One of Kernersville’s newest businesses combines arcade fun, fresh food, and cold drinks under one roof. Game On Brewpub, 727 East Mountain Street, kicked off its grand opening celebration last week and Scope News spoke to one of its owners about the unique “barcade” atmosphere.

“We just kind of decided that Kernersville needed a place like this,” said Joe Campbell, who launched Game On with business partners Jason Goodman, Layton Johnson, and Andy Kennedy.

He described the business as a place where “couples, families, friends can just come hang out, not necessarily have to drink, but come play games, watch sports, we have food, just something different.”

Campbell said the idea was to fill a gap between local restaurants and bars, explaining that he and Kennedy began cultivating the project several years ago.

“My background was in restaurants before I got into software and I always wanted to get back into the restaurant industry,” he said. “So, when this came up, we just kind of thought, ‘Great spot, lots of space, fits all our needs.’ So we decided to go for it and build out this entire kitchen.”

Although the owners had to clear plenty of red tape along the way, it ultimately resulted in their vision becoming a reality. 

With food prepared fresh under the direction of chef Zak Phillips, formerly of Smitty’s Grille, and trademark drinks crafted by cocktail curator Su Jin Johnson, there’s a lot more than video games drawing people to Game On Brewpub. 

Of course, the arcade action is front and center, with everything from modern titles to a retro-style pinball room that Campbell says will cater to classic game fans.

The restaurant will be serving food from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. from Friday to Sunday. The bar is open until 2:00 a.m.

Click here for more information about this business and watch the teaser video below for a peek inside:

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