After a long closure to the public during COVID restrictions, Quarters Bar and Arcade reopened over Memorial Day weekend.
Owners Luke and Emily Kunselman opened the Main Street bar arcade in 2019, inspired by their visit to the 1UP Arcade Bar in LoDo Denver. Both were raised in Longmont, and they wanted to bring the bar arcade concept back to their hometown, Emily said.
The couple set Quarters Bar and Arcade apart from similar establishments by using radio-frequency identification, or RFID bands, wristbands that customers can load a balance onto and then make purchases by a scanner. The various games use both the RFID technology and quarters.
The self-serve bar includes 20 taps of rotating beer, cider, wine and a tap of either a seltzer or custom cocktail, also uses RFID tech.
Quarters Bar and Arcade operated for a little more than a year before the pandemic impacted how businesses operated. During their public closure, the Kunselmans navigated the changing restrictions. In September last year, Quarters Bar and Arcade shifted to a private indoor rental space, but that halted after Boulder County reentered Red Level: Severe Risk on the state’s COVID-19 dial near the end of November.
The bar arcade opened for private events again late February, the same month as Quarters Bar and Arcade’s two-year anniversary.
“It was anticlimactic because we really weren't open,” Luke said. “Because we had only been open for about 13 and a half months when we got shut down. And ironically, we were pretty much closed for about that same amount of time.”
While closed, the Kunselmans used the arcade as a way to bond with their two kids. They competed against one another in a family skee-ball and pinball tournament. Emily said that it was a good escape for everyone.
“I think that kind of helped keep us sane during the shutdown,” Emily said. “Just this kind of little getaway that we could go to and do something when the world was shut down.”
Emily and Luke feel grateful for the support their customers showed Quarters Bar and Arcade during their closure, adding that they had regulars renting private rentals and asking how they could help. Though Boulder County aligned with the state and moved to Level Clear on May 16, the Kunselmans waited until Memorial Day weekend to reopen because they were fully booked for private rentals.
Luke has seen a lot of new faces at the bar arcade since reopening. Some new customers found out about Quarters Bar and Arcade while they were closed through social media and walking down Main Street, he said. Regulars have been slower to come back to the arcade’s normal hours, and Luke said he looks forward to their return.
Looking forward, the Kunselmans are excited to restart the Quarters Bar and Arcade skee-ball tournament on Mondays and Tuesday starting July 19 and 20. Teams of two can compete in the seven-week long league, and try to make it into the championship night. Quarters Bar and Arcade are currently accepting signups.
The couple hopes to introduce members-only events in the future. They originally planned events in 2020 but they were canceled due to COVID restrictions. Memberships are $60 a year, and come with perks including a personal RFID wristband, 10% off of alcohol and all-you-can-play for $5 on Thursdays.
