One of NYC’s Last Great Arcades Closes its Doors

Chinatown Fair, widely recognized as the arcade mecca for fighting gamers, will be closing its doors at the end of the month.  According to SNK-Capcom.com, owner Henry Cen posted on his Facebook page, “Chinatown Fair after decades of business has lost its lease.” Fundraisers have been suggested but no definitive action has been taken yet as it is unclear if the arcade’s problem is lack of money or if the landlord simply refuses to renew the lease.

While there’s no guarantee that the arcade will reopen, there is at least some hope in that Cen made a comment about searching for future locations for business.

It’s sad not only because of its importance in the fighting games community, but also for its history.  The arcade was known for decades not always for its wide variety of cabinets, but for the tic-tac-toe playing chicken who (after many generations of imprisoned chickens) was freed in 1998. Though Lily no longer lives at the arcade,  photos of her can be seen at the arcade’s change booth.

As gaming moves to the new frontier of internet tournaments, the casualties of establishments like Chinatown Fair are still felt heavily in our hearts.

Image Source: Flickr/nycscout