Arcade Bar Opens Karaoke Rooms, Video Game Lounges, Recording Studio In Annapolis

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Arcades are just for kids, right? One Maryland couple would argue otherwise.

Casey and Eli Linthicum opened an arcade bar in downtown Annapolis last March. The business, called GameOn Bar+Arcade, became a hit among locals and tourists alike.

With its popularity soaring, GameOn expanded Friday into the second and third floors of its location at 114 West St.

The upper levels now offer karaoke rooms, video game lounges and a VIP mezzanine. The space also has a second bar, and a recording studio will open soon.

"We're getting a lot of new publicity for the new space," Casey, 34, told Patch. "I think people that haven't checked us out already will definitely come check this out."

GameOn is located inside a former fire station. At 115 years old, the brick building already has plenty of character.

A blue spiral staircase centered around the station's old fire pole welcomes customers when they enter. Games like Donkey Kong and Street Fighter fill the room with light and sound.

Jimbo, a Baltimore-based artist, painted graffiti masterpieces on the walls. One of the most popular is the mural of Homer from "The Simpsons" giving a toast with Bender from "Futurama" in front of the Maryland State House.

The renovation complements this already distinct personality. Splatter paint walls and black lights line a staircase heading upstairs, where every room has a theme.

The second floor is home to the VIP mezzanine overlooking the game floor. This level is mobster-themed. Characters like Bart Simpson, Mario and Darth Vader are painted in styles reminiscent of popular gangster movies.

The karaoke rooms, video game lounges and future recording studio all lie on the third story. Guests check in at the welcome desk atop the stairwell. This counter also serves as the second bar dishing out canned beer and cocktails, bottles of wine and syringe Jell-O shots.

The first karaoke set is designed like a fast-food rap battle and can hold five to 10 people. Disco lights swirl over murals of Ronald McDonald, the Burger King and Wendy. Performers will appreciate multiple microphones, tambourines, a lengthy couch and a stage.

A cartoon stripper room is next up, accommodating two to six singers. Sensual paintings of Ursula, Betty Boop, Snow White and the Evil Queen surround a stripper pole, which is the upstairs continuation of the fire pole.

Nudity is not allowed in this room, and there is no adult entertainment. It is just the theme.

Both video game rooms fit two to four players. Gamers can enjoy everything from Super Smash Bros. to God of War Ragnarök on PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch.

The intergalactic video game lounge boasts more black lights and splatter paint. Green and pink auroras swirl around speckled stars, plush seating and four TVs.

The other video game room is decorated with comic characters on opposite walls. One side features Batman and Superman, while the other pictures Michael Myers from "Halloween" and Jason from "Friday the 13th." The opposing forces create a good-versus-evil motif that is accented with action bubbles reading "Boom and "Pow" flanking the two couches.

Every karaoke and video game room is rentable by the hour at this link. Hourly renters must be at least 21 years old.

The second and third floors are also available for party rentals for all ages, but younger partygoers are not allowed in the stripper-themed room.

The recording studio is not yet finished, but GameOn expects it to open next month. The studio will have equipment for musicians and podcasters.

The Linthicums have held the lease for the upper two levels since they opened GameOn, but they have sat unused until now. The couple wanted to ensure the main game room was booming before tackling a new project.

"Everything's been running really smoothly," Casey said. "We have the customer base to add something else."

When Casey and Eli felt comfortable with the progress downstairs, they started considering what to do with the extra space.

Casey posted on social media asking their customers for suggestions. GameOn followers said loudly and clearly that they wanted karaoke rooms.

That post gained so much traction that Google started listing the arcade in searches for "Karaoke in Annapolis." Karaoke hopefuls who saw GameOn during their internet browsing came to the bar asking when they could sing.

The Linthicums decided to give the fans what they asked for. They began construction in November, but they wanted to take karaoke to the next level.

"We know that this space is different for Annapolis," Eli, 38, said. "We're trying to develop something that isn't the norm for this kind of area. We were trying to think outside the box, so that's why we added stages and double microphones."

The couple also improved their primary game room.

The arcade has doubled the number of games on its floor, installing classics like "Dr. No" pinball, Space Invaders, Galaga and Ms. Pac-Man. GameOn also added a pizza kitchen and more seating options.

A Skee-Ball league has brought dozens of regulars to the bar each week. Drinks like alcoholic juice pouches and Gatorade-Sprite cocktails continue to be favorites.

These nostalgic throwbacks create a 90s vibe that draws millennials during the evenings. Older office workers turn out during happy hours. Tourists flow in from the neighboring Graduate Annapolis hotel, and locals visit from around Anne Arundel County.

This diverse crowd means anybody can have fun at GameOn.

"We're looking for people who are looking for a good time," Eli said. "It doesn't really matter if you're 46 or 26, it doesn't. As long as you're coming out to have a few drinks and be a fun customer, that's who we want in the building."

Before GameOn, Eli managed restaurants in New York City while Casey was a marketing specialist in Los Angeles. They met in 2015 while working at a restaurant in Howard County and started dating soon after.

The couple has now been together for seven years and married for six. The Ellicott City residents have a 2.5-year-old son and a daughter about to celebrate her first birthday. Eli also has an adopted son turning 27.

Casey eventually became an owner-operator of a Maple Lawn McDonald's, but she sold the restaurant and focused on launching GameOn.

It's challenging to balance family and business life.

The Linthicums are always talking about work, and they have different professional styles. Casey thinks these opposite strengths make them a well-rounded team, however.

"I'm very detailed oriented," Casey said. "Eli's very big-picture, so we definitely work well together."

Eli loves being teammates because he gets to work with his best friend every day. That joy pays off, even when business-related stress takes over.

"We're going to get on each other's nerves, we're going to pester each other, we're going to make it hard," Eli said. "But we still go to bed happy and enjoy doing what we're doing."

After their successful launch in Annapolis, the Linthicums opened a second GameOn in Baltimore's Federal Hill last May.

GameOn has two more locations in the works.

The arcade plans to open a bar in downtown Columbia's Merriweather District in the middle of this summer.

Another Baltimore site, this time in Hampden, should open in late summer 2023. The Hampden bar will be split in half. One side will have the traditional arcade, and the other will host dueling pianos.

The Linthicums are eager for this growth spurt.

"We get to develop a brand," Eli said. " People seem to really like it, which is fun, so I'm excited for the brand overall."

The Annapolis location is open from 5 p.m. to midnight Tuesdays through Fridays and from noon to midnight on Saturdays and Sundays. It is closed on Mondays.

Guests can learn more by calling (410) 885-4589, emailing info@gameonbararcade.com or visiting gameonbararcade.com/annapolis. Residents can also follow the business on Facebook and Instagram.

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