Payson friends hoping to create ‘arcade bar’ atmosphere in downtown Quincy location

QUINCY — Blake Wolf discovered Up-Down, a St. Louis arcade bar, while attending college in Edwardsville. Up-Down features more than 60 arcade games from the 1980s and 1990s, pinball machines, four classic skee-ball alleys and Nintendo 64 console gaming.

Wolf and his buddy Jonathan Mellon discussed opening an establishment of their own while they were growing up in Payson.

“It’s sort of a dream I had coming out of high school, both me and Jon,” Wolf said. “We both kind of just decided to roll with it.”

Wolf and Mellon have leased space at 124 N. Fifth and have opened Games N Grains. The Venue and Cabaret were previously in that location. 

When it opened Aug. 25, Games N Grains had just a few games installed. However, Wolf plans on adding more as funds allow to reach the full “arcade bar” level. Darts and pool are available. Trivia nights and karaoke are in the works. Event space is available, as well as the potential for bands.

Wolf spends his days as a special education teacher in the Payson School District.

“Our primary goal is to just provide a hangout spot for people,” Wolf said. “Somewhere where people can have fun and just kind of take the edge off at the end of the night. A happy atmosphere.”

The bar is open from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and from 2 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays 2p to 1a, Wolf hopes the area enjoys the “arcade bar” concept.

“(Up-Down is) still my favorite bar,” Wolf said. “There’s nothing like it in the Quincy area.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: The use of the copyrighted term “barcade” was inappropriately used in a previous version of this story.