By Matthew Miller-Search
millersearchm@findlay.edu
Maybe you want a sandwich or maybe you want to play pinball. Either way you can get it all in one place in downtown Findlay.
The Main Street Deli has been a staple of the Findlay community serving up sandwiches for 32 years. The eclectic interior offers a small town vibe.
But it recently expanded and added arcade games and a bar. The bar/arcade area, opened on Oct. 20 and according to the General Manager, Andrew Chrome, business has increased substantially.
“The deli has basically doubled its business (since the bar/arcade opened),” said Chrome.
The Deli may appeal more to university students with its new addition but there is more to the story.
”It is a way to appeal to a lot of people,” Chrome said. “It is something downtown and Findlay in general sorely needs. I mean yeah, we want to appeal to the University, and we want to appeal to the late-night downtown crowd.”
The bar/arcade idea is not a new one.
“The owners, he has a bar-cade in Dayton and it’s like 3x the size of this one,” Chrome said. “He also owns an arcade cabinet restoration and reselling business. He has warehouses full of games there.”
Besides a reasonable lunch, and now the barcade, the Deli has always been a common place for university students to work, like Jack Yeater.
“I’ve worked at the deli for about a year and a half, I started in June 2020. I pretty much do whatever is needed around the deli like washing dishes or prepping food, but I mostly make sandwiches,” Yeager said.
With more than 30 games overall, and the inventory changing frequently, visitors are sure to find a game they will enjoy.
“I think it’s a really cool concept, and you can check out the arcade even if you aren’t drinking age,” Yeager said. “The games are free, with the exception of pinball and the punching machine. I think students should check it out!”
And students looking for work might want to give it a little extra attention.
“I’ll make you a sandwich and you can grab an application,” Yeager said.
Visit the Main Street Deli website for information about hours, menu, and new additions.