As I walked into Main Street Amusements for the first time, a rush of nostalgic euphoria flowed through me. The ping of the pinball machines, the zap from Pac-Man and the clink of tokens falling into the dispenser initiated a whirlwind of joy in me as it took me back to my childhood.
Purdue University Student, Rosalie Degenhart, shares this blog. This blog is part of a series of articles submitted to Visit Lafayette-West Lafayette through a cooperation with a 400-level travel writing class at Purdue University.
I’m always on the lookout for nearby activities near Purdue’s campus that are affordable and entertaining for my friends and I to enjoy together. It’s a bonus if the activity gets us moving after hours of staring at our laptops.
Main Street Amusements checks all those boxes and throws in a dose of nostalgia on top.
🧑🧑🧒🧒 Fun for All Generations
Main Street Amusements has 28 pinball machines ranging from a vintage 1972 “Spanish Eye” themed machine to a brand-new 2025 “King Kong” themed machine. I started on a 2016 machine themed to my favorite movie: “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Each machine is covered in vibrant designs and colors depicting scenes and characters from their movies.
The range in pinball machines reflects business owner Dan St. John’s long-term passion for collecting pinball machines. St. John has run the store since its opening 13 years ago. When asked what his favorite pinball machine was, it was hard for him to pick a favorite.
“I just kind of collected [pinball machines] through the years,” St. John said. “I like all of them. I like the new ones, and I like the old ones. The ’70s ones are the ones I grew up playing, and then the newer ones are obviously a little bit more complicated, but they’re fun, too.”
By complicated, St. John is referring to the features that add more dimension to a game’s course, such as an extra tunnel for a ball to roll into or a bell it knocks into to increase your score. For me, it was the hidden exit that my ball kept rolling into, ending my game prematurely, yet making me want to restart over and over again.
Don’t worry if you’ve never played pinball before; each machine is unique in its design, theme and difficulty. With the freedom to choose which one to play, it becomes your own personalized pinball adventure!
The new pinball machines might be more recognizable to younger audiences, but the older ones pack the same punch and left me feeling sentimental. St. John mentioned how he attends expositions to source new pinball machines, so visitors can expect new games every now and then.
If visitors are not into playing pinball, Main Street Amusements offers 12 old-school arcade games like Pac-Man, Space Invaders and Donkey Kong Jr.
💰Affordable Entertainment
A fond memory from my childhood was visiting the local arcade in my hometown. I remember waiting patiently as the dispenser dropped my tokens because I could not wait to rush over to my favorite game. Today, the exhilaration of having your own stack of tokens has been replaced with a digital system in some arcades.
Not at Main Street Amusements. All pinball machines there run on a token system, and every pinball machine costs one to four tokens. It costs $1 for four tokens, and the token dispenser accepts both cash and card. My friend and I visited Main Street Amusements together, and we split 20 tokens for $5.
📍Great Downtown Spot
Students can walk from campus to Main Street Amusements or drive and park nearby on the street. I recommend making your visit to Main Street Amusements a full evening downtown.
Main Street is lined with great restaurants, breweries and dessert spots if you’re looking to grab a bite. I bought ice cream at a nearby parlor, and it was the perfect reward after dominating the pinball scene (at least I like to think I dominated). You can also take a stroll under the twinkling lights and window-shop from the unique stores.
Main Street Amusements adds to the lively atmosphere of Downtown Lafayette with its own retro flair. It is affordable, close to campus and fun for all. From the pinball professionals to the newbies, Main Street Amusements is where fun is only a few tokens away.