Continues Arcade

Allen Brooks’ passion for gaming led to a childhood dream that a lot of ’90s kids can relate to: he always wanted to own his own arcade. It all started when Allen Brook’s mom gifted him a Super Nintendo for Christmas in 1991. For Allen, video games were not just a way to pass the time, they were a path to self-discovery and a way of finding community. When he was young, video games like The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario transported him into enriching stories, allowing him to be the hero of epic battle sequences.

Fast forward to 2025, and this Alexandria native made it happen in his hometown, opening Continues Arcade in Old Town North with co-founder Doug Bauer, another lifelong gamer. While Allen’s background in theatre, music, and video game design continues to fuel big creative ideas for Continues Arcade; Doug brings an analytical mind to the operations, drawing on over 20 years of experiences as a leader in the world of financial management in the Air Force.

The exterior of this warehouse gives a hint to the awesome video gaming nostalgia that awaits inside, with a warp pipe from Super Mario and Pac-Man Ghosts painted on the brick building. Continues is proudly painted above the entrance in a pixelated font, welcoming residents of Old Town North. Step in the door and Continues Arcade feels like an art gallery for arcade machines and retro video games. Brooks and Bauer spent years collecting and repairing more than sixty retro arcade and pinball machines dating from the ’70s to today. Their collection includes favorites like Mortal Kombat, NBA Jam, Space Invaders, and Crazy Taxi. The sound of golden tokens entering machines transports you back in time, and they are proudly stamped with the pixelated caricatures of the team behind Continues’ operations. It’s a total throwback, from the real tokens to video game paraphernalia used as decor.

This arcade is constantly bringing new, ambitious flavors to Alexandria. The food is from Iron Chef America alum Brian Lacayo, whose resume includes working at Jean-Georges in Manhattan and gigs cooking at the White House. Alongside famous restaurateur and television personality from Top Chef, Spike Mendelsohn, they are whipping up dishes like papaya shrimp salad, short rib grilled cheese, and vegan rice bowls. Drinks include craft cocktails and morning coffee served from the Warpzone Coffee Window.

Allen and Doug chose Alexandria to be the spot for their arcade because they see the neighborhood as a place of community and connection. Its welcoming neighborhood is the perfect home base for Continues Arcade, because it re-inspires our childhood-like sense of wonder and re-finding joy in the games that raised us. Continues Arcade is the ultimate hangout zone for visitors and locals of Alexandria, and for Allen and Doug, creating community through play is the name of the game.