Read the full article on KETV 7
WELCOME BACK. NEW. THIS MORNING, A RETIRED CATHOLIC CHURCH IN DUQUESNE, ALLEGHENY CLASSIC RETRO ARCADE GAMES AND PINBALL MACHINES, AND REPORTER CARLOS FLORES SPOKE WITH THE FOUNDER OF THE CHURCH ARCADE ABOUT HOW THEY HOPE TO BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER WITH THIS NEW SPACE. A SPACE THAT WAS ONCE FILLED WITH CHURCH MUSIC IS NOW FILLED WITH THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF PINBALL MACHINES AND ARCADE GAMES, TELLING YOU WHETHER YOU WIN OR LOSE. BUT WHEN I SPOKE WITH THE FOUNDERS OF THE CHURCH ARCADE, THEY SAY THEY WANTED TO BRING NEW LIFE TO THE SPACE AND HELP BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER. A NEW BUSINESS IN DUQUESNE IS GETTING IN GEAR, PUTTING THEIR PEDAL TO THE METAL, AND ARE RACING TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. WELCOME TO THE CHURCH ARCADE. IT’S A RETIRED CATHOLIC CHURCH HERE IN DUQUESNE, PA AND IT IS FILLED WITH OVER 100 CLASSIC RETRO ARCADE GAMES AND PINBALL MACHINES. WHAT WAS ONCE KNOWN AS HOLY NAME CATHOLIC CHURCH NOW HAS NEW LIFE. BUT MANAGING PARTNER MIKE HOPE SAYS THE IDEA TO PUT ARCADE IN THE CHURCH WAS NEVER THE PLAN, AND THE SQUARE FOOTAGE WAS RIGHT AND THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, WE HAD A BUNCH OF ARCADE GAMES IN A CHURCH, AND NOW WE COULDN’T IMAGINE IT BEING ANYTHING OTHER THAN A CHURCH. BUT NO MATTER THE LOCATION, ACCORDING TO MEMBERS OF THE PITTSBURGH ARCADE COLLECTIVE, THE PURPOSE BEHIND THE PROJECT NEVER CHANGED. OBVIOUSLY IN ARCADES, NOT A PLACE OF WORSHIP, BUT IT STILL IS A PLACE THAT PEOPLE CAN COME TOGETHER, SPEND TIME AND, YOU KNOW, JUST AGAIN, SPEND THAT COMMUNITY TOGETHER. FROM PINBALL TO ANY ARCADE GAME YOU CAN IMAGINE. ROUND ONE, IT’S ALL THERE. THERE’S NOT A LOT OF PLACES I DON’T KNOW OF ANY PLACES, HONESTLY, THAT HAVE BOTH OF THESE AND SET THEM NEXT TO EACH OTHER. SOME GAMES EVEN SIGNED BY VIDEO GAME GREATS, THEY’RE SIGNED BY CHARLES MARTINET. WHO IS THE GUY WHO LITERALLY WAS THE VOICE OF MARIO THERE EVEN CONVERTED CONFESSIONALS THAT WERE TURNED INTO HANGOUT SPACES, MEANING THERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. HOPE AND LUCK SAY THEY HOPE THE SPACE WILL ALSO BECOME A STAPLE IN THE DUQUESNE COMMUNITY. AND THIS BEAUTIFUL CHURCH THAT WAS HERE WAS AN ANCHOR IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND WE’RE HAPPY THAT NOW IT CAN BE SOMETHING ELSE, ANOTHER PLACE THAT PEOPLE CAN COME INTO. IT CAN BE A DESTINATION FOR PEOPLE THAT MAYBE DON’T COME TO DUQUESNE VERY OFTEN. AND WHILE THE TEAM AT THE PITTSBURGH ARCADE COLLECTIVE PUT THE FINISHING TOUCHES TOGETHER, IT WILL SOON BE GAME ON IN DUQUESNE. WE’RE NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE. WE’RE GOING TO TAKE IT ONE DAY AT A TIME AND KIND OF SEE WHAT THE PEOPLE THAT COME INTO PLAY HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT, WHAT THEIR REACTION IS. COME ON IN, YOU KNOW, COME TALK TO US, COME HANG OUT, COME MAKE SOME NEW FRIENDS. THE CHURCH ARCADE OFFICIALLY MAKES ITS GRAND OPENING THIS SATURDAY, BUT FOR NOW, COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY RIGHT HERE IN DUQUESNE.
Advertisement
‘It can be a destination’: Church Arcade breathes new life in old Pennsylvania church
A former Catholic church outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, now has new life since being transformed into the Church Arcade.”It’s a retired Catholic church here in Duquesne, PA, and it is filled with over 100 classic, retro, arcade games and pinball machines,” said Mike Hough, managing partner of Church Arcade.Hough explained that the idea to put an arcade in a church was not initially planned. “The square footage was right, and the price was right. And the next thing you know, we had a bunch of arcade games in the church, and now we couldn’t imagine it being anything other than a church,” he said.Michael Hovraluck, another managing partner of Church Arcade, says it didn’t matter where the arcade was as long as it focused on community. “Obviously, in arcades, not a place of worship, but it still is a place that people can come together, spend time and, you know, just again, spend that community together,” he said.The space offers dozens of pinball and arcade games. It also features converted confessionals turned into hangout areas, providing something for everyone. Hough and Hovraluck hope the arcade will become a staple in the Duquesne community, which is around 12 miles outside of Pittsburgh.”This beautiful church that was here was an anchor in this community. And we’re happy that now it can be something else. Another place that people can come into. It can be a destination for people that maybe don’t come to Duquesne very often,” Hough said.As the Pittsburgh Arcade Collective team puts the finishing touches on the venue, Hough remains hopeful of the future. “We’re not really sure what the future looks like. We’re going to take one day at a time and kind of see what the people that come into play have to say about it, what their reaction is,” he said.Hovraluck invited the community to visit. “Come on in, you know, come talk to us, come hang out, come make some new friends,” he said.The Church Arcade was set to officially open this Saturday, Jan. 31. It is located at 32 S First Street, Duquesne, PA 15110. For more information, click here.
A former Catholic church outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, now has new life since being transformed into the Church Arcade.
“It’s a retired Catholic church here in Duquesne, PA, and it is filled with over 100 classic, retro, arcade games and pinball machines,” said Mike Hough, managing partner of Church Arcade.
Advertisement
Hough explained that the idea to put an arcade in a church was not initially planned.
“The square footage was right, and the price was right. And the next thing you know, we had a bunch of arcade games in the church, and now we couldn’t imagine it being anything other than a church,” he said.
Michael Hovraluck, another managing partner of Church Arcade, says it didn’t matter where the arcade was as long as it focused on community.
“Obviously, in arcades, not a place of worship, but it still is a place that people can come together, spend time and, you know, just again, spend that community together,” he said.
The space offers dozens of pinball and arcade games. It also features converted confessionals turned into hangout areas, providing something for everyone.
Hough and Hovraluck hope the arcade will become a staple in the Duquesne community, which is around 12 miles outside of Pittsburgh.
“This beautiful church that was here was an anchor in this community. And we’re happy that now it can be something else. Another place that people can come into. It can be a destination for people that maybe don’t come to Duquesne very often,” Hough said.
As the Pittsburgh Arcade Collective team puts the finishing touches on the venue, Hough remains hopeful of the future.
“We’re not really sure what the future looks like. We’re going to take one day at a time and kind of see what the people that come into play have to say about it, what their reaction is,” he said.
Hovraluck invited the community to visit.
“Come on in, you know, come talk to us, come hang out, come make some new friends,” he said.
The Church Arcade was set to officially open this Saturday, Jan. 31. It is located at 32 S First Street, Duquesne, PA 15110. For more information, click here.
