flips Sink ChampionShips
Pinbrawl 30: Inlane in the Membrane, Insane in the Drain
Pinbrawl 35: We Tilt This City on Locks & Trolls
Pinbrawl 38: I Bless the Drains Down in Aflippa

Here’s what he said about how he got into being an operator.

“I started operating because at the time (2014), there was only one operator around and they vehemently refused to do any service whatsoever on their pins, and would get fkn pissed if you ever asked them to fix something on their games. My light bulb moment came when i thought to myself: "what if there was a pinball operator in Boston that gave a half a shit about pinball?" I wound up giving a full shit and haven't looked back.”

That’s the sort of Boston resolve that gave birth to this country, and by god could we learn a thing or two from those burly boys up in the HABAH YAHD.

Northstar Pinball - All over frickin’ Canada

Y’all know Northstar Pinball at this point, what more can we say? The undisputed champions of Canadian pinball, Charlotte and Adam have their pinball tendrils all up and down the Canadian landscape. They’re ubiquitous. The good news? They’re also cool as hell. Besides operating North America’s only chemical change photo booth for a number of years (they recently were forced to convert to a digital version), they genuinely care about fostering a community as much as getting folks playing pinball. It’s the sort of giving, gentle grace that we normally associate with Canadians. So, I guess, thank you for reinforcing that stereotype! Also, I know for a fact that they both love Rush — so that checks out too.

The South

417 Taphouse - Springfield, MS

John Dozier, the operator behind 417 Taphouse is SO NICE. Like the kind of nice that makes me almost suspicious, you know? Like I never trusted people who were best friends with their siblings growing up. Anyway, that suspicion was unfounded, he’s just a nice dude who really like bringing pinball to the people. 417 is the kinda downhome place that you’d want to bring your parents to. You know, the place where they’ll inevitably say “OH, I DIDN’T KNOW THEY STILL MADE PINBALL MACHINES.” and you’re like “GOD, DAD GET A CLUE.” but then it turns out y’all have a pretty nice time, even though you’re reverting back to the people you were when you were in high school. You feel me? No? Maybe that’s just me. Anyway, this is a great and growing spot in the competitive pinall thunderdome that is being an operator in Missouri. Trust us, we met some dudes from St. Louis at Expo and they DO NOT joke around. Well, they do, but not about pinball.

What’s Brewing - San Antonio, TX

What’s brewing sounds like the best of all worlds. According to our buds at Fliptronic, it’s a coffee shop that also is a BYOB situation. That sounds SO Texas and awesome to me. Beyond that? Well, tons of pinball. Pinball tournaments. Pinball tables for sale. All of it. They’re also home to what was described to us as “A freakin MASSIVE women’s league.” Nice. Oh, and they have a shop cat — at least one. There may have been more.

As always, we know we missed stuff. LET US KNOW so that we don’t make the same mistake next year. Only YOU can prevent pinball ignorance from winning in this old world. Email us.

The State of Pinball 2022: The Arcades (South and Northeast)