As previously reported by The Arbiter, Realms Arcade, which has been serving the Treasure Valley as an all-ages arcade, bar and concert space since 2023, faced a tough decision in late June. An anonymous complaint about the business’s alcohol-to-food sale ratio prompted an investigation by the Idaho Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) that determined Realms Arcade did not meet the requirements to be classified as a restaurant due to its limited food menu.
This left partial owner Tanner Nielsen with two options: become a 21+ venue or temporarily cancel Realms Arcade’s beer and wine license until they could meet compliance standards.
“It sucked,” Nielsen said of the situation. “Not losing [the license], but being forced to decide. I knew the all-ages thing was just a must.”
On Thursday, September 4, Realms Arcade announced via Instagram that it had regained its alcohol license after nearly three months of working to meet the ABC’s standards, allowing the venue to continue operations as an all-ages space while serving alcohol.
“Thank you so much for the patience and support during our sober summer…,” the post read. “All ages always.”
“I think [our decision to remain all-ages] helped our case,” Nielsen added. “It really did come down to the perception of ‘are we being perceived as a bar arcade?’ Which, to be frank, I can see from [the ABC’s] point of view. It just kind of sucks that we weren’t given any leeway or notice.”
During their “sober summer”, Nielsen and his team focused on expanding the arcade’s food offerings. Their revamped menu now includes five new sandwiches, hot dogs, pizza and an assortment of shareable snacks.
“I was definitely nervous. Their requirements are kind of vague,” Nielsen said, reflecting on the ABC’s reevaluation. “There was no checklist that said how many food items you needed to have. We upgraded our equipment, have way more food and already had been selling a ton of food before the meeting [with the ABC]. Having that as proof definitely solidified it.”
Nielsen noted that while alcohol revenue had never been the arcade’s “main bread and butter”, the most noticeable loss in revenue came on nights the venue hosted concerts.
“Venues make the majority of their revenue from bar sales on show nights,” Nielsen explained. “Working in the booking world, in the venue world, you learn most venues aren’t making a ton of money off of tickets because there’s a certain level of expenses you have to cover. For Realms, there’s sound, the door, equipment usage, guarantees — all while trying to keep prices fair for fans. ”
Despite this obstacle, the arcade saw a great turnout of community support during this transitional phase, so much so that it fueled Nielsen’s next project for Realms — Chaz’s Corner.
Set to tentatively open in late October, Chaz’s Corner will host an array of novelty and skill-based Japanese games and serve as a relaxed venue and hangout space for meetings, comedy shows, listening parties, concerts and more. Nielsen plans to keep the space free of charge, with the expectation that visitors will purchase food or drinks or engage with the prize machines.
Located in the commercial space adjacent to Realms Arcade, Chaz’s Corner is currently only accessible from an exterior door. Nielsen plans to tear down one of the walls to add a double door that will create a free flow between the arcade and new space.
“Hap Hap Lounge is nice because they do vinyl nights sometimes and it has that lounge feel, but it is 21 and up and is primarily based around alcohol,” Nielsen said, discussing the inspiration behind the expansion. “There are so many people that come to Realms or who still haven’t come who would benefit from a space to hang out, a listening lounge of sorts, that could be treated like a third space, a social space that is all ages.”
Nielsen hopes the hybrid venue will feel “atmospheric” and is actively seeking community input regarding how to decorate and design the space in efforts to “embrace the organic nature” of building a true community-centered third space.
“I’m just glad I never gave up,” Nielsen said of all the recent changes to the foundation of Realms Arcade. “I can’t let people down — we’ve already built it so far. I’ve just got to stay strong and keep going. I’m very excited to continue unveiling all of this.”
