John Weiss remembers his first visit to the Manitou Springs Penny Arcade. It was 1973, and he was a prospective college student exploring the area when he spent a day in Manitou Springs. The experience stayed with him, ultimately helping influence his decision to attend Colorado College and planting the seed for a lifelong connection to the area.
Years later, that connection deepened. In the early 1990s, Weiss returned to Colorado Springs and became involved in launching a local publication, The Colorado Springs Independent, focused on providing a broader voice for the community. He went on to lead the publication for nearly three decades.
In 2025, Weiss found himself once again answering a call—this time not in newsprint, but in nostalgia. When he learned that the Penny Arcade might be sold and potentially altered, he stepped in, not simply as a buyer, but what he describes as a “caretaker.” His goal: to preserve the spirit of a place that has brought joy to generations, while thoughtfully enhancing it for those yet to come.
93 Years of History
The Manitou Springs Penny Arcade was originally launched by Jack Kerns in 1933 as “Bingo Jacks,” a gaming hall. It changed after Colorado’s attorney general ruled that for-profit bingo games were considered gambling and therefore illegal. The Kerns family pivoted their business model and established the Manitou Springs Penny Arcade, offering coin-operated games and instant photo booths. Over the next 92 years, the arcade amassed more than 600 historic and modern arcade games, pinball machines, Skee-Ball and kiddie rides.
In the early ‘70s, founder Jack Kerns passed away and his wife sold the arcade to their sons, with Alan Kerns being the primary operator. The Penny Arcade remained in the Kerns family until selling the property to John Weiss in May 2025.
The Learning Curve
Weiss spent his career in newsprint and knew he would experience a steep learning curve when he purchased the Penny Arcade.
“I had a very sophisticated business plan: ‘Don’t screw it up before Labor Day,’” Weiss says.
Weiss decided to allow the day-to-day operations to remain the same during the first high season. It wasn’t until October that they began discussing improvements and additions to the arcade.
“I realized quickly that because many of the games offered in our arcade were over 50 years old, repairing damaged or broken machines would require some imagination,” he says. “For instance, to repair our Skee-Ball machines, we needed to find someone who could resurface the decks with cork to keep them authentic. I didn’t even know where to start and it took time and research to find someone to do it.”
One of the first things that Weiss and his team did was to eliminate about 100 games that were either impossible to repair or too costly to maintain. Then they cleared out two full storage areas to find spare parts and create a “machine hospital,” where skilled repairmen could fix and maintain the remaining games.
To address the issue of sourcing parts for some of their older games, they are currently looking into 3D printed parts as a potential alternative.
They also are looking at some improvements and additions.
“We listen to the community and value their input,” he says. “There have been some wonderful suggestions that we plan to implement over the next few years.”
Address + Phone: 930 Manitou Avenue, Manitou Springs | 719-659-5371
Website: https://manitouspringsarcade.com/
Facebook: @ManitouSpringsArcade
Instagram: @Manitou_Springs_Arcade
Preserving the historic flavor of the arcade and modernizing the property is Weiss and his team’s main goal. Some of the improvements and additions that visitors can expect to see over the next two years include:
- New arcade games
- Bathrooms
- Snack bar and eating area
- Locally sourced redemption counter prizes
- Community event space