Popular arcade bar closing doors, owner blames DeWine‘s alcohol order

CINCINNATI (FOX19) - The doors at Arcade Legacy: Bar Edition in Northside won’t be opening again anytime soon — if at all.

The bar’s owner, Jesse Baker says it was already a struggle bouncing back after being shut down for months. Now, with Gov. Mike DeWine’s order barring alcohol sales at bars and restaurants after 10 p.m., Baker explains there’s no way he can keep his doors open.

“It’s definitely been a big struggle for us,” Baker said. “It’s been a worry for our family, just to see if we can even survive and pay the bills. We’ve definitely had to sell some of our belongings to make rent.”

Arcade Legacy: Bar Edition is a unique hangout with pinball machines, arcade games and a console lounge — but no food on the menu to rely on as alcohol revenue dwindles.

The bar only reopened two weekends ago after being shut down due to the pandemic.

“Started ff not bat at all,” Baker said. “I assumed it would be getting better over the next few weeks. With the new rules, had to squash that.”

Baker owns three Arcade Legacy locations, one in Newport that had to shut down as well, and another inside Forest Fair Mall, which remains open Wednesdays and Fridays-Sundays largely because it has no bar to begin with.

As with the Newport location, Baker explains they just weren’t able to generate enough business to make the Northside bar work.

“I think it was his way to have bars shut down without telling the bars to shut down,” he said. “It’s going to work for a lot of places, because most bars do their business after 10 p.m.”

Baker says he worries about his seven employees.

“Well it affects them a lot right now, because they did not extend the extra money, so I was hoping to be open by the time that happened, so they could get back to work and start making money again,” he explained. “But that is not the case, so it’s definitely going to affect them more at this point.”

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