‘Made a mistake.’ Philipsburg business announces closure, points blame at borough and others

An arcade and gaming lounge that had been open for about seven months in Philipsburg announced its closure on social media and did not hold back in placing blame on the borough and others.

The Clubhouse, 226 N. Front St., planned a going out of business sale for 1 p.m. July 10. TVs, computers, consoles, furniture, toys and more are expected to be sold.

In a scathing Facebook post on June 22, the business’s owners wrote they “definitely made a mistake on when and where to open this business.” They did not allow people to comment on the post.

“We were warned by numerous local people and even a local official who came into our place back in November, but did not listen,” the business posted. “We had hoped we would have been supported and welcomed to this town but we realized right out the gate that this was not gonna be the case.”

The business opened in December and marketed itself as a place for children and adults to play various games. Customers could purchase five visits for $10 or 15 visits for $25. It closed to the public Sunday.

In the Facebook post, the owners took aim at everyone from local media outlets to unnamed other businesses and nonprofit organizations and elected officials.

Philipsburg Mayor John Streno defended the borough Tuesday, telling the Centre Daily Times that “it’s a chance everybody takes with a business.” About one-fifth of small businesses close within a year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“Sometimes things happen that no matter how well you want to do or how much you think your service is needed, it may not be,” Streno said. “And I kind of think that’s what they ran into. They were providing a service that just didn’t attract enough people.”

On more than one occasion, the longtime mayor said he credited the owners for opening a business that was unlike many others in the area.

“So many people try a lot of businesses but they just don’t work,” Streno said. “It’s not that anybody wished them ill. It’s just that too many people just weren’t interested.”