Portal Pinball: gateway to the past

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Jason Fiorito

A new retro arcade relocated to Acworth from Kennesaw. Portal Pinball became a window into the past for pinball machines and older arcade games. Visitors can play any of the games, including Ms. Pac-Man and Frogger. Located just off of Cobb Parkway, Portal Pinball provides an entertaining activity for a fair price.

William Mullinax, Reporter

Portal Pinball, an up-and-coming arcade located less than three mils from the NC campus, features retro arcade games spanning four decades, from the ‘70s until now. Established in 2017 by entrepreneur Bryan Broyles, Portal Pinball became a haven for pinball and old-school arcade games. A full list of games available at Portal Pinball exists on the PinBallMap, a comprehensive map of the pinball games in the US and even covers a handful of regions internationally. With over 60 pinball machines in rotation and 20 additional retro arcade games in the establishment at any given time, guests can play whenever they like. Since free play acts as the admission price as well as the cost of playing the games, anyone can play for the amount of time they bought without worrying about carrying quarters.

Pinball enthusiasts searching for a blast from the past find that it can come in the form of Portal Pinball. Even people who never encountered an arcade can find the arcade enjoyable. With the low cost of playing on the machines at the arcade, it becomes easy to succumb to nostalgia.

“I was always interested in the arcade games I would see in local restaurants growing up. I never had much pocket money so getting to play them was a rare treat. Being able to play unlimited games for an hour on only $10 at Portal is like a dream come true for my inner child,” police peer counselor and Portal Pinball customer Lisa Montcalm said.

Broyles combined his love for pinball and electronic repair by opening a storefront at the end of 2017. The original Portal Pinball, established in Kennesaw, recently relocated to Acworth for expansion. The newly opened Portal Pinball on Cobb Parkway boasts greater square footage for all the needs that one could think of for pinball, arcade games and an atmosphere of the past. With reasonably priced fun per hour, the whole family can enjoy Portal Pinball for a low price and without the effort that it would take to carry a sack of quarters of the same value.

“I had no idea pinball was still being manufactured, and around 2011 found a place in Birmingham while my family was shopping. My background in electronic repair made it easier for me to take the leap and buy a pinball machine and see if I could fix it up,” Broyles said.

Several years later, as they refurbished dozens of pinball machines,, Portal Pinball became a premiere pinball purveyor. For additional information about their establishment, one can visit the Portal Pinball website or take a trip to 3335 Cobb Parkway Suite 800 Acworth, GA 30101.