If you've been following our network of sites for a while, then you might recall that our sister site, Nintendo Life, paid a visit to the UK city of Leicester to investigate a store called Super Game Shack, which was boldly opened when the world was still gripped by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Back then, store owner Richard Tewkesbury – previously a regular fixture at events and conventions via his Game Boy Shack business – was bullish about his chances but keenly aware that he was taking a considerable risk, given that retail was under almost complete lockdown. We're pleased to report that this gamble has paid off handsomely, so much so that Super Game Shack was recently voted Best Independent Retailer by Your Leicester and has become a popular destination for gamers and pop culture fans over the past few years.
"I started this shop as a six-month pop-up shop over COVID, gambling it all with just £20 left to my name on opening day," says Tewkesbury. "Things went quite well for two weeks, then it was lockdown again. I decided there and then this wasn’t going to be a pop-up, and I went for it, refitting the shop over the next few months. We gave the shop a full renovation in 2023, making it bigger and better and one of the top video game stores in the UK. We won best independent retailer in Leicester in 2024."
Given that Leicester is the closest major city to the Hookshot Media offices, we've been keeping a close watch on Super Game Shack's meteoric rise, and some time ago, Tewkesbury confided in us that he was about to expand the store in a rather dramatic fashion – he was going to open a second unit in the Grade II listed Victorian Silver Arcade where the store is based, but this store would have a focus on coin-ops and food. Dubbed Super Game Shack Level 2, this is now open to the public, and we were lucky enough to pay a visit recently to check it out.
Like the existing Super Game Shack store on the ground floor of the Silver Arcade, Level 2 retains a retail focus; there are several cabinets packed with rare retro gaming items and Japanese imports, for example. However, Tewkesbury – who is a proud Leicester resident – has another aim with this second store; he wants to recreate the feel the Silver Arcade had during his youth when it was packed with a vibrant selection of independent stores covering a wide range of products.
For example, Level 2 has a vast array of toys, clothing and comic books in addition to video games; stores selling these items populated the Silver Arcade during the '90s, prior to the closure of all but the ground floor in 2000. While some of the floors are now used as offices, Super Game Shack Level 2 represents the return of commercial retail to the arcade's upper floors.
The first thing that hits you the moment you enter the new unit is a glorious bank of arcade machines. Tewkesbury has carefully renovated and curated this selection, offering a neat snapshot into the history of coin-op gaming. The really good news is that these machines are getting some serious love from patrons and customers, which proves that, despite the passage of time, arcade gaming has a timeless appeal.
There's also a fully stocked cafe serving food and drinks, as well as a large, roomy, and well-lit seating area for drinking and eating (complete with two candy-cab arcade machines). The vibe is impeccable throughout, illustrating the fact that Tewkesbury is a pop culture vulture; film posters adorn the walls, classic movie songs blast out from the sound system, and even the staff doors to the kitchen take inspiration from Jurassic Park.
Anyone from Leicester will tell you that Silver Arcade is a gem which has too long been underappreciated; Tewkesbury and his team are doing huge things to this amazing venue, and we hope that his commitment to the building will encourage other retailers to fill out the remaining units.
If you're ever in the area, you should pay a visit.
Super Game Shack Level 2 is open Friday (10:30-4:30), Saturday (10:00-4:30) and Sunday (11:00-3-00).