UPDATE: Bloom’s Parties has suddenly closed.
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Without warning, arcades are back.
Bloom’s Parties and Arcade (617 N. Mission) opened up over the weekend with little notice and none of the buzz that would let you know that it was coming. There’s no Facebook Page. No website. There was no launch party. One day, it was just…there.
The “Party supply and Game Room” facility is largely an open room with plenty for kids to do.
Owner Greg Bloom says he just returned to Sapulpa after a decade of working in Baton Rouge and was looking for a new opportunity. Why an arcade?
“It just worked out, you know what I’m saying?” Bloom said. He had purchased the standing arcade cabinets from the Real Deal’s overstock and thrift shop next door and the idea just came to him. Kids who are looking for a chance to kill a few hours playing Ping Pong, Xbox, or traditional arcade games like Capcom Vs Marvel, Galaga, or Mortal Kombat can do it here, and do it cheaply.
Instead of having to bring a pocket full of quarters, or trading dollars for tokens, Bloom’s arcade is a simple $5 admission fee for all you can play. Bloom says there’s not even a time-limit, so long as they don’t get too crowded. When Sapulpa Times stopped by, there were a handful of kids, including two playing Fortnite on the Xbox. “Their mom just dropped them off for awhile,” he said. When asked if he were worried about the place turning into a glorified babysitting service, he shook his head. “I’m not worried. I welcome it. Kids need something to do these days, you know what I’m saying? I’m not worried. We get their parent’s phone number.”
The “party” part is mostly against one wall where you can purchase colored plates, napkins and tablecloths for a party to have either there at the arcade, or elsewhere. If you want to have a party at the arcade, the pricing is the same—just $5.00 per person—unless you want it to be a private party. “All you need to bring is the cake,” Bloom says. Utensils will cost extra, Bloom says the prices are “extremely cheap.”
The large room looks a little sparse right now, but Bloom says it’s going to be changing. “I’m on my way to get an air hockey table right now,” he says. “We’re talking to the kids to find out what they want to play, and we’re working on getting it. I’m even making signs for (Fortnite tournaments).”
The arcades are the games you know and love, but have been repackaged in a smaller cabinet. Usually, each cabinet contains three games instead of the usual one. Among the cabinets available are Street Fighter II and Rampage. There is a room in the back Bloom calls “The Marvel Room” that he has additional plans for, including dual televisions for side-by-side gaming for multi-player action.
Bloom’s Party Supplies and Arcade is located at 617 N. Mission is open 10 am to 10 pm Tuesday through Sunday. He expects to be closed Mondays, but he says to “give me a call, and I’ll open for you.” He can be reached at (225) 831-0076 to confirm his hours or ask about a private event.
