Morristown Game Vault opens on South Street; no quarters needed!

Morristown Game Vault Opens on South Street
The Morristown Game Vault
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Morristown Game Vault Owner David Balsamini and Manager Fil Nobile
Morristown Game Vault Owner David Balsamini and Manager Fil Nobile. Photo by Kendra Arnold

 By Kendra Arnold

The Morristown Game Vault had a soft opening over the weekend and welcomed a steady stream of people coming in to check it out. Most blurted something like “This is awesome!” and “I’ll be back!” before leaving with smiles on their faces.

Located in the old PNC Bank at 22 South St., the arcade is full of pinball machines and video games from the 1970s through today, packed into one amazing re-purposed space.

If you had a favorite game when you were growing up, you are likely to find it at Game Vault; it has many members of the Pac-Man and Donkey Kong families, along with  Star Trek (1978) and Lord of the Rings (2003) pinball editions.

With 17 machines, the pinball wall is sure to delight. You can even find Tron inside a room lined with safe deposit boxes.

Owner David Balsamini has a real passion for saving these vintage games and restoring them, and loves to see people enjoy playing them. His collection started with Asteroids and Ms. Pac-Man and grew to the collection that now fills a bank lobby.

IMG_0829David formerly worked as a pharmacist, and that’s where he met Game Vault manager Fil Nobile, who worked with him. They discovered they both loved these old games, and a dream was born.

You don’t need quarters at the Morristown Game Vault; you pay either $10 for an hour or if you are waiting for your table to open up at one of the nearby restaurants, you can sign up for 30 minutes for $7. All the games are open and you can play any game you want as much as you want.

 

Game Vault has a party room and has already booked parties for people turning 13 and people turning 30-something. It’s also had some inquiries about corporate Team Building exercises, and from people excited to spend their lunch breaks playing games.  

DISPENSING FUN

David Balsamini grew up in Brooklyn and Staten Island, but loves living in this part of New Jersey. While his Morristown Game Vault is in a bank, he actually came up with the name first, before he found the space.

His family spent a holiday voting on the name and Game Vault came out the winner. He started searching for a location in 2013 and when he found this empty bank, it was clear it was meant to be. Leaving behind his pharmacist career where he used to dispense prescriptions, he now dispenses fun.

David is full of great stories about games and gaming. The 1978 Star Trek pinball game he owns had an original playfield that was so worn that someone tried to repair it by filling up the worn sections with a ballpoint pen.

That original playfield is now hanging next to the restored game. David described how the restoration involved removing every original screw and bumper, painstakingly making sure it was back where it belonged.

He also shared a story about how when video games became a successful fad, there were worries that the country would run out of quarters because they were tied up in Space Invader games across United States.

This game-lover thinks it’s fantastic to see this space open up in downtown Morristown. Wishing Mr. Balsamini and Mr. Nobile the best of luck and much success in their new business of bringing fun to town.

Morristown Game Vault, 22 South St., Morristown. Hours are Monday-Thursday, 11:30 am-10pm; Friday, 11:30 am-11:30 pm; Saturday, 10 am to 11:30 pm; Sunday 10 am-10 pm. You can like Morristown Game Vault on Facebook or check out its website. 

 

Photo by Kendra Arnold
Space Invaders. Photo by Kendra Arnold
Photo by Kendra Arnold
Photo by Kendra Arnold

 

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Photo by Kendra Arnold
Photo by Kendra Arnold

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19 COMMENTS

  1. Hi Carol! I don’t know if you’ll see this comment, but we wanted to let you know everything in the bank is the same; the teller counters and tables for customers with their marble tops are all still there and we just filled the empty space with games. We would love for you to come in the next time you are back in Morristown and play a few games on us and we’d also love to hear more stories if you have them!

  2. A tasteful vintage arcade in this area is a welcome addition. It is a good compliment to the number of bars and restaurants up and down the street. The original features of the bank, including the tables where you fill out deposit slips and the vault are still there and incorporated nicely into the theme. It has a very family friendly atmosphere and can’t wait to bring my family there again.

  3. Welcome. Too much of any thing, whether its banks, yogurt shops, gas stations, bars or any other use do not benefit anyone.

  4. Offering any Day Passes? When my friends and I get together we usually play for a hours. These 50 something women would be very HAPPY!!!!!!!!

  5. Definitely love this idea as the gaming industry is growing rapidly. Becoming more and more popular. This is an opportunity of a lifetime. Morristown needed something that could bring back life besides getting drunk at the million and one bars. They should definitely host a gaming event there at some point.

  6. I completely agree with the previous poster. Why on Earth would anyone cry about a closed bank being re-purposed into something that’s fun and great for the community? It’s not like they’re taking a wrecking ball to this historic bank building. If anything, anyone who likes the building can spend more time in it now. I would think that a bank would frown upon someone loitering for an extended period of time. The new arcade is the best of both worlds, preserving a great building and creating something fun. Best of luck to the operators! I plan on visiting soon.

  7. Hey Carol. Yes, yes, yes! People do their banking online now. Go back to California!

    This is awesome!

  8. Well what do you know… someone actually used an old building for a new purpose, WITHOUT tearing it down! Great job and thank you for re-purposing instead of destroying our historic downtown!

  9. Work across the st visit delivering sloppy joes from pascarellis deli thought I went back to childhood can’t wait to play qbert and Popeye

  10. NO NO NO, tell me it isn’t so! My father was exec vp of the old First Natl Iron Bank in this building. His entire career was spent in banking in Morristown, rising from messenger boy at the old Iron Bank, went through the 1944 merger with First National Bank as cashier, to exec vp I loved this historic beautiful old building at 22 South so much. It was quite imposing, all the marble and brass, wonderful revolving doors and all. Was very happy to see it still there on a trip to the old hometown from California a few years ago. This breaks my heart.

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