PALMER TWP., Pa. – An entertainment facility offering virtual reality gaming options has left one Lehigh Valley shopping destination but continues operations at another.
VR Cafe, which describes itself as a “modern arcade” with top-of-the-line virtual reality technology, has closed its six-year-old branch at Palmer Park Mall in Palmertown.
Husband and wife Josh and Erika Pados opened the Palmer facility in 2016 with their business partner Dakoda Finken.
About a year later they opened the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township, which is still in operation.
“It is with heavy hearts that we regret to announce the closure of our Palmer Park Mall location,” the owner wrote on the company’s Facebook page Friday. “We thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts for allowing us to operate and grow over the past 6 years, it wouldn’t be possible without you and we can only hope to see you all at some point in the future.”
“The good news is that our Lehigh Valley Mall location will remain open for your next VR Cafe experience. We hope to see you all soon!”
The VR Cafe features cutting-edge virtual reality gear powered by HTC Vive and custom gaming PCs. HTC Vive is known for its smooth tracking experience.
Guests can choose from more than 40 games and experiences, including Fruit Ninja, Drunk Pub Fight, Google Earth VR and zombie survival games Arizona Sunshine and The Walking Dead Onslaught.
Thanks to the handheld controller and headset – complete with viewing goggles and headphones, gamers can enjoy a fully immersive experience, including crystal-clear sound and a 360-degree field of view.
For example, in Richie’s Plank Experience, guests can navigate city streets on slender planks 80 stories high, and in Job Simulator they can take on various tasks as chefs, convenience store clerks, and other professional roles. There’s even a game called VR Fun House that features various carnival attractions.
Individuals can play on their own, divide their time in groups, or play multiplayer games together in separate booths.
Pricing per booth is $10 for 15 minutes, $20 for 30 minutes, and $30 for one hour.
If virtual reality isn’t your thing, the VR Cafe also offers console gaming stations featuring Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PS4; the coffee bar serves cappuccino, tea, hot cocoa, and other beverages.
Some facilities can also be rented out for birthday parties and other private events. Information: 610-443-0494.
Palmer Park Mall at Park Avenue and Nazareth Road will lose children’s clothing and accessories chain The Children’s Place in March.
Day 2 Night Style, offering women’s clothing, shoes and accessories, Opened in early February.