Saturday, June 29th, 2024
Pinball mecca opens in area
By William Kincaid
Photo by William Kincaid/The Daily Standard
The Comet co-owner Chris Jett works on the Halloween pinball machine on Friday afternoon. The business opened last month.
ST. MARYS - The Comet blazed into town last month, packing a powerful punch of nostalgia, retro charm and sheer wonder with 20 vintage and contemporary pinball machines and a handful of arcade games.
Located at 323 E. Spring St., the family-friendly arcade is owned by pinball enthusiasts Chris Jett from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Stephen Neargarder and father-son duo Doug and Dustin Klosterman, all of Wapakoneta.
They're hoping to see pinball mania sweep the region.
The men have curated The Comet with a choice mix of pinball machines spanning multiple eras from their own personal collections and a few arcade classics such as Pole Position and the immensely satisfying Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, all eagerly awaiting customers' tokens.
Neargarder, who owns the building, said he was looking for something to fill the space when his last tenants left.
"Doug was … wanting to open a place and do a pinball arcade," Neargarder said. "I got him into it. I've been buying pinballs for 17 years. I do all the repairs and he bought the first pinballs off of me and he got addicted."
"As we all did. You just can't have one," Jett quickly admitted, saying like a Gremlin, his first pinball machine quickly multiplied into many.
"You buy one and then the next thing you know, you have 12," Jett's wife, Vicki, said.
In fact, the arcade is named after the first pinball machine Neargarder sold to Doug Klosterman, Comet.
Photo by William Kincaid/The Daily Standard
The Comet is named after the title of the first pinball machine Stephen Neargarder sold to his friend Doug Klosterman. Both men are now co-owners of the arcade. Different machines will be rotated in every few months.
They believe downtown St. Marys is an excellent place to open the area's first legitimate arcade in several decades. Arcades have exploded in popularity over the last several years, with many also operating as bars and/or restaurants.
The number of players and competitions continues to grow worldwide, according to the International Flipper Pinball Association. There were 500 players in 50 competitions worldwide in 2006, according to the IFPA. In 2017, there were nearly 4,500 competitions and more than 55,000 players.
"Pinball is not going away," said pinball player Zach Sharpe in 2017, also the spokesman for the world's leading pinball manufacturer Stern Pinball. "It can't be replicated and I think that's why it never truly goes away."
Arcades have found success in cities such as Toledo and Columbus. Why not St. Marys? the owners asked themselves.
"Pinball's trending, it really is," Jett said. "You're seeing it a lot more, maybe not as big as when it was in its heyday. In 1992, they (Bally) built 20,000 Adams Family (pinball machines). I think pinball was bigger then than it is now but we're on the upswing."
Photo by William Kincaid/The Daily Standard
The new arcade in downtown St. Marys features 20 vintage and contemporary pinball machines spanning multiple eras and a handful of arcade games, including the fighting classic Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.
However, the owners eschewed the idea of slinging booze and placed an emphasis solely on the games.
"We're targeting like a family fun center," Jett said. "Young kids, that's what it's really all about. You see that smile on their face, it makes it all worthwhile."
Neargarder and Jett relish the sight of a parent showing their kids how to play pinball. Many children and young adults today grew up without knowing the thrill of launching a pinball and smacking flippers while bathed in flashing lights.
"When we were kids, they'd open up an arcade and it was all pinballs," Jett said. "Then 1980 came along and Space Invaders and Asteroids came along and then it all went to the arcade games."
Home gaming console systems eventually proved to be the final nail in the coffin of arcades but the concept came roaring back to life in part due to the power of nostalgia and the tactile experience of enjoying a classic game in a social setting rather than on a TV or cellphone in solitude.
Photo by William Kincaid/The Daily Standard
The Comet co-owner Chris Jett shows the underside of a modern pinball machine. Jett and his colleagues also buy, repair and sell pinball machines.
"But you're starting to see where people are tired of sitting around, and I think they want to get out," Jett pointed out. "You're starting to see a resurgence in arcades. So far it's been pretty good."
The owners hand-picked pinball machines from their own stashes with the aim of offering customers a well-rounded selection of games from various periods. The Comet is home to Williams' Jubilee released in 1974 and Black Knight in 1980 as well as much more modern machines, including Spooky Pinball's Halloween and Stern's Jaws and John Wick.
"Kids love Toy Story 4. That's one of our top grossers right now," Jett noted.
All of the pinball machines have been fully restored and look immaculate. Neargarder, The Comet's mechanical guru who learned on his own how to work on wiring, circuit boards, relay coils and other parts, actually enjoys watching other people play his cherished pinball machines.
"I enjoy them enjoying themselves," he said. "They come in here and play one of my machines, I'm happy because I'm not really a player. I like repairing them."
Every so many months, The Comet will introduce different pinball machines and move out the ones that aren't catching on with customers. They have a few arcade games, including one which contains multiple games such as Pac-Man, but aren't yet sure if they'll bring more on board.
It depends on what customers want, Jett said.
"We're a work in progress," he said, adding that they're also thinking about hosting amateur tournaments in the future.
The machines all operate on tokens, which can be purchased inside the arcade.
The Comet contains booths in the back where people can eat food they bring in from the outside. It also offers private party rentals, where up to 25 people can enjoy the arcade all to themselves during off-hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Regular business hours are 4-9 p.m. Thursday and Sunday and 4-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
To learn more, visit The Comet's Facebook page.
- The Associated Press contributed to this story.
