Staff photo / Hailey Rogenski Brian Murphy plays Robotron on Thursday at the Past Times arcade’s grand opening at 419 N. State St. in Girard.

GIRARD — Past Times arcade opened Thursday after two years of construction, allowing patrons to play historical and present-day games.

The arcade and museum at 419 N. State St. features various pinball machines, videogames and active games such as air hockey.

The arcade was founded by owner Rob Berk, an avid pinball machine collector, who said he has invested more than $500,000 into the structure.

Berk said he has been collecting pinball machines for more than 50 years, and that these machines influenced his decision to open the arcade.

“One day I was walking through my warehouse and saw all these games and I thought to myself, ‘What am I gonna do with all of these games?'” he said. “I had driven past Santisi’s IGA (grocery store) for years and it had been vacant, and I thought to myself, ‘I wonder if I could buy that building and turn it into a museum and arcade.'”

He said that he named the arcade Past Times because the machines he collected remind him of his childhood.

“I couldn’t think of a better name to revive all the good days growing up,” he said.

Reilly Berk, Rob’s daughter and current CEO of Berk Enterprises, said that the arcade will have concessions.

“Right now we have vintage snacks and candy,” she said. “We’re also serving milkshakes and floats and starting next week we’ll have Cocca’s Pizza. We’re partnering with them, and we’ll also have food trucks here every weekend.”

Mayor James Melfi attended the grand opening. He said despite the building’s opening, there is still exterior work to be done.

“We have some artist renditions of the exterior work that’s gonna take place with additions and entertainment outside,” he said.

Project leader Mike Hale said that there are a variety of games from various decades.

“We have really old games from the 1930s and a lot from the 1960s and 1970s,” he said.

Reilly Berk said the arcade will influence locals.

“I’m really excited for what this is going to bring for the city of Girard,” she said. “I think it’s going to bring a lot of people together, even outside of Girard.”

Rob Berk said that the arcade also has a videogame store.

“We buy and sell videogames,” he said. “We have Wiis for sale and old Nintendo systems.”

He also said that the business also hosts parties.

The hours of operation are Thursday, 4 to 9 p.m.; Friday, 4 to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

hrogenski@tribtoday.com