This week ...
Place: Dorky's Bar Arcade
Open since: Sept. 28, 2010
Owners: Les Voros-Bond and Caroline Dennewith
Cost of all games: 25 cents
What I just lied about: Newer pinball games are actually 50 cents
Total pinball machines: 11
Most popular game: TMNT
Percentage of readers who will know what TMNT stands for: 87%
Oldest games: Space Invaders and Asteroids (1979)
Length of Les' Fu Manchu: 3 inches
Been growing the fuzz since: Labor Day 2010
Before I exited Dorky's Arcade on Pacific Avenue in Tacoma to find my wonderful $25 parking ticket, I had been inside visiting with co-owners Les "DJ Rekless" Voros-Bond and Caroline Dennewith for quite some time. We chatted up such topics as Dorky's pending liquor license, kids with scabies having babies and the fine art of selling s*** on eBay. I gleefully commented on Caroline's commitment to Dorky's retro theme by complimenting her wardrobe. Really, she rocked those leg warmers like no other.
It was after I perused the 43 (and growing) arcade games (most of which are major childhood throwbacks such as a two-seater Donkey Kong table) that I decided to find myself a "dork" amongst Dorky's patrons. There had to be at least 50 dorks in a goddamn arcade, right?
I can usually tell a genuine "dork" by simply reading their know-it-all blogs, but inside this particular arcade it was different. I stopped Dorky's visitors left and right, asking them if they were dorks. Newcomers Spencer and Ben proclaimed their non-dorkdom, as did numerous others I questioned. I was feeling that my quest to find a dork was hopeless when suddenly, as if the nerd-clouds had parted, came Brennen ... King Dork.
"I spend more time here at Dorky's than at home," declared the newly crowned King Dork. With a dietary regimen of Ju Ju Fruits and Costco muffins, Brennen gets the stamina to play countless hours of Area 51 and Ms. Pac-Man from within. Let this be a lesson, kids: No amount of sugar will replace the drive one must have to become King Dork.
Before I walked out the front doors I questioned the suspicious number of keys adhered to Dorky's doorways.
"Say "door keys" really fast," explained my new friends, Les and Caroline.
Clever use of a homophonic pun, Dennewith and Voros-Bond, very clever.
Heck, one might even say it is a bit dorky, but that would be too obvious.
[Dorky's Barcade, 754 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.4156]
Comments for "PLACE: Dorky's Bar Arcade" (5)
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Aja Pound said on Jan. 25, 2011 at 4:21pm
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES!!!!!!! BAHAHA I LOVE IT!
Allisha Aduddell said on Jan. 25, 2011 at 5:18pm
A place where we call all be our own Dorks!!! I am a Dork at heart and truly love the atmosphere here. Every time is a good time to be a Dork! And PS -the Dorks of this world are much more interesting!!! My Vote is for PINBALL!!!
Jerry Day "Candyman" said on Jan. 26, 2011 at 10:11pm
Finally a venue where I can showcase all the work I have been putting into these very collectible vintage games. We are currently working on several others and have our hooks out for many more. In time we will have the worlds largest collection of classic video and pinball machines. Check us out!
Brennen said on Feb. 01, 2011 at 10:38pm
I AM TOTALLY KING DORK... finally something to be proud of
Greg said on May. 21, 2011 at 3:54pm
So Caroline do you own Dorky's arcade? I have a chain her in southern CA, and was thinking of expanding.
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