Connie Stevens has worked in sales and entertainment for most of her working life and about a year ago the Corner Brook woman decided the time was right to start her own business.
“I wanted to be my own boss — see how that feels. Right now, I’m not sure how that feels,” she said with a laugh.
Stevens graduated from the business program at Academy Canada in 2017 and she’s now in the final stages of getting ready to open Retro, her new video game arcade, on West Street.
“We’re hoping to bring a little bit of the ’80s back,” she said. “Remember Fun Villa in the Valley Mall? It’s just something that we don’t have here.”
Stevens said she wasn’t a big video game player herself, but knows a lot of people who were.
So, she’s hoping that it’s something that will draw people out and give them time to reminisce a bit about playing those arcade games of the past.
And while she toyed with other ideas, this one seemed to be where her interest took her.
She’s still working through the licensing process and that will determine if Retro will be open to all ages or just adults. She wants to be able to offer a family friendly establishment.
“I’d like to be able to do it daytime for the kids and then at a certain point bring the older folk of Corner Brook back,” she said. “And we can kind of have a little piece of our youth back, play some of those old arcade games and we can sip on a beverage.”
She’s also looking at hosting special events at Retro and possibly offer birthday party packages. Patrons will be able to purchase some snack-type foods like fries and nachos on site.
The games are all coin operated and for now. Stevens is keeping mum on just what ones will be at Retro, but she promises there will be some old favourites.
