Coming soon: Space Monkey Barrcade bets on nostalgia and in-person arcade play to draw crowds in Edinburg

Mission businessman Evers Barrera is bringing a taste of nostalgia to Edinburg with the new Space Monkey Barrcade — an ’80s and ’90s themed free-play arcade, bar, and kitchen.

Space Monkey will have more than 100 games, both retro and modern, free to anyone who pays the $15 entry fee and wears the accompanying wristband.

The free game play was an important detail to Barrera when he decided to go into the arcade business. He was adamant that patrons should be able to have fun without worrying about breaking the bank.

As a child of the neon decade, the 49-year-old has fond memories of playing the classics like Centipede and NBA Jam at his local arcades. Barrera said he remembers trying to stretch the $5 dollars he got from his parents, selectively choosing which games deserved his quarters.

“We didn’t have a lot of money, so going to the arcade was a once in a blue moon thing. It was something that you waited for every few months,” Barrera said. “I only got $5, so you would run out of quarters right away. So instead of finishing in an hour, you would try to make the best of it and walk around to watch the others play. But I don’t want that to happen now. I want everybody to play as much as they want and stay the whole day and be there socially.”

The entry fee won’t cover food and beverages, but the owner said everything will be reasonably priced. Barrera stressed that he’s not trying to get rich from this business; he just wants to give people a place to have fun.

Space Monkey will also offer discounts to first responders, military, senior citizens, and AMC moviegoers for the theater next door with proof of a ticket. To encourage game play, the venue will also allow same-day re-entry as long as patrons are wearing their wristbands.

Bringing back face-to-face arcade culture

Along with going easy on people’s wallets, Barrera and his business partners, Tony Peña and Hector Sanchez, want to encourage the social aspect of the ’80s and ’90s arcade experience. Although he can appreciate modern gaming where people play online and communicate through a headset from the comfort of their own homes, Barrera believes nothing beats the feeling of connecting with another person in line at the same machine.

“That’s the best kind of human interaction — smiling and being happy, making new friends,” the Barrcade owner said. “That’s what I’m trying to bring here.”

Peña shares his business partner’s passion for preserving gaming history.

The 38-year-old reminisced about his days at Mr. Fun’s in Mission or The Zone in McAllen before the businesses closed as the arcade scene started going out of fashion.

“Nineties kids like me, we’re kinda trying to go back to when maybe times were better, when we had a stress-free world and got lost in these games and made new friends,” Peña said. “At the arcade, you could just put a quarter in and play with a random stranger and then become friends. You can’t really do that anymore.”

Building the gaming collection

As an adult, Peña began investing in machines and learning how to fix them. He also owns the Limited Editions comic book store in McAllen, which used to have arcade games, but the store had to move the machines to make room for more inventory. Still, Peña wanted to open a bar arcade in the Rio Grande Valley. So, when Barrera approached him with his business idea, Peña jumped at the opportunity.

The co-owners have spent the last year sourcing games through auctions, Facebook Marketplace, or taking from their personal collections, all leading up to the grand opening on Friday at 4 p.m.

Space Monkey will accommodate all ages before 9 p.m., and 18 and up from 9 p.m. until closing. However, Barrera said they won’t have their liquor license until mid to late December.

Some of the games at the Barrcade include Galaxian, Ms. Pac-Man, the Mortal Kombat series, and NBA Jam. The venue will also have newer games like Dance Dance Revolution, The Walking Dead shooting game, and racing games.

Barrera said the arcade will also include modern and vintage gaming consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Sega Genesis, with an opportunity for live-stream events and tournaments. Other games include shootout basketball, air hockey, pinball, and cornhole.

Beyond the arcade, the owners want to do karaoke nights, comedy nights, live music, and private parties.

A space designed to connect generations

Although Space Monkey isn’t open to the public yet, the owners had a friends and family night on Halloween where a select few people could test drive the experience. Barrera said he enjoyed seeing people’s faces light up when they saw a game from their childhood.

“People my age remember,” he said. “And everybody comes up to me and says, ‘Oh, I played this game at the arcade. I remember going with my brother or whoever.’ And those same people are bringing in their kids and in some cases their grandkids who have never experienced arcades.”

Peña said he’s most interested in seeing how younger kids interact with the games from his era. He’s hopeful Space Monkey Barrcade can help bridge gaps between generations.

“I’m a father; it’s a good way for parents that are millennials like me to be able to interact with their kids and show them, ‘These are the games that I played,’” he said. “They can kind of make new memories showing their children their childhood as well.”

A legacy project for future gamers

Although Barrera initially wanted to open the Barrcade to start his next chapter after retiring from his U.S. Customs and Border Enforcement job in a few years, he also hopes Space Monkey can be his gift to future generations.

“I want to leave it as a legacy for my son and my grandson. And when I’m not here, they can continue the business if they want,” the co-owner said. “It’s to preserve a hobby. I don’t want it to be lost.”