Abari fans fight to get an extra life for the Charlotte game bar during COVID
“Jurassic Park” pinball is Abari founder and owner Zach Pulliam’s favorite game. Since the coronavirus pandemic forced the closure of his Charlotte game bar in March, Pulliam’s felt like he’s in his own real-life pinball game, bouncing around with fears and anticipation but never knowing if or when the final ball will go past its flippers.
“COVID-19 has taken away a third of our yearly revenue and completely depleted us of any savings we had,” Pulliam said. “We have had to take out two additional loans to cover necessities such as rent and insurance.”
The uncertainty of any return to “normal” is challenging for Pulliam and other small business owners.
“At this point though I just feel tired, beaten and defeated,” Pulliam said.
A dream to play video games
Abari is an arcade/bar that opened in 2016 based on a dream, risk and lots of hard work.
“I think a lot of people have some idea that I have investors or was independently wealthy. It was just me taking a chance on something I love,” Pulliam said.
“I was tired of corporate work and wanted to follow my dreams. At first it was an ‘if I win the lottery’ dream, but then I got determined to make it happen. After tons of research and planning, I secured a small business loan and started the long, frustrating process of opening.”
The owner wanted to create a community through gaming, along with a nice dose of nostalgia.
“Some people call Abari their second home, and that makes me feel awesome that I have been doing something right. It has been a pleasure to get to meet so many new people through the bar and to now call them friends,” Pulliam said.
The owner said prior to the pandemic, he was about to be out of debt from his initial SBA loan. But his dream quickly turned into a nightmare.
“It has been tough on me personally, especially from a mental health standpoint,” Pulliam admitted. “I know COVID-19 has been hard on everyone, but small businesses are definitely hurting very bad right now. You pour your heart and soul into your business and then have everything stripped away from you over something you cannot control. Abari was a dream that I took a very big chance on, and I am happy that I did despite of the current situation.”
Pulliam was able to secure a PPP loan to help pay staff but said it only covers a small amount of what his employees would usually make. He’s organized other fundraisers and projects to help the staff, but it doesn’t make up for the lost income.
“I am always trying to find ways to keep my staff paid. I know all of them are ready and willing to get back to work,” Pulliam said.
Customers try to save their “second home”
Customers of Abari say it’s not just a bar or an arcade, but a home away from home.
“Zach has built a game bar that reminds me of my childhood in New York, where my dad would take us to arcades on the weekends and it was a bonding time, Kevin Shanus said.
“While the games are cool, there are a group of regulars who built a community. We’ve welcomed each other into our homes, shared celebrations together and spend weekends together. We hold competitions, raise money for charities and spend time with friends. Our love of the games brought us to Abari, but the people keep us going.”
Shanus is the North Carolina representative for the International Flipper Pinball Association, or IFPA, which is the sanctioning body of competitive pinball. Yes, the IFPA is a real thing, boasting nearly 40,000 players worldwide. He’s held multiple competitions at Abari.
“The owners and staff have welcomed a group of pinball players that really had nowhere else to go routinely in the Charlotte area,” Shanus said.
Shanus said members of this community have stayed connected during the coronavirus restrictions through message boards and Facebook, but they’re ready to head back to Abari. With no business for more than three months, Shanus reached out to Pulliam to start a GoFundMe page for Abari.
“Although Abari is a community, it is still a business, and businesses need money,” Shanus said. “If Abari were open and COVID-19 didn’t exist, our money would be spent at Abari. This seemed like the perfect way to give back. It is a strange time we live in, and Abari needs to be there when bars reopen in North Carolina.”
The owner says at first he was against it, possibly being too prideful. After Phase Three of reopening was pushed back, Pulliam agreed. His customers responded. In just three days, fans raised more than $11,000 the $15,000 goal.
“Small businesses like this are vital, especially to cities like Charlotte, where real estate developers have such overwhelming influence on costs of living and business viability,” Liz Fitzpatrick wrote on the GoFundMe page. “Shame on the property owner for continuing to charge rent for a closed small business during a world health crisis!”
Just to be clear, the owner of the Abari property did give a rent abatement for the month of April.
Kaylee Campbell donated $100 and wrote: “I love the owner, the staff, the people, the place. Don’t let this gem die because of everything else.”
These donors are giving Pulliam an extra chance in his real-life pinball game.
“I am completely blown away by the support we have received in such a short amount of time,” Pulliam said. “It is an incredible feeling to know that you created something that has made a lot of people happy and that they are there for you when times are tough.”
The Future of Abari
Like most businesses, the future remains uncertain as we try to get past this pandemic. Pulliam hopes he can open the bar in the near future with proper safety precautions.
“I am uncertain what will happen if we cannot open soon. I want to fight for the bar as long as I can without completely putting myself into financial ruin or bankruptcy,” Pulliam said. “We are luckier than some bars because we have equity in our games, but we also don’t have a business without the games. As time ticks on, I will have to sell more and more to make rent and other financial obligations.”
He added, “It is a fine line of surviving and not completely gutting the business.”
This story was originally published June 30, 2020 at 4:56 PM.
