Josh Karam and Erika Mozes believe they’re well on their way to solving one of Haliburton village’s age-old problems – keeping youth entertained.
The pair, who own Delancey Sports on Highland Street, introduced a new feature to their downtown store recently, opening a retro-style arcade. They transitioned approximately 250 sq. ft. of storage space at the back of the building through spring, creating a fun spot for the community to kick back, relax and have some fun.
“There’s not much to do in town, especially for kids. We’ve been pretty set on finding a way to fill this important
entertainment gap in the community for some time,” Karam said, noting they first explored opening an arcade in Haliburton in 2022. “We just have never been able to find the right venue, right time, right opportunity.”
Opening their third Delancey Sports location in Bracebridge last summer, Karam said he retrofitted some of the
excess space there into an arcade that he says has been very well received. After proving the concept works, he immediately set out implementing a similar vision for Haliburton.
Most of the games are sports-themed, with a mix of old and new systems, including classic NBA Jam and NFL Blitz cabinet set ups, a Ms. Pacman machine, an air hockey table, basketball net, and terminals for Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch.
The space is open six days per week, only closed Mondays, and is available during Delancey’s regular operating hours. The cost per person is $5, which grants unlimited play. Snacks and merchandise are available at an additional cost. It opened April 25.
“We probably could have charged more, but this is very much a passion project for me, more about doing something cool and for the community than for the money,” Karam said. “The goal was to create a great
environment where people feel comfortable coming, hanging out and having fun, whether by themselves, with family, or with friends.”
Mozes said the biggest surprise so far has been the number of “big kids” who have visited.
“We’ve had people in every day – lots of kids, but lots of families too. Parents and grandparents are coming in and wanting to hang out here too. This is quickly becoming the place that you bring your kids when you’re in the village,” Mozes said.
Parent supervision isn’t required, making Delancey’s “the perfect drop-off” for people wanting to shop or walk the downtown in peace without their children in tow.
Asked about a possible expansion in future, Karam said he isn’t ruling anything out.
“We do very good in business and life by taking things step-by-step. We’ll see how the community responds. If this is something people just can’t get enough of and we’re packed all the time, then who knows where this could go. We’re always dreaming big.”
The arcade can be booked for parties and special events. Contact info@ delanceysports.com for more information.
