Entrepreneur

Dream Arcades Takes '80s Nostalgia to a New Level

Dream Arcades is the largest manufacturer of non-coin-operated arcade machines in the world. Last year the company broke $1 million in sales."Nostalgia sells," says co-founder Michael Ware.

Dig Dug. Centipede. Asteroids. They're just three of the 1980s video games that kept many a Gen Xer hanging out in dark arcades on sunny days. Now they're among the more than 500 titles that Dream Arcades loads into '80s-style game consoles designed for the home or office.

"Nostalgia sells," says Michael Ware, who is the largest manufacturer of non-coin-operated arcade machines in the world. Last year the company broke $1 million in ; for 2013 so far sales are up 20 percent, thanks to a growing number of residential customers and corporate orders from the likes of Google, Microsoft, Apple and Disney--demonstrating the universal desire for a kick-ass rec room or break room.

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from Entrepreneur

Entrepreneur3 min read
You’re Never Out of Options
YOU’VE HIT a wall. Maybe it’s an idea that won’t work. A pursuit you were rejected from. An effort that failed. Now you feel stuck and frustrated. I’ve felt it too—but I learned four simple words that help me move past it. I think they can help you t
Entrepreneur3 min read
What’s the Real Damage?
Miri Offir knows how to talk to people in crisis. After serving in the Israeli military, she came to the U.S. in 2003 and took a secretary job at the post-disaster recovery franchise 911 Restoration. She worked her way up—eventually becoming the comp
Entrepreneur2 min read
3 Ways to Build Real Businesses on the Side
If you have marketable skills, but you aren’t sure how to spin them into a business, try teaming up with someone from an entirely different industry. Together, you could pinpoint opportunities for innovation. That’s what Gene Caballero did. Back in 2

Related Books & Audiobooks