Old Taunton Uno to be transformed into video gaming arcade and bar. When and what to know
TAUNTON — If you were thinking the former Uno Chicago Grill restaurant at 904 County St. might forever remain vacant, think again.
The property finally has a new tenant, and this one will have plenty of video game nerds breaking out the cheat codes.
Free Play Bar Arcade, an assorted game complex, with locations in Providence and Worcester, will be moving in and open for business this fall.
What will be there
The business boasts providing hundreds of assorted classic video arcade games, interactive and rhythm-based video games (Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero, Pump it Up, and car-racing games as examples) and traditional games like pinball, ski ball and air hockey.
Co-owner Anthony Santurri explained there’s a nostalgic quality to Free Play as it caters more to adults.
“We want people to feel like when they were kids, while hanging out with other adults,” he said, adding the clientele at other locations “show up, play the games you used to play as a kid, laugh and joke with other adults, and leave happy.”
The weekends will also boast scheduled music entertainment, such as live bands, DJs and karaoke.
Santurri said an enclosed outdoor area will be built on the property for those year-round added entertainment options.
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Cover charge and unlimited free games
No need to save up your quarters or bring stacks of bills to trade for tokens.
Free Play Bar Arcade has one cover charge to enter the establishment and all games are free and unlimited inside. The cost to get in is $7 on weekdays and $12 on weekends. Santurri said the increase in price on the weekends is due to the higher staff demand during those peak periods, as well as added live entertainment that will be scheduled then.
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Food and refreshments
Food and beverages aren't provided under the cover charge.
The venue will have a complete bar on site, serving a variety of beer, liquor and cocktails.
Food options consist only of thin-crust bar pizza, offering four styles: plain cheese, pepperoni, buffalo chicken, and chicken bacon ranch.
Santurri said the logic behind the limited food choices is “people play games, they drink, and they get hungry,” but the arcade is not intended to be a sit-down food establishment. “You are coming for the games.” It’s about providing something simple that will fill you up, while also not being too messy, he explained.
Santurri added the arcade is intended on being a destination, bringing people to the area, where there are several restaurants in close proximity on County Street, like Smoky Bones, Sol de Mexico, and Mediterranean Bar & Grill, where they can dine.
Hours and age restrictions
The business is a predominantly 21 and over venue, with limited all ages access.
It will be open seven days a week. Most of its hours are evening-based, with Monday to Friday being open from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. These days and hours are 21 and older.
Family play time will be available during the day on the weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, when it will be open to all ages. The venue then closes for one hour and reopens at 5 p.m. for 21 and over, staying open until 1 a.m.
What brought Free Play Bar Arcade to Taunton?
Uno Chicago Grill closed down in 2020 when the property owner, Alpha Management Corporation, evicted the restaurant due to unpaid rent.
Jay Pateakos, executive director of Taunton’s Office of Economic and Community Development (OECD), said that while the County Street location was “desirable” real estate for numerous businesses, a recurring issue came down to leasing the property.
“The problem with most of those potential clients that looked at the former Pizzeria Uno's site is that they were interested in buying the place and the owner had no intention of selling, ever.”
Pateakos and his office found a business interested in leasing the site with Free Play Bar Arcade.
Santurri explained they were already looking to open up a third location when the OECD reached out to Free Play. He said Pateakos and the mayor’s office “really made us feel like we should see the city."
"They sold us on Taunton and why it would be a good location. They were gracious and incredibly professional,” he said, adding he had numerous offers from other municipalities at the time for this third location.
Pateakos added, when he first announced Free Play's pending arrival to Taunton on LinkedIn, that "The City is excited to add a wonderful destination along the Route 140 corridor."
When will it open?
Santurri said they are shooting for an early October date to open Free Play Bar Arcade in Taunton.
This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Free Play video gaming arcade bar opening at Taunton Uno on Rt. 140
