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Famed Arcade Chinatown Fair Is Reopening Soon!
By
Ben Yakas
Published Mar 16, 2012
Modified Mar 16, 2012
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Mar 16, 2012
Modified Mar 16, 2012
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Last year we were very sad to learn of the shuttering of Mott Street mainstay Chinatown Fair. The famed NYC arcade—one of the last of its kind still in the city—was closed because of a rent dispute. But according to Kurt Vincent, who is currently finishing up a documentary all about Chinatown Fair, it will be opening back up under new management! "As far as I know it is opening ASAP. I'd say within the month since the longer it sits closed the more money is lost. Plus, they aren't changing a thing to the space. It is in need of renovation, but looks like they are just leaving as is," he told us.
Vincent was shooting b-roll for the movie this week when he noticed the changes going on inside the building at 8 Mott Street: "Earlier in the week, Sam, the previous owner of Chinatown Fair, told me someone was re-opening the arcade. But you hear a lot of things. I wasn’t sure how likely it was happening. Now we know. A group of men were moving some of the old games back inside." He later confirmed that with Henry Cen, former manager at Chinatown Fair who is now co-owner of Next Level Arcade in Sunset Park.
Interestingly, the man Vincent believes is the new owner, Lonnie, told him he used to bartend at his uncle’s place, Max’s Kansas City. Vincent, who told us a new trailer for the film should be coming out at IGN.com soon, is certainly happy about the reopening: "I love how the story of Chinatown Fair keeps going. I suspect it will never truly end. "
Tagged
arcade
Chinatown
chinatown fair
mott street
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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