What happened to (former) Galaxy World's games?

trickman

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A few weeks ago, I stopped by the place formerly known as Galaxy World in Carol Stream, IL. only to find out that the doors were shuttered. The place was a ghost town for a long time in the 2000s, but the game room was still functional and actually had a decent number of games left in it. It was an extension of the Brunswick Zone bowling center.

In the 80s the bowling alley was known as Gala Lanes and Galaxy World was the attached arcade that drew in hundreds of people on any given weekend. It was also the testing grounds for some new arcade games (mainly Williams) through the '90s.

Now, I wonder where the rest of their games went. I didn't hear of any local auction (unless I totally missed it), but if they're being held somewhere for any future auction, I'd like to at least go and check it out.

Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
Apparently it closed at the end of February.

Reportedly the games were moved to other Brunswick locations.
 
I was sad to hear they were going to close. I think they sold off a few things but most likely moved the machines to other Brunswick Zones.

In the golden age of arcades, Gala North was the best place around and Gala West was a close second. They had nearly every game you can think of, and it was the only location I ever saw and played Reactor at. I used to beg my dad to take me there all the time and it was always a special day when he would give in and take me there.

When I worked at Williams Bally/Midway, Gala North was one of our main test sites. Gala West was another one we used sometimes. We tested nearly every pinball machine in the 90s there and all the videos. I remember the giant crowd that Killer Instinct drew when it went on test there, it was unreal.

Near the end of Midways' coin-op years, business was dwindling everywhere and it dropped considerably over there. They made a shift at some point to be more redemption games and sit down drivers but it wasn't enough to keep them around I guess. I'm assuming the bowling alley side must have taken a really big nosedive in business in recent years because that side was always what carried the location and the bowling used to do big business.

Another piece of my youth is now gone :(
 
Many memories of Gala Lanes! Most of them derived from '88 - late '90s for me....

I did manage to pay a visit in the early 2,000's and was really disapponted on what it had became. I was soooo disappointed that I did not go till last summer; it was still a ghost town. So, it 'died' to me in the late '90s.

Shame too... it was one of the best arcades in the 'burbs. As has other mentioned, it was a testing location to companies such as Williams (I also Gottlieb put some test games there.) I distinctly remember playing a *test* Williams' Fire pin and having one of their employees asking my opinions about the pin. Ahhh, those were the days!

RIP - Gala Lanes....
 
Galaxy World was my all time favorite arcade. It was about an hour drive for me but I made trip dozens of times throughout the 90's. They always had the newest games and pinballs. I moved to K.C. in 98 and hadn't been back since:( Sad to see it closed. I remember going there one time and seeing Mortal Kombat II for the first time, they had not one but multiple Mortal Kombat machines, then another time seeing Killer Instinct. Its also where I discovered Twilight Zone pinball.
 
I have countless memories of Galaxy World. It was a regular "stomping ground" staple for a buddy of mine (Dave) and me growing up. We always took a bunch of $1 bills or $5 bills and threw 'em in the change machine for tokens. They had proprietary tokens with two grooves on the back so you couldn't use them in any other arcade. Pretty smart! After we went to the arcade, we'd always walk (or drive) across the street to Weedees (fast food joint) for some greasy goodness. We called the guy that took our orders, Vito (not to his face). He would ask us, "You want the special or what?" Good times!
 
Another Chicago area arcade goes down.

You know what surprises me is other than the hardware store and maybe one bowling alley in the city, arcade don't exist there anymore and the demographics would prove that people would still play games there.

Gala North, Gala West, Enchanted Castle, Just Games (multiple), Nickel City (Super Just Games), Dennis' Place (multiple) Time Out (North Pier), Tilt (actually still there on the South side), Friar Tucks, Just for Fun, just all down to the nitty gritty, I think Sinbad's Arcade is somehow still around and Galloping Ghost has basically taken control but is in a very odd location..
 
Another Chicago area arcade goes down.

You know what surprises me is other than the hardware store and maybe one bowling alley in the city, arcade don't exist there anymore and the demographics would prove that people would still play games there.

Gala North, Gala West, Enchanted Castle, Just Games (multiple), Nickel City (Super Just Games), Dennis' Place (multiple) Time Out (North Pier), Tilt (actually still there on the South side), Friar Tucks, Just for Fun, just all down to the nitty gritty, I think Sinbad's Arcade is somehow still around and Galloping Ghost has basically taken control but is in a very odd location..

Not to be forgotten: Star Worlds arcade in DeKalb, IL, and there's a newer one, No Limit arcade in Algonquin, IL that opened recently, though I haven't been there yet.
 
Starworlds is pretty cool, I like that he rotates his games pretty regularly. It's been about a year and a half since I have last been there. I hope to someday make it out to galloping ghost or the new one in algonquin.
 
Galaxy World West will be missed. One of the great things about the place was the decor; to me it was the absolute definition of 80's arcade. It was that pefect mash up od Blue carpet, brick and wood paneling. There was even a space mural on the wall near the arcade entrance from the outside (not the bowling side). Can any one remember, was it painted? Somewhere in the back of my head i kinda remeber it being a mural made from different colors of berber carpet???

Is the old north location still around as a New Brunswick Zone? That place also had the definitive classic arcade look. It was similar to the other but had red carpet and a more complex multi level layout with raised levels with railings, ramps and small sets of stairs. It was a bit like a complicated Star Trek bridge set in that respect.

I went back to both of these places maybe 5 years ago and they were very different with the arcade walls knocked out and bright lighting through out. Even with all the changes is was nice to see these old hang outs one last time.
 
Galaxy World West is still there, Galaxy World North is the one that closed. Both had/have painted murals of a space theme in them. I'm pretty sure that they were some sort of oil paint that was layers and layers of paint to give it a 3D look. Going to Galaxy World North was a compete treat for me when I had half days of school on Fridays in grade school. My dad would pick me up and we would play for a few hours. I know I'm going to get chastised but I was more into the redemption games and would keep my tickets for a year and cash them in like a king. I loved that place, so sad.


Galaxy World West will be missed. One of the great things about the place was the decor; to me it was the absolute definition of 80's arcade. It was that pefect mash up od Blue carpet, brick and wood paneling. There was even a space mural on the wall near the arcade entrance from the outside (not the bowling side). Can any one remember, was it painted? Somewhere in the back of my head i kinda remeber it being a mural made from different colors of berber carpet???

Is the old north location still around as a New Brunswick Zone? That place also had the definitive classic arcade look. It was similar to the other but had red carpet and a more complex multi level layout with raised levels with railings, ramps and small sets of stairs. It was a bit like a complicated Star Trek bridge set in that respect.

I went back to both of these places maybe 5 years ago and they were very different with the arcade walls knocked out and bright lighting through out. Even with all the changes is was nice to see these old hang outs one last time.
 
Not to be forgotten: Star Worlds arcade in DeKalb, IL, and there's a newer one, No Limit arcade in Algonquin, IL that opened recently, though I haven't been there yet.

I don't know, I know Star Worlds has been there for ever but DeKalb was so far for me (even though I count Calumet City for Friar Tucks, lol)
 
Galaxy World

I had gone to Galaxy World (Carol Stream) since 1985 every year (at least 10+ times a year) since it closed February 29th.. I was there the very last day when one of the employees began to take down electrical lights in the bowling alley. I had always assumed that someday this location was going to close...Nobody was in the arcades except for the weekends and even then it didn't appear to be self sustaining. When I found out they were closing I did get in touch with the National Games manager and arranged to purchase 4 games from the arcade. Others that I had asked about was told they were going to be shipped to other locations..In the end I went back to Gala in early March with a rental truck as told and picked up the games for cash. The thing is was that nearly EVERY game was for sale. I think that they determined that if the games were not making money in Carol Stream they weren't going to make it in any other location in the country..not to mention the shipping costs. They only game I can confirm was moved was a Ms. Pacman / Galaga which they moved a few miles to the east at their Brunswick Glendale Heights location along with a Madden Football that never worked and has since been moved out of the location.

That being said since they closed I've become a member of VAPS and now have 8 arcade games in my basement.
 
A few weeks ago, I stopped by the place formerly known as Galaxy World in Carol Stream, IL. only to find out that the doors were shuttered. The place was a ghost town for a long time in the 2000s, but the game room was still functional and actually had a decent number of games left in it. It was an extension of the Brunswick Zone bowling center.

In the 80s the bowling alley was known as Gala Lanes and Galaxy World was the attached arcade that drew in hundreds of people on any given weekend. It was also the testing grounds for some new arcade games (mainly Williams) through the '90s.

Now, I wonder where the rest of their games went. I didn't hear of any local auction (unless I totally missed it), but if they're being held somewhere for any future auction, I'd like to at least go and check it out.

Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks.

Man, Galaxy World was my FAVORITE arcade to go to in the Chicago 'burbs. Me and buddies went there a lot in the late 80s/early 90s when we all started getting our licenses and could drive there from the Schaumburg area.

No idea where there games went but that place was my favorite!
 
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